COTTO-ALVAREZ: ROUND BY ROUND
LAS VEGAS — Inside the arena that has hosted other powerful versions of the Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry, Mexico’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez pursuit of the World Boxing Council middleweight belt required a signature victory over Puerto Rico’s only four-division world champion, Miguel Cotto.
Alvarez, 25, sought to showcase both the power that paced him to a third-round knockout over James Kirkland in May and improved boxing skill after being exposed in his loss two years ago to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and, to a lesser extent, his troublesome split-decision triumph over Cuba’s Erislandy Lara last year.
Cotto, 35, was 3-0 since aligning with six-time trainer-ofthe-year Freddie Roach, who predicted Cotto’s experience, distinguished left hook to the body and overall skill would produce victory.
Cotto, who earned a guaranteed $15 million for the bout, vacated the middleweight belt earlier after declining to pay $300,000 in sanctioning fees to the WBC. ROUND 1: Alvarez walks in wearing a black “Mexico” poncho. He’s the crowd favorite. Cotto, 35, enters wearing a pink outfit, in shorts, with headphones on. Alvarez hugs his longtime trainer Eddy Reynoso and kisses him on the cheek. Cotto consults with Roach. Alvarez kneels to pray before the bell rings and referee Robert Byrd summons the fighters forward. Cotto is jabbing, protecting his head. He lands a jab. Alvarez waiting for an opportunity, hits Cotto in the side with a right, then lands a clean left. Judges: John McKaie 10-9 Cotto; Burt Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Dave Moretti 10-9 Alvarez. ROUND 2: Alvarez lands a left to the body then a right to the head. Cotto is jabbing, staying in the middle of the ring. Alvarez slips jabs, then strikes Cotto with a right. Cotto sneaks in a right. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Alvarez; Clements 10-9 Cotto; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez. ROUND 3: A good left is followed by a dangerous right by Alvarez, who then swats a right to the head. Cotto covers after another Alvarez right. Alvarez lands a right to the head. A Cotto jab lands. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Alvarez; Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez. ROUND 4: A left by Cotto lands. Good right by Alvarez. Alvarez darts away from jabs and a right, then comes back with a clean left and right. Nice boxing. Good right by Alvarez. Three lefts by Cotto all land. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Cotto; Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Moretti 10-9 Cotto. ROUND 5: Left uppercut by Cotto. Alvarez comes back with a clean right as Cotto tries to remain boxing before absorbing a left hook. Cotto answers with a clean combination Alvarez is marked under the right eye. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Alvarez; Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez. ROUND 6: Overhand right by Alvarez, who starts more aggressively this round. Cotto is boxing and moving. Two clean jabs by Cotto. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Cotto; Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez.
ROUND 7: Cotto is working the body. Alvarez lands a big left and hard right to the body. Good right uppercut by Alvarez. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Alvarez; Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez. ROUND 8: Left uppercut by Alvarez followed by a jab Cotto answers and Alvarez rips him with a left and right. Alvarez is on the attack, the crowd loves it. Cotto takes some big blows and Alvarez wants to keep throwing them. Hard right uppercut by Alvarez. A good left by Cotto. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Alvarez; Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez. ROUND 9: Cotto starts with a good right. A clean left by Alvarez, then a left body punch. Alvarez gets Cotto to the ropes with power punches, Cotto answers. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Alvarez; Clements 10-9 Cotto; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez. ROUND 10: Cotto looks more fatigued. An Alvarez right to the head makes Cotto cover. Alvarez hard right to the body. Cotto hits Alvarez with a left to the face. Cotto moving away. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Alvarez; Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez. ROUND 11: Good right to the head by Cotto. A left by Alvarez makes Cotto back up. A good left by Alvarez. Cotto’s jabbing, dancing on his toes. Alvarez sneaks in a left, then a right. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Alvarez; Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez. ROUND 12: Left, and another left by Alvarez. He’s fighting like nothing is assured on the scorecards. Bigger rights by Alvarez. A good exchange shows the bout did surpass the dull Floyd MayweatherManny Pacquiao bout in activity. Cotto is cut above the left eye. A nice right by Cotto and Alvarez lands a response. A Cotto left follows. Then, good lefts and a hard right by Alvarez, prompting another entertaining exchange. Cotto delivers lefts at the bell. The fighters embrace. It’s going to the judges after Alvarez landed 155 punches to Cotto’s 129. Alvarez’s power-punch edge was 118-75, while Cotto outjabbed the younger fighter, 54-37. Judges: McKaie 10-9 Alvarez; Clements 10-9 Alvarez; Moretti 10-9 Alvarez.
FINAL SCORES: McKaie 117-111 Alvarez; Clements 118110 Alvarez; Moretti 119-109 Alvarez.
— Lance Pugmire