Video: Ronny Rios

Canelo wins one-sided decision over Cotto

Miguel Cotto vs Canelo Alvarez PPV Weigh-in 11-20-2015 WBC Middleweight Title Miguel Cotto 153.5 vs. Canelo Alvarez 155 photo Credit: WILL HART — Miguel Cotto vs Canelo Alvarez
PPV Weigh-in 11-20-2015
WBC Middleweight Title
Miguel Cotto 153.5 vs. Canelo Alvarez 155
photo Credit: WILL HART

LAS VEGAS -Canelo Alvarez and Miguel Cotto promised a lot. Expected a lot. One promise was fulfilled. Alvarez delivered on a vow to himself and his country.

“This is for all Mexicans’’ he said in a tone that was accented by a sense of relief.

Yeah, Alvarez beat Cotto Saturday night and claimed a vacant World Boxing Council middleweight title that been stripped from Cotto, who refused to pay the sanctioning fee.

But it was decisive on only the scorecards. The judges were unanimous. Burt Clements scored it 118-110. Dave Moretti had it 119-109. On John McKaie’s card, it was 117-111. All for Canelo.

But the Mexican fought the last round as though he wasn’t sure how it would go. Mexican fans in the Mandalaly Bay crowd appeared to hold their collective breath before Michael Buffer prepared to announce the scores. After Buffer did, they broke into celebratory song, but it too had a tone of relief.

There was uncertainty. Cotto made sure of it with a varied attack, agile footwork and a resilient ability to elude and often absorb Canelo’s powerful uppercuts and combinations. Where there was relief in Canelo’s tone, there was a look of anger in Cotto, who left the ring without talking to HB O, which scored the bout for Canelo, 117-111.

“He was tough,’’ said Canelo (46-1-1), 32 KOs), who collected $5 million, $10 million less than Cotto’s $15 million “He is a great champion.”

If you just judged the bout by the one-sided scores, however, Cotto was a chump.

“We thought the fight was a lot closer than the scorecards showed,,’’ Cotto trainer Freddie Roach said. “Miguel’s defense was terrific all night.’

Cotto went to his dressing room. Jay Z of Roc Nation, Cotto’s promotional company, was there and congratulated him.

For Cotto, it wasn’t immediately clear what he would do next. Fight again? retire?

For Canelo, the immediate question is whether he will defend the WBC title in in a mandatory against Gennady Golovkin

“I’m not afraid of any fighter,’’ said Canelo, who has it all, yet wasn’t sure of it until it was all over.

Vargas wins wild bout, scoring TKO for super-featherweight title

There was skill. There was will. In the end, there was Francisco Vargas.

Vargas (23-0-1, 17 KOs) overcame a nasty cut beneath his right eye, a knockdown in the fourth round and a moment in the eighth when he looked beaten. In a triumph of resilience, Vargas found the energy to unleash a wild succession of powerful blows to score a ninth-round TKO over an equally-resilient Takashi Miura (29-3-2, 22 KOs) Saturday night for the WBC’s super-featherweight title on the Miguel Cotto-Canelo card at Mandalay Bay.

Vargas caught Miura with a left uppercut, a left hook and right-left combo. Miura stumbled and fell. He scrambled onto unsteady feet and held his hands up as if to say he was okay. He wasn’t. He held on, almost hugging Vargas and looking almost unconscious. A violent succession of blows from Vargas followed. That’s when referee Tony Weeks ended it, a TKO at 1:31 of the ninth.

Miura also was knocked down by a left and short ring in the first. But he quickly recovered and began to take control of the bout with power in both hands. A straight right followed by a piston-like jab knocked down Vargas, of Mexico City, in the fourth

Same Old Yawns: Ringondeaux wins a dull decision

Trouble sleeping? Take a few rounds of Guillermo Rigondeaux.

There’s not much different about boxing’s version of sleep medication. Rigondeaux has a new contract with Roc Nation and another chance at enlivening his career. Yet, everything else about the two Olympic gold-medalist is the same. Still Rigondull.

The Cuban (16-0 10 KOs) induced boos before slumber Saturday on the HBO telecast of Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez in a unanimously dull decision over Filipino junior-featherweight Drian Francisco (28-4-1, 22 KOs). He scored all the points with a minimalist style that limits punches and earning power.

The television lights went on, yet there wasn’t much to illuminate.

Ronny Rios of Santa Ana, Calif., and Puerto Rican Jayson Velez fought through a featherweight bout that was hard to score and hard to like Saturday night in the first HBO-televised bout on the Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez card at Mandalay Bay. In the end, Rios (25-1, 10 KOs) prevailed, winning 97-92, 96-93, 95-94 decision over Velez (23-0-1, 16 KOs). Rios’ superior quickness and aggressiveness allowed to him to throw — and land — more punches.

