One of boxing’s most underrated fighters will be getting his due next summer when Tommy Hearns is inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF). Hearns has always been recognized as an above average boxer by most fans, but was really a lot more than that. He was one of the best to ever grace a boxing ring, especially when he was in his prime in the late 1970s through the early 80s. In fact, Hearns was so good he was well known by two nicknames, the ‘Hitman’ and the ‘Motor City Cobra.’

Hearns was a down-to-earth man with a pleasant personality and no pretension and arrogance. If he ever did speak out about upcoming fights he backed it up with his fists more often than not as shown by his record of 61-5-1, with 48 of those wins coming by knockout. Win or lose, Hearns always fought to the best of his ability and gave the fans every ounce of energy he had since turning professional in 1977.

Ironically, perhaps his most famous fight was his 1985 loss to Marvin Hagler in a battle that only lasted three rounds. However, the first round of that epic battle will remain in history as one of boxing’s greatest ever rounds. As soon as the bell rang to start the fight it was three minutes of pure mayhem as both fighters threw caution to the wind and simply let their fists fly. Both men were staggered several times and the fan’s witnessed 12 rounds of action in one. