Live Blog: Miguel Cotto vs Joshua Clottey

Welcome to The Boxing Bulletin's Live Blog coverage of Miguel Cotto vs Joshua Clottey.

If you've followed along with us for a Live Blog before, we welcome you back - and if this is your first time, thanks for checking us out.

Coverage will start at 10:35 PM EST.

Miguel Cotto (33-1) vs Joshua Clottey (35-2) ---- 12 rounds at 147 pounds If you are here early, check out The Boxing Bulletin's Preview for tonight's fight, as well as our previews for next weekend's big fights: Miguel Cotto vs Joshua Clottey Preview Adrian Diaconu vs Jean Pascal Preview Wladimir Klitschko vs Ruslan Chagaev Preview

Refresh this page often as updates will be frequent 8:05 PM ... 2 1/2 hours until the show starts. Updates will begin at 10:35 PM est. 10:20... 15 minutes until we'll be under way. 10:37... Welcome to The Boxing Bulletin's live blog coverage. HBO's telecast has begun... "Live from a packed Madison Square Garden..." - Jim Lampley 10:40... Nothing to report just yet. Lampley is just running through the current welterweight picture. 10:42... Ring Life feature on Cotto. He's talking about the Margarito fight, explaining that his legs and arms started to get tired in the mid rounds. He'll need to stay strong tonight. 10:45... Cotto says that without his uncle as trainer, they have a better team with a better attitude. 10:47.... Manny Steward is giving his take now. "Clottey is going to put pressure on him, and force Cotto to fight at a faster pace than he'd like." 10:48... Kellerman interview with Clottey from earlier in the night. Clottey says he'll be putting the pressure on and will force Cotto to fight. 10:50... Kellerman asks Clottey if he feels he needs a KO to win since he'll be fighting in MSG in front of 20,000 Cotto fans. He doesn't think it will be an issue. 10:52... No fight night weights. I believe that's to do with Cotto, as I don't believe HBO gave fight night weights for his recent fights against Margarito or Mosley. I'd guess he figures it's nobody's business. 10:53... I stand corrected. Lampley says that HBO does not get unofficial weights from New York. 10:54... Clottey is in the ring. Lampley and Steward speculate on the fight night weights, but unfortunately we don't have any numbers. 10:55... Cotto is on his way into the ring, and the crowd is buzzing. 10:56... Kellerman says Cotto is faced with a fighter that will come at him the way Margarito did. I have to disagree. Clottey might put a little pressure on, but he's far from a Margarito type. He's patient and if anything, quite economical with his output. 10:57... Michael Buffer with the intros. 10:58... Arthur Mercante Jr. is the referee. 10:58... Clottey is introduced... to silence. 10:59... The crowd is buzzing, camera flashes are going off as Cotto's introduced. 11:00... We are underway. 11:01... Clottey in the black trunks. Clottey in the red. Battle of jabs through the first minute. 11:03... Nice little exchange of hooks at the 1;30 mark. Clottey then comes forward and hooks to the body. Cotto with a hook that is blocked. Clottey with a nice jab, followed by a right. Steward says that so far the signature punch of the fight so far has been Clottey's jab. Both fighters getting a little more adventurous as the round progresses. Clottey with a little hook downstairs. 10 seconds left. And Clottey is caught with what looked like a little hook at the very end of the round, and down he went! 11:04... Clottey's corner is tellling him he won the round. Well he had... until the last second. It was a jab that floored Clottey, as he was coming forward. A bit lucky, but it's a knockdown. 11:05... Steward believes Clottey's body position caused the knockdown. Harold has it 10-8. I'd have it 10-9, as I think Clottey won the round until that moment. A knockdown isn't worth 3 points... but I'm guessing the judges have it 10-8 as well. 11:07... Steward comments that Clottey still seems to be the better fighter. Other than that knock-down, Cotto has been quiet... but that counts. Clottey's working the jab here, and looking sharp. Steward comments on Clottey's accuracy, and Kellerman adds that Clottey is landing the head snapping shots. He is looking good. Cotto looks quite cautious. 30 seconds to go in the round. Action has been in the middle of the ring... with neither man really pushing the other back. There's the bell for round 2. 11:08... Cotto's corner is telling him to use the jab and move side to side. 11:08... Harold has it 19-18 after 2. 11:09... Cautious stuff from Cotto. Clottey is using his jab nicely, Cotto with his gloves up being very patient. Clottey has his gloves up as well. Clottey digs a couple uppercuts in and tries to shoot over a right hand, but it's blocked. Cotto now trying to shoot his jab through Clottey's guard. kellerman comments on Clottey's nice uppercuts. 1:10 to go in round 3. 11:11... Clottey is edging forward a little. Cotto moving from side to side, circling. Steward comments on how good Clottey's defense has been. Clottey edging forward, Cotto now with his back to the ropes. Cotto leaps in with a hook, but it's blocked and they clinch. An accidental clash of heads, and Cotto has been cut over the left eye. There's the bell to end round 3. 