Cotto stops Abullaev
Defends title with payback win from 2000 Olympics

Ringside reports by Matt Richardson & Jason "J-Gon" Gonzalez
Photography by Chris Cozzone

The Cherry on Top: Miguel Cotto Closes Out Puerto Rican Week in Stellar Fashion

by Jason “J-Gon” Gonzalez
 
As Puerto Rican week draws to an end in New York City, a crowd of 10,231 filled Madison Square Garden to cheer and support the next “great champ” to hail from the tiny island located in the Caribbean. On the eve of the Puerto Rican day parade, it is only fitting that this talented and upcoming star seek the revenge he has so strongly yearned for over the past five years.

Muhammad Abdullaev defeated Miguel Cotto in the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, Australia. It is amazing how history has a way to repeat itself. The Olympics is about heritage, pride and patriotism to one’s own land. To turn back the hands of time here is a brief overview; Miguel represented Puerto Rico, and Abdullaev represented Uzbekistan. Five years later Miguel is representing Puerto Rico as well as celebrating his heritage again, against the same man that last handed him an “L”.

Can you say poetic justice? I would say so. But before I go into the elaborated details of the fight first let me fill you in on the results of the under card.

The newest acquisition to the Top Rank family Juan Manuel Lopez beat the previously undefeated Jr. Featherweight Eric Nemo via a second round TKO at 1:23. Juan Manuel Lopez knocked Eric down, he got back up and with Lopez smelling blood, he began teeing off on Nemo prompting referee Benji Estevez to call the bout to a halt. The native of San Juan improved to 4-0 with 3KO’s.

The undefeated streak continued for the New Jersey native Wayne Johnson. The light heavyweight improved to 8-0 with 5KO’s, when he won a 4 round unanimous decision over James Sundin. The scorecards read 40-36 and 40-35 twice.

The up and coming Puerto Rican heavyweight prospect out of Salinas, improved to 3-0 with 2KO’s. Bisbal unleashed a slow flurry to the body, as the extremely overweight Victor James turned to his corner, and did his best impersonation of Roberto Duran: “No Mas!!” the time was 1:23.

Now as we make the transition back to the main event, the undefeated streak for Miguel Cotto continued as he successfully defended his WBO title for the third time. Miguel Cotto avenged his loss against former nemesis Muhammad Abdullaev via a 9th round TKO. Cotto’s left hook found its mark early on, as it landed against Muhammad’s right eye in the middle rounds. As the fight progressed into the later rounds Muhammad’s eye was swollen shut. After consulting with the ringside doctor, referee John Callas stopped the bout. At the time of the stoppage Cotto was ahead on all three score cards by scores 79-73 twice, and 78-74.

Although both men weighed the same (138 ¾), Cotto looked like the much stronger fighter out of the two. In the early and middle rounds Miguel worked the body very effectively. However, Muhammad Abdullaev managed to have his moments. He had staggered Cotto with an overhand right in the middle rounds, which visibly shook him. Also in the later rounds as Cotto lay on the ropes, Miguel was caught with a left hand to the head area that clearly stunned him.\

But at the end of the night, Miguel Cotto’s arm was raised as the victor and he also gets to leave with his title.

This surely was a major way to cap off a tremendous week in Puerto Rican heritage. 

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Casamayor & Diamond battle to draw

by Matt Richardson

In a closely contested lightweight affair former WBA 130-lb. champion Joel Casamayor fought to a 12-round split draw against undefeated Almazbek “Kid Diamond” Raiymkulov. Judges scorecards read 116-111 for Raiymkulov, 115-112 for Casamayor and 114-114. Fightnews tabbed Casamayor a close winner, 114-113. Raiymkulov was knocked down in the first when Casamayor landed a hard right on the chin. Casamayor seemed to control the pace of the fight, darting in and out landing well to the body and head. Raiymkulov stayed on track however and never stopped coming forward. Like the fight itself, punch stats were also close: Casamayor threw 468 punches while “Diamond” threw 646. Casamayor landed 140 punches overall while Raiymkulov landed two less at 138.

Casamayor did well in the first darting in and out, cutting Raiymkulov over the right eye and shaking him with a left hook. In the final seconds of the round Raiymkulov was dropped in the corner courtesy of a straight right on the chin. Raiymkulov did better in the second though landing nicely to the body and head. Raiymkulov landed a hard right in the final seconds of the round. He went in for the kill but Casamayor successfully eluded Raiymkulov’s offense. Raiymkulov scored with rights to the head and body in the third. Raiymkulov got caught standing straight up in the fourth when Casamayor caught him with a pair of left hooks. Casamayor got caught by a 1-2 however, in the closing seconds. Casamayor frustrated Raiymkulov in the fifth with a crisp quick left from the outside. The pattern continued in the sixth: Casamayor scored from the outside while Raiymkulov generally found himself swinging at air when he moved in. Both men exchanged rights in the final minute of the seventh. Casamayor also got hit cleanly by a hook before the bell rang. The fighters got into a wild exchange of hooks in the eighth. It was Casamayor however who seemed to land the harder shots. At one point he yelled for Raiymkulov to “come on” and glared at his opponent when the bell rung. Casamayor controlled the tempo in the ninth with his straight right. Raiymkulov landed an assortment of punches in the tenth but nothing powerful enough to shake his opponent. Raiymkulov landed well in the eleventh and both men landed hard hooks at the bell. Casamayor rocked Raiymkulov with hard hooks in the final round. Raiymkulov came back well however at the end, nearly decking Casamayor with a straight 1-2.

Although the fight was close, Casamayor (31-3-1, 19 KO’s) was left shaking his head in the end. “I can’t believe they called it a draw,” he said. “I definitely thought I won the fight.” Raiymkulov (20-0-1, 12 KO’s) meanwhile, wasn’t as upset. “I thought I won the fight,” he said. “(But) the judges called it a draw – it’s a draw.”

Undercard results

Popular Middleweight John Duddy was extended the distance for the first time in his career when he won a unanimous 8-round decision over Patrick Thompson. All three judges handed in the same shut-out score of 80-72, all for the unbeaten Duddy (10-0, 9 KO’s). Duddy pressed the action throughout though he did get hit cleanly at times, particularly in the second when Thompson landed numerous rights. With the defeat Thompson drops to 9-5-1 with 4 KO’s.

Super Bantamweight hopeful Juan Manuel Lopez stopped a game Eric Nemo in the third round of a scheduled four. Lopez (4-0, 4 KO’s) walked into a few straight rights but for the most part dominated the action. Nemo (5-1-1, 2 KO’s) was bruised and bloodied when he was dropped on a right hook in the third. He got up but after taking a few more hard shots on the ropes his corner called a halt. Time was 2:17.

Light Heavyweight Wayne Johnsen kept his hometown fans happy when he won a unanimous 4-round decision over James Sundin in the opening fight of the night. Johnsen (8-0, 5 KO’s) was in control the whole time particularly in the opening stanza when he had Sundin (6-2, 3 KO’s) reeling. Judges scorecards read 40-36 and 40-35 (twice) for the New Jersey based Johnsen.

Bisball vs. James		Johnson vs. Sundin
Nemo vs. Lopez
Duddy vs. Thompson
McDermott vs. Matos
Rylik vs. Freeman

Post-fight photos