Boxing: Boxing: A Look at Miguel Cotto

Born: October, 29 1980
Weight: 140 Height: 5'8"
Hometown: Caguas
Country: Puerto Rico
Division: Lightweight
Trainer: Evangelista Cotto
Promoter: Top Rank
Co-Managers: Peter Rivera, Evangelista Cotto
After four years of being the best amateur boxer in Puerto Rico, Miguel Cotto made a very impressive leap into the professional ranks last February 23 in Austin, Texas as he stopped Jason Doucet of Lake Charles, Louisiana in the first round. In front of a very large and very vocal crowd in the Erwin Center at Texas University, Cotto showed all his skills against Doucet. Cotto was fast on his feet, quick with his hands and devastating with both fists as he put down Doucet twice in the first round of a scheduled four round bout. �I was just happy to get the first win under my belt. He (Doucet) had a lot of courage and was very strong,�� said Cotto after a fight that was televised nationally by the cable sports network ESPN2.

Cotto�s second professional fight came on March 30 in Forth Worth, Texas and this time he stopped Jacob Godinez in the second round, showing once again his tremendous speed and power in a fight that was again shown on ESPN2.

For his third professional fight Cotto traveled to New York on April 28 to take part in a very important card and once again showed what he is made of by taking everything that Waklimi Young had to give and still dominated the four rounds with his great body shots and quick combinations on his way to a four round unanimous decision. �He (Young) was in great shape to take my shots and not go down. I was happy with my performanceand that I was able to get some work in this fight,� said Cotto after the fight in the Hammestein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center. �Fighting in New York its always important for Puerto Ricans and I�m glad I won and gave a good account of myself�, said the 20 year-old fighter.

On his fourth fight he went to six-round for the first time and also made his professional debut in Puerto Rico on May 20 on a card held at Pier 10 in San Juan, where his Olympic teammates, Ivan Calderon, Ruben Fuchu and Edwin Algarin were also in action. He won a unanimous decision against Mexican Martin Ramirez (6-8,3ko's).

On his fifth and most recent fight he also fought in San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 7 against Rudolfo Lunsford (11-15-1,7ko's). He won by TKO on the 4 round.

Cotto began to fight at a very young age following in the family tradition. His father, uncle, brother and cousin had taken the same path before him as they made boxing the family business in the Cotto household. In the little gym of Bairoa in Caguas where such world champions as Orlando �Cholo� Fernandez and Jose �Cury� Carrazo where made, Cotto began his dream of someday making a name in boxing. Under the watchful eye of his father Miguel Angel Cotto and his uncle Evangelista Cotto, the young Miguel began what would turn out to become one of the most successful amateur careers in the history of Puerto Rico boxing. His boxing skills, fast hands and quick movements in the ring became his trademark as the right-handed fighter began to get noticed internationally in 1997.

In 1997 Cotto won the bronze medal in the Central American tournament in Mexico City and followed that with a gold medal in a regional tournament in Colombia. In 1998 Cotto captured the gold in the prestigious Pedro Julio Nolasco tournament in the Dominican Republic and then won the silver in the Pan American youth tournament in Mexico City, the Central American and Caribbean Games in Maracaibo Venezuela and the Youth World Championship. In 1999 Cotto competed in the Pan American Games in Winnipeg and won the gold medal in the Jose Torres tournament in Puerto Rico to close out another good year.

Cotto represented Puerto Rico in the Olympic Games in Sydney last year and lost a very controversial decision to Mahamadkadyz Abdullaev in his first fight. Abdullaev from Uzbekistan would go on to win the gold medal in the 140-pound category. Cotto finished his great amateur career with a 95-23 record and with the expectations of a great professional career.

1) 02/01/03 Cesar Bazan Las Vegas, NV USA w TKO 11

2) 11/22/02 Ubaldo Hernandez Caguas, Puerto Rico W KO 7

3) 09/14/02 John Brown Las Vegas, NV USA W UD 10

4) 07/30/02 Carlos Ramirez Concho, OK USA W KO 3

5) 06/22/02 Justin Juuko Las Vegas, NV USA W TKO 5

6) 05/03/02 Juan Angel Macias Las Vegas, NV USA W TKO 7

7) 03/01/02 Sammy Sparkman Carolina, Puerto Rico W TKO 2

8) 01/11/02 Joshua Smith Caguas, Puerto Rico W TKO 2

9) 07/28/01 Arturo Rodriguez Los Angeles, Ca USA W KO 2

10) 07/01/01 Rudolfo Lunsford San Juan, Puerto Rico W TKO 4

11) 05/20/01 Martin Ramirez San Juan, Puerto Rico W UD 4

12) 04/28/01 Waklimi Young New York, NY USA W UD 4

13) 03/30/01 Jacob Godinez Ft. Worth, TX USA W TKO 2

14) 02/23/01 Jason Doucet Austin, TX USA W TKO 1

Miguel Cotto will take on former IBF lightweight title challenger Joel Perez, 34-5-2, 20 KO's from Houston, Texas on the Floyd Mayweather vs. Victoriano Sosa HBO championship card Saturday, April 19 at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California.

Cheers Ocelot lot's of info there.He has quite a impressive career so far!

Thanx. His next fight is saturday April 19 on HBO. You can bet I'll be watching it.

[Edited on 11-4-2003 by Ocelot]

[Edited on 11-4-2003 by Ocelot]

I'll have to put that in my diary..

Has he a brother or cousin called Tito?

You know what I'm not really sure.

Well i read somethig about it and i can't remember exactly it seems he is a fighter aswell but i'm not sure.The same thing about that after Cotto won everyone was given a day off work.

