by James Riddick

Created on: January 11, 2009

This article will review the career of Miguel Cotto, following his move to Welterweight with a five round victory over compatriot Carlos Quintana and what the future may hold for the impressive Puerto Rican.

Cotto, hailing from Caguas, Puerto Rico, was a quick, tough Light Welterweight, with an impressive unbeaten record. His continued problems making the 140lb limited prompted his move up to Welterweight, where, in his first bout, he defeated the aforementioned Quintana.

After this came eleventh round victories over both Oktay Urkal and more impressively, "Super" Zab Judah.

These two titles defences set up a match up with Shane Mosley, which Cotto again won, this time by unanimous decision. Mosley was coming off the back of four successive wins, including two TKOs against Fernando Vargas before facing Cotto.

Cotto's next appearance was his demolition of former Contender Alfonso Gomez, who had no answer to the power, speed and accuracy of Cotto, and was finally dispatched in round five when the ringside doctor called a halt to proceedings. The Puerto Rican was impressive on the way this victory in which Gomez took his fair share of punishment, but showed a great deal of heart. The difference in class was apparent quite early on, and this was reflected in Cotto's next opponent, Antonio Margarito.

Margarito v Cotto was to be one of the fights of 2008, and will undoubtedly be replayed for years to come.

Cotto would start quickly and well, boxing beautifully for the first six rounds, after which he was probably 2 or 3 points up on the score cards, or at least that's how I had it.

Despite a broken nose, suffered early on, Cotto looked impressive against the rugged Margarito who continued to come forward, cutting off the ring and closing down the quick and lively Puerto Rican and occasionally even smiling in the face of Cotto's punches.

However, from round seven onwards, Cotto began to take the kind of punishment he had tried to inflict on Margarito. The Mexican has merely walked through Cotto's best shots, not getting disheartened and Cotto was hurt in the seventh round and would receive quite a beating on the way to succumbing to a TKO in round eleven.

This fight could be the defining fight in Cotto's career, but he will hope otherwise.

Cotto's failure to hurt the impervious Mexican and the manner of his defeat, particularly the beating in the last two rounds, may ultimately mean a rematch never happens, but if Cotto can come back well against Britain's Michael Jennings,

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