Cotto stops Gomez, retains title
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Round-by-round coverage of undefeated Miguel Cotto's WBA welterweight title match against Alfonso S. Gomez on Saturday night. Cotto won via TKO when the doctor stopped the fight after the fifth round.
KEVIN IOLE'S UNOFFICIAL SCORECARD | |||||||||||||
Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Total |
Miguel Cotto | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | W | ||||||||
Alfonso S. Gomez | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | TKO | ||||||||
ROUND 1
Crowd is roaring for Cotto as the bell sounds to begin the fight. They trade in the center of the ring early. Gomez isn't intimidated. Neither man has landed anything significant in the first minute. Cotto lands a straight right. Gomez's nose is reddening. Cotto is moving and jabbing. Cotto left hook inside.
Iole scores it 10-9, Cotto
ROUND 2
Cotto has stepped up the heat. Firing a lot harder shots and more frequently. Gomez lands a right to the head. Cotto connects with a withering hook to the body and follows with a combination to the head. Gomez is bleeding from nose and his eyes are swelling. Good combination to body by Cotto. Right to body by Gomez. Two rights and a left by Cotto land hard. Gomez goes down from a right to the body. Gomez wobbled by left to the head. Cotto is dominating.
Iole scores it 10-8, Cotto
ROUND 3
Cotto hard uppercut. Straight left from Cotto. Combination to body and head by Cotto. This bout won't last much longer if Gomez doesn't find some offense. Uppercut inside by Cotto. Cotto rakes him with a left. Hard left by Cotto. Gomez lands a double jab, but it has nothing on it. Gomez's punches have no power. Cotto blisters him with a powerful combination. Good left-right to the body by Cotto. These are far different classes of fighters. Cotto lands a sharp combination inside. Gomez goes down at the bell from a big hook to the body and then to the head.
Iole scores it 10-8, Cotto
ROUND 4
Cotto lands a four-punch combination as the round begins. You have to give Gomez credit for still fighting. He's taking a terrible beating. Right to the head by Cotto. Jab by Cotto. Combination to the head by Cotto. It's target practice. The corner ought to throw in the towel before Gomez is hurt. Gomez's face is a mess. Strong combination to head and body by Cotto. Left to the head. Cotto is picking him apart with shots to the head.
Iole scores it 10-9, Cotto
ROUND 5
Right by Cotto as round starts. Give it to Gomez: He's still moving forward as best he can. Cotto seems to be playing this round and not punching as much. Cotto lands a jab that knocks Gomez down. Cotto seems to feel sorry for Gomez and isn't throwing as much. This fight should be stopped. The doctor stops the fight at the end of the fifth in favor of Cotto.
Iole scores it 10-8, Cotto