The same thing about that after Cotto won everyone was given a day off work.

I dont think that really happened. If it did then I missed it.LOL!

Yeah as i say i wasn't sure I'll try to find it and let you know.

There have been times when Felix "Tito" Trinidad has dropped by to talk with Miguel Cotto. He offered advice and his phone number, telling Cotto to call whenever he needed anything.

For the 22-year-old, following in the footsteps of a fellow Puerto Rican and former world champion isn't a source of pressure. Cotto (14-0, 11 KOs), the World Boxing Council's International super lightweight champion, fights on HBO tonight against Joel Perez (34-5-2, 20 KOs), marking the latest step in what could lead to an eventual megafight. Floyd Mayweather Jr., defends his WBC lightweight title against Victoriano Sosa in the main event on HBO (9 p.m.).

"I don't really feel any pressure about that," Cotto said of replacing Trinidad. "I feel more motivated, and I know I need to work more and more to be a great fighter."

Cotto, ranked No. 9 by the WBC and coming off an 11th-round technical knockout over Cesar Bazan, said he doesn't consider Perez a tuneup.

Top Rank vice president Todd Duboef said that matchmaker Bruce Trampler will be evaluating Cotto's upcoming performances.

"The interest with him in Puerto Rico is sensational, and I think that's why everyone is so excited about him," Duboef said. "Because in today's world there are very few guys that are great attractions, and we think this is just the beginning."

Seem's he's getting alot of attention lately,what i would like is to see him fight Cintron.I'm trying to get a tape of him to see how good he is..!

I dont know how many of you saw the fight last night but Cotto looked impresive. He KO'd Joel Perez on the 4th round after a brutal body shot that obviously hurt Perez and he could barely breathe.

I didn't actually see it,i would have liked to.

He must have some power for a body shot to have stopped it!

Yeah Cotto caught him flush with a devastating left hook to the center of Joel's stomach that looked like it knocked the air out of Perez's body. He could not recover in time and the ref counted the 10 for the KO.

Won 19 (KOs 16) Lost 0 Total = 19
Ranking: WBA #1,WBO #1, WBC #6, IBF #7

Date Opponent Location Result
02/28/04 Victoriano Sosa Las Vegas,NV W KO 4

12/06/03 Carlos Maussa
NABO Super Lightweight Title Bayamon,PR W TKO 8

09/13/03 Demetrio Ceballos
WBA Latin Champion Superlightweight Title Las Vegas,NV W TKO 7

06/28/03 Rocky Martinez Bayamon,PR W KO 2

04/19/03 Joel Perez Fresno,CA W KO 4

02/01/03 Cesar Bazan
WBC International Superlightweight Title Las Vegas,NV W TKO 11

11/22/02 Ubaldo Hernandez Caguas,PR W KO 7

09/14/02 John Brown Las Vegas,NV W UD 10

07/30/02 Carlos Ramirez Concho,OK W KO 3

06/22/02 Justin Juuko Las Vegas,NV W TKO 5

05/03/02 Juan Angel Macias Las Vegas,NV W TKO 7

03/01/02 Sammy Sparkman Carolina PR W TKO 2

01/11/02 Joshua Smith Caguas,PR W TKO 2

07/28/01 Arturo Rodriguez Los Angeles, Ca W KO 2

07/01/01 Rudolfo Lunsford San Juan,PR W TKO 4

05/20/01 Martin Ramirez San Juan,PR W UD 4

04/28/01 Waklimi Young New York,NY W UD 4

03/30/01 Jacob Godinez Ft. Worth,TX W TKO 2

02/23/01 Jason Doucet Austin,TX W TKO 1

I just have one thing to say.....


It was widely thought among many that Miguel Cotto would someday become a great professional boxer

In just three short years Cotto's pro career has soared past early expectations. Someday is already Today.

[Edited on 12/3/04 by TRD]

Cotto will be around for a long time he is a awesome fighter and is living uo to expectation's so far.

Won 20 (KOs 16) Lost 0 Total = 20
Ranking: WBA #1,WBO #2, WBC #3, IBF #4

Date Opponent Location Result
05/08/04 Lovemore N'dou Las Vegas,NV W UD 12
02/28/04 Victoriano Sosa Las Vegas,NV W KO 4
12/06/03 Carlos Maussa
NABO Super Lightweight Title Bayamon,PR W TKO 8
09/13/03 Demetrio Ceballos
WBA Latin Champion Superlightweight Title Las Vegas,NV W TKO 7
06/28/03 Rocky Martinez Bayamon,PR W KO 2
04/19/03 Joel Perez Fresno,CA W KO 4
02/01/03 Cesar Bazan
WBC International Superlightweight Title Las Vegas,NV W TKO 11
11/22/02 Ubaldo Hernandez Caguas,PR W KO 7
09/14/02 John Brown Las Vegas,NV W UD 10
07/30/02 Carlos Ramirez Concho,OK W KO 3
06/22/02 Justin Juuko Las Vegas,NV W TKO 5
05/03/02 Juan Angel Macias Las Vegas,NV W TKO 7
03/01/02 Sammy Sparkman Carolina PR W TKO 2
01/11/02 Joshua Smith Caguas,PR W TKO 2
07/28/01 Arturo Rodriguez Los Angeles,Ca W KO 2

07/01/01 Rudolfo Lunsford San Juan,PR W TKO 4
05/20/01 Martin Ramirez San Juan,PR W UD 4
04/28/01 Waklimi Young New York,NY W UD 4

03/30/01 Jacob Godinez Ft. Worth,TX W TKO 2
02/23/01 Jason Doucet Austin,TX W TKO 1