Round 1: Chants of Cotto early in the round. Fighters feeling each other out. Foreman appears nervous. Cotto the aggressor, landed the few solid blows of the round. Cotto the edge, 10-9.
Round 2: It’s Foreman’s kind of fight, but not throwing enough jabs. Cotto jab knocked Foreman off balance. Best combination so far for Foreman. Good left for Foreman in exchange, but not enough to take the round. Cotto takes the round, 10-9.
Round 3: Good left from Cotto early in the round, combo from Foreman. Foreman constantly moving to fend off Cotto’s power, as per his style.Foreman not busy enough, takes a right that knocks out mouthpiece but not hurt. Fight stopped momentarily to put back mouthpiece. Cotto landing better blows, wins the round again 10-9.
Round 4: Cotto tags Foreman with good right hand against the ropes. Foreman lands a combo. Foreman slips in the corner. Cotto a 3-punch combo to the face. Cotto remains the aggressor. Cotto, 10-9.
Round 5: Foreman misses a wild punch, hit w/ right hand. Foreman not busy enough. Cotto good short right hand to the chin. Blood appears to coming from Foreman’s nose. Foreman tripled up w/ the jab and threw a hook behind it but doesn’t seem to be able to hurt Cotto. Cotto in a close round, 10-9.
Round 6: Little action; a smattering of boos from the crowd as Foreman continues to dance but throws few punches. Cotto the aggressor, wins the round 10-9.
Round 7: Foreman trips in his corner, limping after he gets up. Then slips again in the corner. Still limping but goes on. Foreman on the ropes takes a flurry comes back with his own. Tagged with left and loses mouthpiece, in trouble. takes right, left and right, lands a right. Best action of the fight, but Cotto getting the better of it. Foreman a right hook, Cotto a left. Good exchanges, but Foreman limping badly. Best round for Foreman, but not enough. Cotto 10-9.
Round 8: Slight cut under Foreman’s right eye worked on between rounds. Cotto jabs landing well. Foreman again trips in the corner. Foreman’s corner throws in the towel! Ref Arthur Mercante Jr. says he called timeout; he will not stop the fight. Foreman limping badly. More bizarre boxing moments! Fight resumes. Good left to the face by Cotto after a Foreman right. Cotto 10-9. Ring announcer said towel did not come from corner, but replay appeared to show it was from the corner.
Round 9: Foreman falls again in the corner, gets up in pain. The referee stops the contest 42 seconds into the round. Cotto takes the title from Foreman to become a four-time champion.
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