11:12... The cut is nasty and it's in a bad spot. Just accross the left eye brow and it's the type that could eventually end this fight. Accidental clash of heads. The doctor is taking a look. 11:13... The fight will continue. 11;13... Harold has it 2-1 for Cotto, plus the knockdown. Clottey is pushing forward here, behind the high guard, and Cotto rips a couple counters. Both looked blocked. Clottey now pushed forward showing some initiative. he lands a right hand, and Cotto digs back with a body shot. A real nice exchange there. Clottey with a nice body shot, and followed it up with an uppercut. Excellent action and we are only 30 seconds into the round. 11:15... Cotto landed a nice hook in an exchange. The blood around his eye is noticeable. Clottey with a nice right hand, and then digs an uppercut. Some really good exchanges here. Now Cotto presses forward and backs Clottey into the ropes and they clinch. Cotto with an ice combo. Clottey lands an uppercut, and Cotto responds with a hook. There's the bell end round 4. A lot of blood around Cotto's face. 11:16... Cotto's corner is hard at work on him. 11:16... Harold has it 3-1 for Cotto. I think he's wrong, but that's his card. 11:18... Both fighters using the jab here early in round 5. Cotto now digs a hook to the body. Clottey with a really nice 1-2 combo that landed flush. Cotto now edges forward, throws a jab, and then eats a jab in return. 1:30 left in the round. 11:19.. Cotto just threw Clottey to the ground. Not sure what the hell happened there. 11:19... We will have to see that again. Mercante is telling Clottey to walk it off. It looks like he's hurt his foot. Mercante is telling him he's got 5 minutes. We've got 40 seconds left in the round. "Suck it up, kid." Mercante says. 11:21... Clottey is dancing around to get his legs. He's getting back in there and we're back at it. 30 seconds left in the round. They clinch, as Clottey tries to come forward. Cotto with a combo, but it's blocked. They exchange body shots. Both men let their hands go over the final 10 seconds of the round. 11:22... That was a big round for Clottey. He's injured his knee. The doctor is asking him if he wants to continue and he does. 11:22... Harold gave that round to Clottey. He's got it 3-2 now, Cotto up by 2. 11:25... Clottey is warned for a a low blow. Cotto now lands a nice combo, and he pushes Clottey back. It looked like he may have hurt Clottey there, and Cotto now opens up and pushes Clottey into the corner with a big flurry. Clottey is now trapped in the corner, and he fires back with a combo. Cotto firing hooks, and trying to dig downstairs. He lands a nice right hand. Clottey fires back with a right hand, and he's got his guard up, but he's not coming out of the corner... Cotto now backs up, and Clottey instead of coming out of the corner, jsut backs up again. Cotto is really digging in with big shots. Clottey occasionally throwing back, but he's taking the worst of it. 20 seconds left in a huge round 6 for Cotto. Clottey suddenly comes firing out of the corner with a big right, and catches Cotto. There's the bell. 11;26... Round 7 is underway. 11:26... 4-2 on Harold's card. Clottey is now edging forward again. Cotto with a combo and tries to dig downstairs. Clottey with a nice uppercut. Harold mentions that the canvas is slippery. Cotto with a nice 1-2. Cotto with a jab. Clottey with a right hand. Clottey looking sharp again suddenly after thet rouble he had in round 6. 1:30 to go in round 7. 11:29... perhaps Cotto is taking a rest after all the power shots he threw in round 6. Clottey with a jab, and follows up with a hard right that backs Cotto up. he nails Cotto with another right hand, and Cotto slips away. Cotto now on the move a little and Kellerman says, "Shades of Margarito." Clottey forces Cotto into the ropes. Clottey backing Cotto up here. Cotto jabs as he backs up. Clottey digs in with a jab and a hard right hand. It's all Clottey here in round 7. There's the bell. 11:29... Cotto's corner are working on that eye. 11:30... 4-3 on Harold's card, with the 2 point edge because of the knockdown. I'd say Clottey has won more rounds, but who knows what the judges have it. 11:33... Cotto is now the one coming forward, and Clottey with his back to the ropes. Clottey comes back with a hook to the body and gets off the ropes, and now he turns Cotto is the one with his back to the ropes. Clottey with a nice little uppercut. Cotto trying to work the jab. Steward comments that Clottey is having trouble with hsi leg. Clottey with a hard right hand. 1:20 left in the round. Lampley says the doctors are going to have to consider stopping the fight due to Cotto's eye. 1:00 left in the round. Another good one for Clottey. he's stalking. Cotto's moving. Clottey with another hard right hand. 40 seconds left in the round. Clottey tries to force Cotto into the corner, Cotto turns the tables and unloads on Clottey and Clottey smiles. He nows backs Cotto up again and rips him with a right hand. Clottey backs Cotto up again. Cotto is in trouble here. I think this fight might be coming to a close. The doctor is in Cotto's corner having a look. 11:34... It looks like Cotto's going to come out for another round. 