Miguel Cotto Stops Jennings In 5 To Take Vacant WBO Title

Miguel Cotto stopped Britain’s Michael Jennings in the fifth round at New York’s Madison Square Garden to claim the vacant WBO title. The Puerto Rican made a slow start but took control of the bout in the second round with a barrage of body shots. The guld in class was evident with Jennings only every having fought at British domestic level, while Cotto has mixed it with some of the best fighters of his era.Jennings was knocked down twice in the fourth round, first with a body shot and then with a sweeping left hook. The former British champion bravely fought on but the fight was stopped after he went down for a third time. It had been a one-sided bout in front of a partisan crowd in New York, with Jennings only ever throwing an occasional jab and Cotto was able to pick him of at will. Jennings never really had the power in his right hand to earn Cotto’s respect – a shot that Margarito was able to use with devasting effect in Cotto’s only previous lose.
Marks had begun to appear on Jennings’ face by the beging of the fourth round and he caught a straight left on the nose at the start of that round which was the beginning of the end. Jennings, 31, was still trying to trade blows in the fifth but he was sent on to the ropes with a crunching right to the head, followed by another big left.

A straight right to the head then left a bloodied Jennings down on one knee and he looked across to his trainer Brian Hughes, who calmly motioned for him to stand up. But referee Benji Estevez had seen enough and called the fight off. After the fight Cotto stated his desire to face the winner of the Pacqciao Hatton fight set for the 2nd of May.