Miguel Cotto facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Miguel Cotto
Cotto in 2010
Statistics
Real name	Miguel Ángel Cotto Vázquez
Nickname(s)	Junito
Rated at	Light welterweight Welterweight Light middleweight Middleweight
Height	5 ft 8 in
Reach	67 in
Nationality	American
Born	(1980-10-29) October 29, 1980 (age 44) Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	47
Wins	41
Wins by KO	33
Losses	6
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  Puerto Rico Central American and Caribbean Games Silver 1998 Maracaibo Lightweight Junior World Championships Silver 1998 Buenos Aires Lightweight Junior Pan American Championships Silver 1998 Toluca Lightweight Pan American Championships Gold 1997 Medellin Lightweight Central American and Caribbean Championships Bronze 1997 Tijuana Lightweight

Miguel Ángel Cotto Vázquez (born October 29, 1980) is a former professional boxer from Puerto Rico. He competed from 2001 to 2017. Miguel Cotto is a multiple-time world champion. He was the first boxer from Puerto Rico to win world titles in four different weight classes. These classes ranged from light welterweight to middleweight. In 2007 and 2009, he was ranked among the top seven boxers in the world. Cotto started his career as a strong, attacking fighter. Over the years, he became a more skilled boxer who could also hit hard as he moved to heavier weight classes.

As an amateur, Cotto represented Puerto Rico in many international events. He competed in the lightweight and light welterweight divisions. This included the 1999 Pan American Games and the 2000 Olympics. He won a silver medal at the 1998 Junior World Championships. Cotto began his professional career in 2001. In 2004, he defeated Kelson Pinto to win the WBO light welterweight title. He defended this title six times before moving up in weight.

In 2006, Cotto won the WBA welterweight title by defeating Carlos Quintana. He defended it four times. In 2008, he had his first professional loss to Antonio Margarito. The next year, Cotto won the vacant WBO welterweight title. He defended it once before losing to Manny Pacquiao in the same year.

In 2010, Cotto moved to light middleweight. He won the WBA title from Yuri Foreman. He was later promoted to "Super champion" by the WBA. In 2011, Cotto won a rematch against Margarito. He lost his WBA (Super) title in 2012 to Floyd Mayweather Jr. This was one of the most anticipated fights in boxing. Later that year, Cotto also lost to Austin Trout.

Two years later, in 2014, Cotto defeated Sergio Martínez. He won the WBC, Ring, and lineal middleweight titles. This made him the first four-weight world champion from Puerto Rico. In 2015, he defended his titles once. He then lost them to Canelo Álvarez. After being inactive for over a year, Cotto returned in 2017. He became the WBO light middleweight champion. However, he lost this title in his final fight to Sadam Ali.

Early Life and Boxing Start

Miguel Cotto was born in Providence, Rhode Island. His parents were from Puerto Rico. His family moved to Caguas, Puerto Rico, before he turned two. Many people in his family were involved in boxing. This included his father, Miguel Cotto Sr., his brother José Miguel Cotto, and his cousin Abner Cotto. His uncle, Evangelista Cotto, was also his former boxing trainer.

Cotto started boxing as a child to help him lose weight. He did not expect it to become his career. He trained at the Bairoa Gym in Caguas. There, he grew into a top amateur fighter.

Amateur Boxing Journey

As an amateur, Miguel Cotto competed in several international tournaments.

• In 1998, he participated in the Junior World Championships in Buenos Aires. He finished second in the Lightweight division. He won three fights by points. His only loss was to Anton Solopov of Russia.
• In 1999, Cotto competed in the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He had one fight and lost to Dana Laframboise.
• After the Pan American tournament, Cotto was part of the Boxing World Championships in Houston, Texas. He lost his only fight there.
• In his final amateur tournament, Cotto represented Puerto Rico at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. He competed as a Light Welterweight. He lost to Mahamadkadir Abdullayev of Uzbekistan.