All of the power belonged to Puerto Rican lightweight Albert Machado. All of the chances, too.

Tyrone Luckey, of Long Branch, NJ, was simply in the way. Luckey had no chance and none of the good fortune his name might suggestSaturday. Machado (12-0, 10 KOs) dropped Luckey (8-5-2, 6 KOs) early the the first round and a again with right hook, late in the first. Just like that, its was over — Machado a TKO winner at 2:44 of the first round of the fourth bout on the Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez card. at Mandalay Bay.

Martinez races to a unanimous decision in third bout on Cotto-Canelo card

Puerto Rican junior-bantamweight Jose Martinez got booed. Got the win, too.

Martinez (16-11 KOs) kept his distance for the final minutes of an eight-round bout after engaging in punishing, inside exchanges with Oscar Mojica (8-1, 1 KOs), of Dallas throughout the first seven rounds of the third bout on the Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez card Saturday night at Mandalay Bay.

Martinez’ elusive tactic was a down payment on ensuring victory. Boos were part of the price. Martinez ran, ran all the way into a unanimous decision over a frustrated Mojica.

Chinese heavyweight overcomes knockdown to win second bout on Cotto-Canelo card

-It says Big Bang on the back of Chinese heavyweight Zhang Zhilei’s trunks.He survived one Saturday.

Zhilei (6-0, 3 KOs) got dropped onto his nickname, yet emerged with a unanimous decision over Juan Goode (6-3, 5 KOs) in the second bout on the Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez card at Mandalay Bay. Goode, of Taylor, Mich., landed a huge right in the fourth round, but that wasn’t enough for him to overcome the points advantage held by Zhilei, who won 38-37 on all three scorecards.

Cotto-Canelo show opens with first-round stoppage

The show started quickly. It was a first-round stoppage. If you weren’t paying attention, you would have missed it.

Turns out, only a handful of ushers missed this one. Nobody else was in a building full of only echoes and empty seats when San Antonio super-featherweight Hector Tanajara Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) landed a straight right hand that put Mexican Jose Fabian Naranjo on his knees 2:10after the opening bell of the first fight on Saturday’s Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez card at Mandalay Bay. Naranjo stayed on the canvas, looking as though he never saw th punch either.

FOLLOW COTTO – CANELO LIVE

Follow all the action as Middleweight champion Miguel Cotto battles Canelo Alvarez in a Mouth watering Middleweight title bout. The card begins with at 9 pm ET / 6 PM ET with a 3 fight undercard featuring a world title bout between Takashi Miura and Francisco Vargas

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12 Rounds Middleweight title–Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KO’s) vs Saul Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KO’s)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Cotto	9	10	9	9	9	9	10	10	10	9	10	9	113
Alvarez	10	9	10	10	10	10	10	9	9	10	9	10	116

Round 1 Body shot from Canelo..right from Cotto..Jab from Canelo..Jab from Cotto..Hook from Cotto..Hook from Canelo..Hard right to body..Body shots from Cotto..quick left hook…Right and left hook from canelo..Left to the body..

Round 2 Right from Cotto..Jab…Jab..Good counter and jab and left hook by Canelo…Sneaky right from Cotto

Round 3 Canelo lands a body shot..straight right..Good right…Straight right..Right from Cotto…Counter left and jab from ALvarez..Good jab from Cotto and another…Hard right from canelo…

Round 4 Right from Canelo…1-2..Cook lands 1 left hook to body and 2 to the head..Left hook from Canelo…trading body shots..

Round 5 Good right from Canelo..Hard left..Flurry from Cotto..Over hand right from Canelo..Hard left uppercut by Canelo..Hard right..

Round 6 Sharp right from Canelo..Good combination..Good body shot from Cotto..Good body shot..

Round 7 Hard body shot from Canelo…Good hook from Cotto..Great counter uppercut from Canelo..Cotto lands a left inside..

Round 8 Left uppercut from Canelo..Good body from Cotto..they are trading..Hard shots..Uppercut from Canelo..Hard right..Good hook from Cotto..Big right to the body from Alvarez..right to body from Cotto..Left…

Round 9 Straight right from Cotto..Trading rights..Trading left to body…3 jabs from Cotto..Hard left from Canelo..Cotto lands a uppercut..Cotto lands jabs..Quick left hooks from Canelo…and another..

