Canchila defeats Segura for WBA title

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

By Scottg
First off , I'm nor trying to take over your web page R-Man you have built an awesome site here. But, I happened to notice that this site neglected to recognize the new WBA light flyweight champion Cesar Canchila with an impressive decsion win over previously unbeaten Giovani Segura on last Saturdays Cotto/Margarito under card. He weathered Segura's counter punching bombs early on, got up off the canvas, settled down and boxed very well. He negated Segura's looping bombs by using straight sharp jabs and power punches to almost close Segura's right eye. Just an observation on my part but did anyone else notice that when Segura threw his right he dropped his left down to his waist and when he threw his left he also brought it back low. >>>

Toney win over Rahman changed to no decision

By Scottg

First here's the article :
The California State Athletic Commission changed its original decision on the James Toney-Hasim Rahman fight from a technical knockout to a no decision. Toney stopped Rahman in the third round of their July 16 rematch of former heavyweight champions in Temecula, Calif., after Rahman told the ringside doctor that he couldn’t continue because of a cut over his left eye. The original decision was a technical knockout win for Toney. Rahman later appealed, and after a review, the commission said Monday it was changing the technical knockout to a no decision, according to Bill Douglas of the state athletic commission.

Now my perspective; I watched this fight for the 12-round NABO Heavyweight Championship unfold. The first round was competative with Rahman scoring well and Toney who is a slow starter not doing much. But, in the second round James Toneys movement and counterpunching style started to give Rahman problems. This continued in the third round with Toney dominating and hurting Rahman more than once. The cut in question obviously came from an unintentional head butt as the replays showed. When the ringside doctor came to Rahmans corner after the third round to check the eye, he asked Rahman how he felt. Rahman told the doctor he could not see out of the eye. The doctor asked again if he could go and Rahman again told him he couldn't see out of his left eye. The doctor had no choice but to stop the fight. It was ruled at the time to my dismay that Rahman had quit and Toney was awarded the TKO and the title. Although I also agree that Rahman used the cut to get out of what was clearly a bad situation for him with Toney's speed taking over and dominating the fight. The rules are the rules. The cut came from an unintentional head butt as declared by the referee. It happened before the 4th round, and the fight was stopped before the 4th round, therefore it was a no decision. The crowd didn't like what he did and neither did I as far as using the cut to escape on his feet without a loss. I don't see Rahman getting many more paydays if he continues to display this kind of character. But as for the California State Athletic Commission. They got this one right...This time >>>

On Miguel Cotto

Let me do what I failed to do earlier, and that is give credit to Miguel Cotto. I always have empathy for the losing fighter. I know what it's like to lose. I know what it's like to taste your own blood in defeat and I know what it's like to have to face the people in your life when you have fallen short of your goal, in this case, winning the fight. It's a hell of a thing to climb through those ropes, whether it''s for a six round semi wind up, or an epic title fight with the entire world watching.

Up until the final seconds Miguel Cotto was still in the fight. Yes, the inevitability was obvious. But because this was Miguel Cotto, nothing was a sure thing, not even the obvious inevitable ending. Cotto continued to box, countering Margarito's right hand with his left hook, and even up until the end he was trying, hoping, doing his absolute best not to let his countrymen down. That is what made this such a great fight. Yes, at some point it became almost painful to watch, but you have to admire two professionals that took the shots they did and still kept punching. If Margarito was magnificent in victory, so was Cotto in defeat. Yes, he succumbed to the force of nature that is Antonio Margarito. There is no shame in that. Looking inward though, Cotto will not see that. His psyche has been damaged. How could it not be? When a man steps into the ring he lays it all on the line, everything, his pride, his career, his future, his reputation and sometimes even his life.

There was, from my perspective, high drama last night. Two warriors that gave every last ounce of strength in their bodies. I salute them both. That ladies and gentlemen is professional boxing, the king of sports.

Antonio Margarito Talks After His Win Over Cotto

Referee Kenny Bayless

For a moment there in last nights fight between Antonio Magarito and Miguel Cotto, I had a moment of dejavu. Cotto dropped to his knees just as Margarito was closing in on him, Margarito let the punches go and the last one hit him while he was down. It's hard to stop the punches once you let them go, and it's easy to lose perspective of where your opponent is, which is why we have a referee. Lucky for us, Kenny Bayless never gave it any consideration. This is how the fight between Humberto Soto and Francisco Lorenzo should have ended, without controversy. I hope Joe Cortez was taking notes. Two completely different fights I know, but when I heard one of the announcers say out loud "Margarito hit him while he was down" I knew what they were referring to. Like them I thought "Oh no, not again". Kudos to referee Kenny Bayless for doing a good job last night.

Antonio Margarito Stops Miguel Cotto

Antonio Margarito stopped Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas at 2:05 of the eleventh round in a incredible battle of attrition, to win the WBA Welterweight title. It was great fight. That may be an understatement.

Like a big cat, relentless in his pursuit of his next meal, uncompromising, hungry, unstoppable, unwavering, Antonio Margarito ate Miguel Cotto alive. Despite what Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman were saying, Cotto did not completely dominate the early rounds. It was give and take until the six round when Margarito found his range, his tempo and his will. It was an inevitable ending.

He didn’t just win the fight, he systematically broke down Cotto’s will. In the seventh round, I saw surrender in Cotto’s eyes, and where in the earlier rounds Cotto was punching with authority, from the seventh round on his punches were thrown with desperation. His will was gone, only his pride kept him up, and sadly even that would go in a few rounds.

No, Margarito didn’t just beat him, he took his manhood. Carrying all of Mexico on his back, he out manned him, out gunned him. In a epic battle of machismo, it was Antonio that was left standing. In the end Cotto surrendered meekly on his knees, a thoroughly beaten man. Sadly his wife and son were in the crowd and saw it unfold. No son should have to see his father lose in such a way.

In much the same way the same way Julio Cesar Chavez broke down Meldrick Taylor (I don’t care what the scorecards were) and Edwin Rosario, Margarito wore down Cotto. He patiently stuck with his game plan and it paid off. Cotto had his moments in the fight, to be sure. He was countering much of what Antonio was throwing, but he just could not stop the forward momentum of Margarito, who has a chin that would have made Rocky Marciano proud. In the battle of the irresistible force against the immovable object, the object moved.

Cotto vs Margarito: The Weigh In