After this loss, Cotto decided to become a professional boxer. He ended his amateur career with a record of 125 wins and 23 losses.

Miguel Cotto's Trainers

Miguel Cotto worked with several trainers throughout his professional career:

• Evangelista Cotto: February 2001 - April 2009
• Joe Santiago: April 2009 - February 2010
• Emmanuel Steward: March 2010 - September 2011
• Pedro Diaz: October 2011 - December 2012
• Freddie Roach: July 2013 - December 2017

Professional Boxing Career

Starting Out as a Pro

Early in his career, Cotto defeated former world title contender John Brown. Cotto led the fight from the start and knocked Brown down in the second round. The judges scored the fight clearly in Cotto's favor.

In 2001, Cotto had a serious injury that could have ended his boxing career. He was driving early in the morning, fell asleep, and crashed. He broke his arm and needed to go to the hospital.

On September 13, 2003, Cotto defeated Demetrio Ceballos by knockout in the seventh round in Las Vegas. Cotto hurt Ceballos with many punches. He switched between fighting styles. In the seventh round, Cotto was very aggressive, and the referee stopped the fight. After this win, he was ranked number one in his division by the World Boxing Association.

Cotto's first fight of 2004 was a knockout win in the fourth round against former world title contender Victoriano Sosa. This fight happened after a busy week for Cotto. He had to wait hours for his luggage at the airport and was almost removed from his hotel.

On April 8, 2004, he defeated former world title challenger Lovemore N'dou by a unanimous decision in Las Vegas. Cotto controlled the middle rounds, landing many punches. The judges all scored the fight for Cotto.

Light Welterweight Champion

Winning His First World Title

On September 11, 2004, Cotto fought Brazilian Kelson Pinto for the vacant World Boxing Organization junior welterweight title. This was their third fight, and Pinto had won their two previous amateur matches. The fight was shown on HBO from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Cotto used a defensive style in this fight. He knocked Pinto down three times and won the championship by knockout in the sixth round.

Defending the Title

On December 11, 2004, Cotto successfully defended his title. He beat former world champion Randall Bailey by knockout in the sixth round in Las Vegas. Cotto's performance was praised for his speed and accuracy. Bailey received cuts around his eyes. The referee stopped the fight after Bailey said he could not continue. A few days later, Cotto was named Puerto Rico's fighter of the year for 2004.

Cotto's second title defense was on February 26, 2005, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, against Demarcus Corley. Cotto fought very aggressively. Both boxers lost a point for illegal low blows. Cotto knocked Corley down three times before the referee stopped the fight in the fifth round. Corley felt the fight was stopped too early.

On June 11, 2005, Cotto faced Mohamed Abdulaev from Uzbekistan. Abdulaev was the last person to beat Cotto as an amateur. They met as professionals in New York City's Madison Square Garden. Cotto started strong, hitting Abdullaev's head and body. In the ninth round, Abdullaev's eye was badly swollen. The referee stopped the fight after the doctor examined Abdullaev, and he said he could not continue. Cotto kept his title.

Cotto's third title defense was on September 24, 2005, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, against Ricardo Torres of Colombia. Cotto knocked Torres down in the first round. Torres then knocked Cotto down in the second round. Cotto recovered and dominated the fight. In the seventh round, a left hook from Cotto knocked Torres out.

On March 4, 2006, Cotto defended his WBO Junior Welterweight title. He knocked out Gianluca Branco, who had to stop in the eighth round due to a shoulder injury. Cotto controlled the fight with his jab combinations.

Cotto vs. Malignaggi

Cotto's next fight was against the undefeated Paul Malignaggi on June 10, 2006, at Madison Square Garden. Cotto caused a cut over Malignaggi's left eye in the first round. Malignaggi said this affected his vision for the rest of the fight. Cotto won the fight by a unanimous decision. Malignaggi suffered a fractured bone near his eye and an injured jaw.