Round 10 Body shot from Cotto…Good body shots from Canelo..Hard right from Cotto..3 punch combination from Canelo

Round 11 Combination from Cotto..Right from Canelo…Good left..Cotto lands a jab..

Round 12 2 big shots from Canelo and a body shot..Right hand..good body shots..Cotto lands a jab..Cotto cut around his left eye..2 more rights from canelo..left hook from Cotto..Hard shots hurt Cotto..Combination from Cotto…

117-111. 119-109, 118-110 for CANELO ALVAREZ

Punch stats: Cotto 129-629 Canelo 155-484

12-rounds WBC Jr. Lightweight title–Takashi Miura (29-2-2, 17 KO’s) vs Francisco Vargas (22-0-1, 16 KO’s)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Miura	9	9	10	10	10	9	10	10					77
Vargas	10	10	9	8	9	10	9	9					74

Round 1 Hard right from Vargas…Miura in big trouble..Miura lands a left..Good body shot from Vargas..Another body shot..

Round 2 Vargas cut under right eye…Vargas lands 5 power punches..Good body shot from Vargas..Good body shot from Miura..Good right from Vargas..Good body shot..

Round 3 Miura lands to the body and head..Hard right hook..

Round 4 Straight left…Hard right from Vargas…Body shots from Miura…sTRAIGHT LEFT AND DOWN GOES VARGAS..

Round 5 Miura outworking Vargas…body shot…Right from Vargas…Body shot from Miura…Good combination from Vargas…Thudding right hook from Miura..

Round 6 Vargas coming out firing…Body shot..Good body shot from Miura…Straight from Vargas..2 lefts from Miura..Right from Vargas..

Round 7 Good left from Miura

Round 8 Left from Miura…Good body shot..and another..Right from Vargas…Hard left buckles Vargas..Punishing combo at the bell

Round 9 HUGE RIHJY AMD DOWN GOES MIURA..Vargas rocking him all over the ring..Big Body shot..BIG RIGHT ROCKS MIURA’S HEAD BACK AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

10-rounds–Super Bantamweight–Guillermo Rigondeaux (15-0, 20KO’s) vs Drian Francisco (28-3-1, 22 KO’s)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Rigondeaux	10	10	10	10	9	10	10	10	10	9			98
Francisco	9	10	10	9	10	10	9	10	9	10			96

Round 1 Hard left from Rigondeaux..Hard body shot

Round 2 Body shot from Francisco..Quick left from Rigondeaux

Round 3

Round 4 Fans beginning to boo..Straight left from Rigondeaux

Round 5 Francisco lands a left hook

Round 6

Round 7 Rigondeaux lands a left

Round 8 Rigondeaux controlling the action

Round 9

Round 10 Hard right from Francisco

97-93, 100-90 twice for Rigondeaux

Punch stats: Rigo 72-347 Francisco 42-228

10-rounds–Featherweights–Jayson Velez (23-0-1, 16 KO’s) vs Ronny Rios (24-1,10 KO’s)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Velez	9	9	9	10	9	9	9	9	9	9			91
Rios	10	10	10	9	9	10	10	10	10	10			98

Round 1 Rios working the body..straight right..body shot..Velez lands a left to the head..

Round 2 Hard right from Rios followed by 2 body shots..Velez lands a body shot

Round 3 Good right from Rios..Counter from Velez..Good left hook..Right from Rios..Good jab

Round 4 Rios warned for Low blows..Another warning..

Round 5 Another low blow and Rios docked a point…Good left and right from Rios..

Round 6 4 left hooks to head from Rios…Hard left hook..Good hook from Velez..Hard right..

Round 7 Hard left from Rios

Round 8 Rios lands a right to the body…Big left…

Round 9 Big right from Rios...

Round 10 Good uppercut from Rios and another..Good left hook

97-92, 95-94 and 96-93 for Ronny Rios

Cotto – Canelo post fight quotes

EDDY REYNOSO: “We are very proud of Canelo today. As we all know, he started from the bottom and now he is the champion. I was never worried about him from the first round through to the 12th round. He has great defense strategy, but I was hoping that he would have finished Cotto sooner. I know that he was looking for the knock out and as a result didn’t throw as much as he should have to put Miguel on the canvas. We have a lot of respect for Miguel, he is a great fighter, and we have tremendous respect for Freddie Roach as a trainer.

CHEPO REYNOSO: “I knew he was winning. He went into this fight with a clear head and a full heart and that is what he needed to be successful tonight. I am proud of him, proud of his simplicity to admit that we were once no one and now he is the middleweight champion. I wish he would have put more pressure on Cotto from the beginning, but I knew he was enjoying himself. He showed how beautiful the sport can be when you fight in an intelligent way.”

