Cotto Pounds Paulie

NEW YORK, NY - Miguel Cotto will serve as the goodwill ambassador in the Puerto Rican Day Parade today.

But last night he showed little diplomacy in sending Paulie Malignaggi to his first loss with a unanimous 12- round decision to retain his WBO junior welterweight belt at the Garden.

Cotto walked away with a clean face and the belt around his waist, but Malignaggi left the ring with the champ's respect. "It was a real tough fight," Cotto said through an interpreter. "Paulie's a tough guy."

Malignaggi, 21-1 (5 KOs) endured Cotto's most powerful hooks and jabs, and his right cheek was severely swollen. Malignaggi was taken to nearby Roosevelt Hospital to take care of what was believed to be a fractured cheekbone.

Shortly after the opening bell, Cotto hit Malignaggi with a jab that opened up a cut over his left eye, which Malignaggi said "really bothered me throughout the fight."

Malignaggi seemed to shy away from using his speed to tire Cotto, continually engaging him in the middle of the ring and getting hurt in the early rounds. Cotto, 27-0 (22 KOs) drilled Malignaggi with an effective left hook, leading the Puerto Rican portion of the 14,369 on hand to chant, "Cotto, Cotto!"

Malignaggi silenced Cotto's corner in the sixth round when he settled down and returned to his trademark elusive style, which seemed to frustrate and wear on the champ.

The 25-year-old Bensonhurst product ducked Cotto's advances and countered with tight hooks and jabs that slowed Cotto. But in the end, Cotto's power was too impressive for the judges. Glen Feldman and Peter Trematerra scored the fight 116-111, while Don Trella scored it 115-112, all in favor of Cotto.

On the undercard, Notre Dame captain and starting safety Tommy Zbikowksi treated Robert Bell like a blindsided quarterback and dropped him with a left hook 30 seconds into the first round.

Zbikowski, in his first pro bout, quickly followed with a left- right combo and the fight was stopped by referee Arthur McCanty Jr. just 49 seconds in to give Zbikowski the TKO win.

Zbikowski said he was pleased with his pro debut, but the Fighting Irish senior added that he would like to return to New York for the NFL draft next spring.

"I definitely want to get drafted early first round," Zbikowski said. "It would be great to come back for that."

Sonny Banerjee
Editor-in-chief

Information from other publications and wire services was used in the compilation of this report.