Moving to Welterweight

Cotto vs. Oktay Urkal, 2007

Winning a New Title

Cotto gave up his light welterweight title in late 2006. He decided to move up to the welterweight division. He challenged Carlos Quintana for the WBA championship. The fight took place on December 2, 2006. Cotto defeated Quintana by technical knockout in the fifth round. Quintana gave up before the sixth round started. Cotto won the vacant World Boxing Association Welterweight Championship.

Cotto's time as Welterweight champion started well on March 3, 2007. He kept his belt with a technical knockout win in the eleventh round over Oktay Urkal. Urkal's team stopped the fight because he was struggling and had points deducted.

Defending the Welterweight Title

On June 9, 2007, Cotto defended his WBA Welterweight Title against Zab Judah in New York City. The fight was sold out at Madison Square Garden. Cotto knocked Judah down and had a point deducted. Cotto took control of the fight after a close start. Cotto won by technical knockout in the eleventh round when the referee stopped the fight.

Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley fought on November 10, 2007, at Madison Square Garden. Cotto won the fight by a unanimous decision. Cotto chased Mosley for most of the fight. Later in the fight, Mosley became more aggressive. Cotto's performance was described as moving him closer to greatness.

On April 12, 2008, Cotto successfully defended his championship against Alfonso Gómez. Cotto knocked Gómez down three times. The fight was stopped after the fifth round when the doctor said Gómez could not continue. Cotto was named the World Boxing Association's "Boxer of the Year."

First Professional Loss

On July 26, 2008, in Las Vegas, Cotto suffered his first loss as a professional. He lost to Antonio Margarito in a title defense. Cotto started strong, landing many punches and moving well. However, Margarito kept attacking Cotto and wore him down. Cotto was hurt in the seventh round, and his nose started bleeding. Margarito continued to land punches. In the eleventh round, Margarito landed a series of punches that forced Cotto to his knee. Cotto got up, but Margarito kept hitting him. Cotto's uncle stopped the fight by throwing in the towel.

Later, Margarito's win came under question. This was because he tried to use illegal hand-wraps in a later fight against Shane Mosley. This made people wonder if he had used similar wraps against Cotto.

Winning Another Welterweight Title

Cotto returned to boxing on February 21, 2009, at Madison Square Garden. He fought Michael Jennings for the vacant WBO welterweight title. Cotto knocked Jennings down twice in the fourth round. In the fifth round, Cotto trapped Jennings against the ropes and landed a right hook, causing a third knockdown. The referee stopped the fight, giving Cotto a technical knockout win. This made Cotto a two-time welterweight champion.

On April 14, 2009, it was announced that Cotto would defend his title against Ghanaian boxer Joshua Clottey. The fight took place on June 13, 2009, at Madison Square Garden. Cotto knocked Clottey down in the first round. In the third round, an accidental head clash caused a bad cut over Cotto's left eye. The injury bled a lot, but Cotto managed to control the fight. Clottey was pushed down in the fifth round and hurt his knee. Cotto won the fight by a split decision.

Cotto vs. Pacquiao

After the Clottey fight, talks began for a fight against Manny Pacquiao. The fight was set for November 14, 2009, in Las Vegas. Cotto's team agreed to fight at a slightly lower weight than the welterweight limit to help Pacquiao. Cotto also received a smaller share of the money from the fight.

Pacquiao defeated Cotto by TKO in the 12th round. This meant Cotto lost his WBO welterweight title. With this win, Pacquiao became the first boxer to win world titles in seven different weight classes. The fight was very popular, generating a lot of money from pay-per-view sales.

Light Middleweight Champion

Winning a Fourth World Title

After the Pacquiao fight, Cotto moved to the light middleweight division. On June 5, 2010, he fought undefeated Israeli WBA light Middleweight Champion Yuri Foreman at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Cotto knocked Foreman down with a left hook to the body in the ninth round. Foreman had also torn his knee. Cotto won the WBA light middleweight title, his fourth overall world title in three different weight divisions.

