José Cotto

José Cotto
Statistics
Real name José Miguel Cotto Vázquez
Rated at Super bantamweight
Featherweight
Super featherweight
Lightweight
Light welterweight
Welterweight
Light middleweight
Height 5 ft 5.5 in (1.66 m)
Nationality Puerto Rican
Born (1977-06-22) June 22, 1977
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 38
Wins 33
Wins by KO 24
Losses 4
Draws 1

José Miguel Cotto Vázquez (born June 22, 1977) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer and a four-time regional level champion. He is the brother of five-time world boxing champion Miguel Cotto and the cousin of lightweight contender Abner Cotto.

Amateur career

In 1995 as an amateur, he participated at the Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina, and won a silver medal. A year later he represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics, where he was defeated in the first round.

Pro career

He won the WBC Youth World super bantamweight title in August 20, 2000, a split decision win against a capable young Fernando Velardez (who would later fight Mexican legend Erik Morales for Morales' WBC Featherweight title).

On July 25, 2003, Cotto was supposed to fight in Phoenix, Arizona. However, his opponent had trouble getting a license to fight, as he had been knocked out recently and was serving a 45-day suspension from another state. The Arizona boxing commission was not able to find Cotto an opponent in time and the fight got cancelled.

On September 9, at his native Caguas, Cotto finally returned to action, with a first round knockout win over Johnny Walker. On December 19, he fought Anthony Martinez in Aibonito, winning by an eighth round knockout.

Cotto moved to Phoenix early in 2004. On April 14 of that year he stopped Mexican Luis Lizarraga at two minutes and thirty seven seconds of the first round to win the regional, International Boxing Council (IBC) Intercontinental super featherweight title. He has also won the vacant WBO intercontinental super featherweight title during his fight with Genaro Trazancos.

On August 6, he beat former WBA Bantamweight champion Al Kotey by a ten round unanimous decision in San Juan. On August 20, 2005, Cotto would have boxed Manuel Medina, with a world title shot at stake. But he was not able to make the fight's weight limit and the fight was cancelled.

On January 29, 2005, Cotto knocked out Armando Cordoba in the first round to win the vacant WBO NABO lightweight title.

On January 20, 2006, Cotto knocked Ubaldo Hernandez out in seven rounds at Mayfield, California. On April 8, he received his first world title try, losing a twelve round decision to Juan Díaz as part of a Pay Per View undercard, for the WBA world Lightweight title in an exciting fight where both contestants threw nearly a hundred punches per round.

In May 2007, he and Prawat Singwangcha (30-3-1, 18 KOs) battled to a twelve round draw in a bout for the vacant WBA lightweight title.

Cotto then proceeded to fight Saul Alvarez at welterweight. Cotto got off to a good start and almost knocked out Alvarez, in round 2 Cotto went down after missing a hook. The referee stopped the fight in round 9 after Cotto was trapped in the corner and was taking many flush right hands by Alvarez.

On April 9, 2011 he lost a 10 round unanimous decision to former IBF Light Welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi, managing to buckle Maligaggi a couple of times.

    He was scheduled to face former two time lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo on February 11, 2012, though it was cancelled due to Castillo coming in overweight. On the 21st of April 2012 Jose Cotto beat Eric Cruz (13-8 13 KO's) by UD over 10 rounds, knocking the overmatched opponent down twice.

    Professional boxing record

    33 Wins (24 knockouts), 4 loss(s), 1 Draw, 0 No Contest
    Res. Record Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Location Notes
    Loss33-4-1 United States Manuel Pérez SD102012-07-21 Mexico Oasis Hotel Complex, Cancún, Quintana Roo For NABA Lightweight title.
    Win33-3-1 Puerto Rico Eric Cruz UD102012-04-21 Puerto Rico Coliseo Roger L. Mendoza, Caguas
    Loss32-3-1 United States Paulie Malignaggi UD102011-04-09 United States MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
    Win32-2-1 Barbados Christopher Henry TKO4 (10), 1:192010-11-05 Puerto Rico Coliseo Cosme Beitia Salamo, Cataño
    Loss31-2-1 Mexico Saúl Álvarez TKO9 (10), 2:512010-05-01 United States MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada For NABF Welterweight title.
    Win31-1-1 Colombia Ilido Julio TKO6 (8)2009-12-19 Puerto Rico Coliseo Roger L. Mendoza, Caguas
    Win30-1-1 United States Martin Ramirez KO3 (8), 2:522009-09-26 Puerto Rico Coliseo Héctor Solá Bezares, Caguas
    Win29-1-1 The Bahamas Anthony Woods TKO4 (8), 2:242009-08-29 Puerto Rico Coliseo Ruben Viera, Las Piedras
    Draw28-1-1 Thailand Prawet Singwancha MD122007-05-11 Puerto Rico Coliseo Angel 'Cholo' Espada, Salinas For vacant WBA World Lightweight title.
    Win28-1-0 Colombia Ivan Hernandez TKO10 (10), 1:572006-08-04 Puerto Rico Coliseo Pedrín Zorrilla, Hato Rey
    Loss27-1-0 United States Juan Díaz UD122006-04-08 United States Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada For WBA World Lightweight title.
    Win26-0-0 Mexico Ubaldo Hernandez KO7 (10), 2:592006-01-20 United States Activity Center, Maywood, California
    Win25-0-0 Mexico Genaro Trazancos TKO7 (12), 1:002005-03-04 Puerto Rico Coliseo Pedrín Zorrilla, Hato Rey Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight title.
    Win24-0-0 Panama Armando Cordoba KO1 (12), 1:272005-01-29 Puerto Rico Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez, Hato Rey Won vacant WBO NABO Lightweight title.
    Win23-0-0 Ghana Alfred Kotey UD102004-08-06 Puerto Rico Coliseo Pedrín Zorrilla, Hato Rey
    Win22-0-0 Mexico Luis Alfonso Lizarraga KO1 (11), 2:272004-05-14 United States Dodge Theater, Phoenix, Arizona Won IBC Intercontinental Lightweight title.

    See also

    External links

    Awards and achievements
    Preceded by
    Fernando Velardez
    WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion
    August 20, 2000 – September 23, 2000
    Vacated
    Vacant
    Title next held by
    Fernando Velardez
    Vacant
    Title last held by
    Lemuel Nelson
    IBC Intercontinental Super Featherweight Champion
    April 14, 2004 – 2005
    Vacated
    Succeeded by
    Incumbent
    Vacant
    Title last held by
    Ebo Elder
    WBO NABO Lightweight Champion
    January 29, 2005 – July 22, 2005
    Vacated
    Succeeded by
    Rolando Reyes
    Vacant
    Title last held by
    Janos Nagy
    WBO Intercontinental Super Featherweight Champion
    March 4, 2005 – December 2, 2005
    Vacated
    Succeeded by
    Julio Pablo Chacon
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