At this point in time, Miguel Cotto was one of the fastest rising stars in boxing. With 20 KOs in 24 wins, he had proved to fans that he was exciting, but even he was going to be surprised with the quality of opposition put in front of him on 24th September 2005.
Ricardo Torres at this juncture was a relative unknown, but his record of 28-0 (26KOs) spoke volumes. This showed that he obviously had superb power, but Cotto did have one thing in his favour. Torres had only taken the fight on three weeks' notice, although if Cotto expected anything less than a war, he was in for a rude awakening.
Cotto vs. Torres Round-By-Round
Torres started slowly, backing off Cotto, while the champion pushed forward, throwing a good mixture of head and body shots. The Colombian banger was made to pay for his slow start when Cotto knocked him down after a three punch combination, but Torres wasn't hurt. In fact, as soon as he got up, he had Cotto on unsteady legs when a right straight crashed into the chin of Cotto, but the Puerto Rican star survived the session.
The Colombian continued his assault in the second round, and he scored a knockdown for his troubles. He hit Cotto cleanly many times, and the champion was forced to clinch on several occasions. It was only the sheer determination and strength of Cotto that got him through the round, and many would have succumbed to the pressure of his exciting foe.
Cotto had a better third. He managed to hit Torres with some great left hooks to the body, and he had seemingly recovered well from a torrid second. Torres on the other hand looked a little jaded; as if he had punched himself out in the last round.
In the fourth, Torres looked in even worse shape. Cotto put his opponent down after a body shot, although it was hard to tell if it was the force of the punch that put him down or if he was complaining to the referee about the shot being slightly low. Regardless, Cotto dominated the session, and his superior technical skills were showing.
Come round five and there was yet another turnaround in this miraculous bout. Cotto got complacent, let his defence slip for a moment and Torres capitalised on this, pounding the champion with another relentless burst of power shots. Cotto showed his heart by staying on his feet for the duration of the round, but Torres' domination was reflected by the fact Max Kellerman (HBO analyst) gave the round 10-8 to the Colombian, despite the lack of a knockdown.
Round six was also incredible. Cotto's concentration didn't waver in this round, and this was rewarded by a knockdown at the end. He connected with a beautiful right straight, bang on the chin of Torres, who was at this point broken down by the body shots of Cotto. Going back to his corner after the session, Torres looked demoralised and confused.
The seventh round would be the last of the contest. Torres started well, even hurting Cotto, but the champion knew he could finish his keen challenger, and he did so. The Puerto Rican trapped Torres in a corner, and unleashed more shots to the body and head, knocking him down in the process. Torres bravely rose at nine, but it was plain to see he had nothing left, and the referee called a halt to the bout.
Implications Of Cotto vs. Torres
This marked a remarkable win for Cotto, and in the eyes of many, despite touching down, he was seen as the 'real deal' after this. After all, the heart he showed here can't be taught, and he proved for the first time in his career he could go through a real war.
As for Torres, his stock rose immeasurably. He proved himself as a real warrior at the top level, and as an exciting fighter to boot. He was soon in the 'world' title picture again after this, and the guarantee of action has made him extremely popular.
How To Watch Cotto vs. Torres
Cotto vs. Torres was this week's 'Classic Fight of the Week'. Please visit my profile page for details on how to watch this, or any of the fights previously covered in this column.
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