Pacquiao pummels Cotto

LAS VEGAS – Filipino Manny Pacquiao made history by becoming the first fighter to win seven world titles in as many weight classes with a stunning final round technical knockout of Miguel Cotto.

Pacquiao looked unstoppable for the third consecutive fight, knocking Cotto down twice in the early rounds Saturday before putting the finishing touches on in the 12th round to claim Cotto’s World Boxing Organization welterweight title.The Filipino dominated from the second round on, putting a stunning display of boxing skills and laying a savage beating on the Puerto Rican champion at the MGM Grand hotel and casino.Referee Kenny Bayless finally stopped the slaughter 55 seconds into the final round with Cotto unable to defend himself from Pacquiao’s lightning quick combinations.Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) solidified his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He also looked unstoppable in his two previous victories dominating the legendary Oscar De La Hoya in December 2008 before destroying Britain Ricky Hatton in just two rounds in May.This was only his second fight as a welterweight as Pacquiao is now being lined up for a blockbuster fight against American Floyd Mayweather.Pacquiao opened slowly in the first round before switching to his up tempo style in the second and then knocking Cotto down for the first time in the third in front of a sold out crowd of about 16,000 at the Grand Garden Arena.In the next round Pacquiao scored another knockdown this time sending Cotto sprawling across the centre of the ring by landing a left hook.Both fighters are icons in their homeland and it showed at Friday’s weigh in where the 6,500 packed into the Grand Garden Arena making it one of the largest crowds to ever watch a weigh in for a Las Vegas fight.Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs) praised Pacquiao by calling him the best fighter he has ever fought.Pacquiao knocked Cotto down by hurting him for the first time in the third round with a short right hook set up by a left jab. Cotto did not go all the way down but did touch both gloves to the canvas before regaining his balance.Cotto went down for the second round in a row as Pacquiao came off the ropes and hurt him with a short left hook that sent Cotto sprawling sideways across the ring.It didn’t take Pacquiao long to systematically break down Cotto’s defence even going to the ropes at different times in the fight to recharge his batteries, confident he could weather any storm Cotto could bring. – Nampa-AFP