Defending the Light Middleweight Title

On March 12, 2011, Cotto defended his WBA light middleweight title against former two-division world champion Ricardo Mayorga in Las Vegas. Cotto defeated Mayorga by TKO in the 12th round. Mayorga tried to attack throughout the fight, but Cotto used discipline and saved his big punches for the end. A left hook from Cotto dropped Mayorga, ending the fight. Cotto was ahead on all judges' scorecards when the fight stopped.

On December 3, 2011, Cotto had a rematch against Antonio Margarito at Madison Square Garden. The New York State Athletic Commission initially did not want to give Margarito a boxing license. This was because of damage to his eye from a previous fight. After a hearing, Margarito was granted a license. Cotto got revenge for his 2008 loss, stopping Margarito in the 10th round. The fight was stopped because Margarito's right eye was swollen shut. Cotto was ahead on all scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

Big Fights and Challenges

On May 5, 2012, undefeated world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. challenged Cotto for his WBA 'Super' light middleweight title. The fight took place in Las Vegas. Cotto started as the aggressor, but Mayweather used his counter-punching skills. The fight was close for many rounds. Cotto pushed Mayweather against the ropes many times, causing Mayweather's nose to bleed. Mayweather won by a unanimous decision. Cotto accepted the loss, saying, "The judges said I lost the fight; I can't do anything else. I'm happy with my fight and performance." Mayweather told Cotto, "You are a tough champion — the toughest guy I fought."

On December 1, 2012, Cotto defended his WBA light middleweight title against Austin Trout at Madison Square Garden. Trout started fast, using quick punches and good footwork. Cotto found success in the middle rounds, trapping Trout on the ropes and landing body shots. However, Trout regained control in the later rounds and won the fight by a wide unanimous decision.

On October 5, 2013, Cotto fought light middleweight contender Delvin Rodríguez in Orlando, Florida. Cotto looked like his old self, fighting aggressively and landing powerful body shots. He used his strong left hook, which he was known for. In the third round, Cotto forced Rodríguez into the ropes and landed a left hook, followed by many punches that knocked Rodríguez down. The referee stopped the fight, giving Cotto a third-round TKO victory.

Middleweight Champion

Making History

In February 2014, it was announced that Cotto would challenge WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight champion Sergio Martinez. This was Cotto's first fight in the middleweight division. The fight took place on June 7, 2014, at Madison Square Garden. Martinez had been inactive for a year and had knee surgeries. Cotto knocked Martinez down three times in the first round and once in the ninth. Martinez stopped fighting before the tenth round, giving Cotto the win. Cotto became the first Puerto Rican boxer to win world titles in four different weight classes.

Defending the Middleweight Title

In March 2015, Cotto signed with Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports. On June 6, 2015, Cotto made his first defense of his middleweight titles against former unified middleweight champion Daniel Geale at the Barclays Center in New York. Geale had trouble making the weight limit. Cotto knocked Geale down twice in the fourth round. After the second knockdown, Geale said he did not want to continue, and the referee stopped the fight.

Losing the Middleweight Title

Cotto lost to Saul "Canelo" Álvarez on November 21, 2015, by unanimous decision. The fight was close, with both boxers being careful. Cotto used his jab and movement, while Álvarez landed powerful punches, especially to the body. Both fighters showed great toughness. The judges' scores were controversial, as many thought the fight was much closer. Cotto left immediately after hearing the scores. His trainer, Freddie Roach, said he believed Cotto won the fight. Cotto later told reporters in Puerto Rico that he felt he had won.

A few days before the fight, the WBC announced they were taking away Cotto's Middleweight World Champion title. This was because Cotto did not agree to their rules and fees. This meant that only Álvarez could win the WBC title in that fight. Cotto said he refused to pay the WBC's fees because he thought they were too high.

