Michael Jennings got a fist full of Miguel Cotto Saturday night.

NEW YORK - Say this about Miguel Cotto, he keeps opponents guessing. Think he will stand toe-to-toe and he jabs you to death. Think he will jab you to death and he catches you with a left hook from nowhere.  Michael Jennings thought he had Cotto all figured out when they met at Madison Square Garden Saturday night. They kept each other at a distance the first couple of rounds with neither fighter establishing much. Then the chameleon Cotto revealed another side of his skills not previously shown in his past fights. The ability to finish guys with devastating blows to the body.

Fighters from England are known to be tough, scrappy mates. They have no issues banging from the start to the finish, knowing they can eventually wear the other guy down. Problem is, beating down the body wears on the legs, slows down movement.

That’s exactly what happened in the last two rounds. Miguel Cotto was patient in stalking Michael Jennings. He began the assault with a left hook to the head with 2:08 in the 4th round shaking and driving Jennings into the ropes. Then came the body attack that put Jennings to the floor. He would manage to get up, took a two steps towards the ref to show he still had all his faculties in tact. The clock saved him from what would be the eventual end of his night.

It began with a vicious straight left jab with 1:30 in the 5th round, followed by a overhand right. Thinking the blows would continue to the head, Jennings never saw the next couple of body shots that would send him again to the canvas. Looking over at his corner, Jennings would did not want anymore. The ref sensed it, the corner acknowledged it and the ref had the good sense of stopping the bout before any other unnecessary damage was done.

Miguel Cotto, for one night, was able to put the beat down against Antonio Margarito behind him. After the allegations of Margarito’s wrapped gloves in his loss to Shane Mosley, Cotto could not help but think if that was a factor in the loss. Fighting in his own back yard, cheered on by his fellow Puerto Ricans, Cotto showed another side to his fighting resume. 

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