“I have a lot of respect for Miguel. He is a great champion and a great fighter. We knew going into this fight that it would be a difficult journey, but I feel that I was the faster and stronger fighter tonight. I wasn’t hurt by his punches. I want to thank my trainers, they are like my family and the best people I know and I couldn’t have done this without them.”

I’m not afraid of any fighter. GGG is a great fighter, and he is my friend. I have respect for him, but if we do fight it’s going to be at my weight class. I’m the champion, I don’t have to do what he wants.”

“I was fully prepared for what Cotto was going to do in the ring, whether that was take a defense stance or be the aggressor.”

“Im very disappointed and upset I got caught in the first round, then I recovered and after that I thought I was winning the fight,” said Takashi Miura. “I think if I could have clenched better…I would definitely like a rematch.”

“I’m the champ, I’m the champ!” said Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas. “This is a dream come true for me, something I have been fighting for my whole life. I knew Takashi was going to be a tough opponent, that’s why he is the champion, so I had to make sure I was prepared to face a fighter like him. I feel that my preparation paid off for this fight. I knew I had to be very aggressive, and I showed that in the first round so he knew that I would not be bullied. When I was knocked down in the fourth round, I felt even more motivated to win this fight. I made sure to fight the way I wanted, how I wanted and my style and now I’m the champion of the world! I hope all the fans enjoyed themselves tonight with my performance.”

“I feel terrific after the fight,” said Guillermo Rigondeaux. “He threw heavy but his style has nothing on mine. My style outmatched his. It’s been 11 months since I’ve been in the ring and I definitely felt some cobwebs but I d like to see some other fighters be out 11 months and come back with a win. I definitely wanted to give the fans a better fight so I need to get back in to the gym, get more active to give a better performance. I promise that with the tools I have now after signing with Roc Nation that next time I’ll be explosive. Thank you to my team for helping me get this win.”

“Rigondeaux is not a fighter, he is a runner,” said Drian Francisco. “He is afraid of getting hurt and doesn’t want to fight. I felt pressured into being the aggressor during this fight because he wasn’t fighting, he was running away. He is not a power puncher and won by points. I trained really hard for this fight and I feel like it was a waste of time because I didn’t encounter a fighter tonight.”

“I was expecting that to be a tough fight, but I did my job,” said Jayson “Star” Velez. “He had some good rounds, I had some good rounds. I think the deduction is what really got me. I did my job tonight but he was better at his job tonight.”

“I felt like I dictated the pace of the fight, and I felt like I was landing more power punches than him,” said Ronny Rios. “He did throw a few body shots at me that hurt but they weren’t significant enough for me to stop pressuring him and doing what I needed to do to secure this victory. He actually surprised me; I thought he was going to use the jab all night but he was definitely getting in the inside. This is a really big victory for me. I have a belt now, and I know that bigger things will come my way because of it.”

“This was a great opportunity for me on the biggest stage,” said Alberto Machado. “We did great; this is what we worked for in the gym. I like to consider myself a diamond on the rope, but this was only a 6.5 out of 10 performance. I have to keep working and learning, and I am working toward a world championship. I am so happy for my team.”

“I’m proud of my team and myself,” said Jose “Chiquiro” Martinez. “I want to thank God and my family. This was a very tough fight, but I am just going to keep working to achieve more wins.”

“I feel very good that I am still undefeated,” said Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei. “I was careless during that knock down. I am going to keep finghting until I am a world champion.”

TAKASHI MIURA TO FACE FRANCISCO VARGAS IN WBC SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE BOUT AS PART OF THE STELLAR UNDERCARD FOR MIGUEL COTTO VS. CANELO ALVAREZ ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 20, 2015) – Already destined to be one of the best fight nights of 2015, a stellar televised undercard for the Saturday, Nov. 21 showdown between Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez will provide even more punch to an already highly anticipated event from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Highly touted Takashi Miura (29-2-2, 22 KOs) of Tokyo, Japan will defend his WBC Super Featherweight title for the fifth time against Mexico City, Mexico’s unbeaten Francisco Vargas (22-0-1, 16 KOs) in a 12-round battle which is presented in association with Teiken Promotions. Hailing from the same city as headliner Miguel Cotto, and co-promoted by the Puerto Rican legend’s Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions, undefeated, multiple-regional title champion Jayson Velez (23-0-1, 16 KOs) of Caguas, Puerto Rico, will face Santa Ana, California’s Ronny Rios (24-1, 10 KOs) in a highly anticipated 10-round featherweight bout. An additional televised bout will be announced shortly.