Return to Light Middleweight and Retirement

Cotto planned to return to the ring in 2017. A fight against James Kirkland was scheduled for February 25, 2017, but it was canceled after Kirkland suffered a nose fracture.

On May 31, 2017, Cotto signed a deal with Golden Boy Promotions. This deal included promoting Cotto's upcoming fights and helping boxing in Puerto Rico.

Winning a Sixth World Title

On August 26, 2017, Cotto fought Yoshihiro Kamegai in Carson, California. The vacant WBO light middleweight championship was on the line. Cotto weighed 153.6 pounds, and Kamegai was slightly heavier. Cotto had said he would retire on December 31, 2017. Cotto defeated Kamegai by unanimous decision after 12 rounds. He claimed the vacant WBO light middleweight title, becoming a six-time world champion. The judges scored the fight clearly for Cotto. Kamegai fought hard, but Cotto countered his punches well. Cotto said after the fight that Kamegai was tough and he knew he would not be able to knock him out.

Final Fight and Retirement

In September 2017, it was announced that Cotto's final fight would be against former Olympian and world welterweight title challenger Sadam Ali. The fight took place on December 2, 2017, at Madison Square Garden. Cotto weighed 151.6 pounds, his lightest in eight years. Ali weighed 153 pounds.

In a surprising upset, Cotto lost his final career fight by a 12-round unanimous decision. The judges scored the fight for Ali, who also claimed the WBO light middleweight title. Cotto said after the fight that he had torn his left bicep in round 7. Cotto started well but slowed down. He was hurt several times, but Ali did not go for a knockout. Cotto said, "I don't want to make excuses. Sadam won the fight. It is my last fight. I am good, and I want to be happy in my home with my family." Cotto ended his career with an 8-2 record at Madison Square Garden. Ali thanked Cotto for the opportunity. Cotto had surgery on December 6 for a ruptured biceps tendon, which was successful.

Cotto kept his promise and retired after his loss to Sadam Ali. When asked if it was his last fight, Cotto said, "It is. I want to be happy in my home and enjoy my family." He thanked his fans for their support. After a 17-year professional career, Cotto officially retired with 41 wins (33 by knockout) and 6 losses.

Personal Life

Miguel Cotto is married to Melissa Guzmán. They have three children: Luis, Alondra, and Miguel Cotto III. Cotto also has another daughter from a previous relationship.

Cotto owns and runs a boxing promotion company called "Promociones Miguel Cotto." This company organizes boxing events in Puerto Rico. He also started "El Ángel," a non-profit group that encourages physical activity and fights against childhood obesity.

Fashion designer Marc Eckō chose Cotto to promote his brand, Eckō Unltd., in boxing. He admired Cotto's "fearless" attitude. As part of this partnership, Eckō Unltd. made boxing gear for Cotto and clothing for the public. Miguel Cotto's uncle, David Cotto, was the first boxer in the Cotto family. His career ended early due to a gunshot wound to his hand while working as a police officer.

Images for kids

• 

  Cotto in 2010

• 

  Cotto vs. Oktay Urkal, 2007

Titles in Boxing

Major World Titles

• WBO light welterweight champion (140 lbs)
• WBA welterweight champion (147 lbs)
• WBO welterweight champion (147 lbs)
• WBA (Super) light middleweight champion (154 lbs)
• WBO light middleweight champion (154 lbs)
• WBC middleweight champion (160 lbs)

The Ring Magazine Titles

• The Ring middleweight champion (160 lbs)

Regional and International Titles

• WBC International light welterweight champion (140 lbs)
• NABO light welterweight champion (140 lbs)
• WBA Fedelatin light welterweight champion (140 lbs)

International Boxing Hall of Fame

Puerto Ricans in the International Boxing Hall of Fame

     = Indicates the person is no longer alive

See also

In Spanish: Miguel Cotto para niños