11:35... Harold has it 4-4 now. Clottey edging forward here early in round 9. Cotto tries to come forward and throws a hook, but immediately he's backing up again. Clottey stalking, edging forward. Cotto eats a right hand along the ropes, and he slides away... he's backing up. Clottey with another good right hand. Clottey putting the pressure on. Cotto occasionally looks to go on the offense, but it's for very short spurts. 1:30 to go in the round. 11:36... The crew has been discussing the cards in case this one is stopped. Steward can't see any way Cotto is ahead. 11:37... A little spurt there from Cotto. He had a combo with Clottey on the ropes. Clottey though is quickly back ont he offensive. 10 seconds left in the round. A nice exchange to close it. 11:37... Round 10 coming up. Clottey's corner is in very good spirits, while Cotto's corner is working on that eye. 11:38... Round 10 is underway. Harold has it 5-4 for Clottey, all even on his card. 11:39... Clottey keeps pressing forward. Clottey shifting from side to side, trying to pick his spots. When Miguel does open up, he's finding it tough to get through Clottey's ear muff defense. Clottey pushing forward, Cotto moving backwards. However, as Lampley just points out, Clottey isn't really letting his hands go. 11:42... I was about to say Cotto might snag this round. but Clottey just landed a nice right hand. Now Clottey with a right hand to the body. 30 seconds left in the round. It's up for grabs thoguh, as Clottey hasn't done too much despite moving forward. 15 seconds to go. A nice big exchange at the end of the round. Cotto landed a big left hook that appeared to almost knock Clottey off balance. Clottey responded with his own shot, and Cotto fired back. 11:45... Cotto with a nice left hook early in round 11. Clottey is coming forward again. Cotto circling to his left. Cotto fires a combo, but it's blocked and he moves away. Clottey is stalking, but Cotto's side for side movement is keeping him from setting his feet and letting his hands go. Cotto backing up, circling... while Clottey chases. Now Clottey pushes Cotto back against the ropes and lands a right hand. Cotto fires off a combo that lands. Clottey needs to let his hands go a little more this round. Cotto on the move, but he's stopping occasionally and scoring blows. Clottey with a right hand. Clottey with a jab. Cotto fires a combo, and quickly backs up. Cotto digs to the body. Clottey with a combo, but it's blocked. Now Clottey with a jab, and a right. Clottey with the better of an exchange as the round ends. 11:46... These scorecards are going to be interesting. The last couple rounds could go either way. If the judges prefer Clottey's aggression, he won them... but neither were decisive enough. 11:46... Harold has it 6-5 for Clottey, 104-104. 11:48... Clottey in pursuit. Cotto on his toes. Moving side to side. A nice exchange, with both throwing power shots, and Clottey just missed with a hook. 2:00 left in the round. A bloody Miguel Cotto trying to pull this one out, as Josh Clottey chases him around the ring. Lampley comments that Clottey is just not throwing. I'd agree. He needs to get a little busier. Cotto just hit Clottey in the back of the head. Clottey went down... and there's a break in the action. 1:00 left. They are back at it. 11:49... Cotto warned to keep his punches up. Cotto with a hook. Clottey misses a right. They exchange shots along the ropes. Clottey tries to jump in with a combo and they clinch with Cotto's back along the ropes. Cotto with a combo. Cotto backing away. Clottey jumps in and tries to flurry as time ticks down. There's the bell. 11:50... "Clottey may have been the better fighter tonight, but Cotto may have been the better man." - Max Kellerman. Not sure what Max means. Certainly a gutsy effort from Cotto go fight 10 rounds with a badly cut eye, but Clottey fought a clean fight and kept coming all night. 11:51... A replay of the shot to the back of the head. They got turned around, while Clottey had Clottey's arm locked, and Cotto hit him with the free hand. Didn't see any malice in it. 11:52... We await the decision. 11:53... Harold has it 6-6. Harold points out the difference in the fight on his card was the knockdown. He's got it 114-113. 11:53... I think Clottey edged it. But we'll see. 11:54... Michael Buffer with the scores... 116-111 for Cotto (huh?), 114-113 for Clottey, 115-112 for Cotto. I'll be honest. I think anything more than 1 point win for Cotto is an AWFUL card. 11:55... Manny Steward calls it a "questionable decision." 116-111 is criminal. 11:58... Lampley is interviewing Cotto. Cotto says he tried to just stick to his plan and forget about the cut. "I just tried to keep fighting, and forget about the blood." Cotto credits his cut man Joe Chavez for doing a good job on the cut. 11:59... Lampley is now talking to Clottey. He doesn't look pleased. No surprise that he's not impressed with the cards and wants a rematch. 12:01... Well, that's it for The Boxing Bulleting's live blog coverage. Hopefully you enjoyed it, and will join us again next time. The Boxing Bulletin's Jeff Pryor was in attendance. Check out his story - Cotto vs Clottey: The Madison Square Garden Experience