“Bringing sports fans an event featuring what is likely to be the 2015 Fight of the Year in Cotto vs. Canelo is great, but adding a highly entertaining undercard makes it greater,” said David Itskowitch, COO Boxing of Roc Nation Sports. “The announcement of these two televised undercard fights brings additional excitement and value for fans watching the event live in Las Vegas or at home on HBO Pay-Per-View.”

“On November 21, the best fighters in boxing will gather for one epic night in Las Vegas,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Audiences will not only see the two biggest stars battle, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez, but every fighter featured on the card brings the highest caliber of talent propelling the sport further into a new golden age of boxing.”

“I believe Velez vs. Rios is a great match for both fighters,” said Hector Soto, Vice President of Miguel Cotto Promotions. “The winner will be a step away from a title shot and it adds more drama to the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry. In Ronny Rios we have a tough fighter and Jayson Velez is a warrior that brings action into the ring.”

“Francisco Vargas has proved himself to be a tough competitor,” said Miura. “But, I have repeatedly fought to keep my WBC title and on November 21, I will show American fans once again why I am a champion.”

“To add the WBC title to my NABF and WBO Intercontinental titles would be the ultimate victory and a great ending to 2015,” said Vargas. “I am training hard and ready to bring a fight to the ring at Mandalay Bay. Takashi Miura better be ready because I am coming for him on November 21.”

“I have been working to make a name for myself and show fans that I am a true undefeated champion,” said Velez. “This fight against Ronny Rios represents an important next step in my career and I am hungry for the win. To fight on the same card as Miguel Cotto and to represent Puerto Rico in Las Vegas in what is sure to be one of this year’s biggest nights in boxing is surreal.”

“I was dealt the first loss of my career not long ago, but that has only made me more focused and driven,” said Rios. “I have already sought redemption and am now ready to continue on my path to a world title. Jayson Velez may prove to be a tough opponent, but I will be ready for him. Come November 21, Velez will know what a first career loss will feel like.”

Southpaw power-puncher Takashi Miura is a force at super featherweight who is excited to make his United States debut on the Cotto vs. Canelo undercard. Unbeaten since 2011, the 31-year-old from Tokyo has scored several notable wins in that timeframe, stopping Gamaliel Diaz to take the WBC title, turning back Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson and defeating former world champion Billy “The Kid” Dib in defense of his belt. On November 21, he will expect a similar result when he faces Vargas.

A member of the 2008 Mexican Olympic team, Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas turned professional in 2010 and is now one win away from a coveted world championship. The NABF and WBO Intercontinental champion at 130 pounds, the 30-year-old Mexico City native has blasted through his last three opponents, halting former World Champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, Genaro “Duro” Camargo and “Wild” Will Tomlinson to earn his shot at Miura in a fight boxing fans can’t wait to see.

Hailing from the same city in Puerto Rico as headliner Miguel Cotto, 27-year-old Caguas native Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez has compiled a collection of titles in his professional career, including the WBC USNBC, WBO Latino and WBC Silver belts. He nearly took his first world title in November 2014 before a controversial draw verdict was rendered in his IBF Featherweight World Championship fight with Evgeny Gradovich. Determined to get another world title shot, Velez needs a win against Rios to get there.

Santa Ana, California’s Ronny Rios was sailing to the top of the division before an upset loss to the number one contender for the WBC Featherweight title Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos in October of 2014, but with a comeback win over Sergio “El Frio” Frias and the determination and heart of a champion, the talented 25-year-old has his sights set on glory once more. With a victory over Velez, he will be back on the road to a world title fight once more.

Tickets for closed circuit viewings of Cotto vs. Canelo are priced at $75, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased at all MGM Resorts International Ticket Offices, http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Cotto vs. Canelo, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra; Mexico, Live it to Believe it!; O’Reilly Auto Parts; Tequila Cazadores and Corporate Travel Made Simple (ctms). The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Also featured on the pay-per-view telecast will be Takashi Muira vs. Francisco Vargas in a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship presented in association with Teiken Promotions and Jayson Velez vs. Ronny Rios is a 10-round featherweight in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.

For more information, visit www.rocnation.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, ww.canelopromotions.com.mx, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mandalaybay.com; follow on Twitter at @RocNation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @RealMiguelCotto, @Canelo, @HBOBoxing, and @MandalayBay; become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/RealMiguelACotto, www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/MandalayBay; and follow on Instagram @rocnation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @realmiguelacotto, @Canelo, @HBOboxing and @MandalayBay. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.