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 and be humiliated by 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 5, 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, 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.
Read more about this topic: Jose Cotto
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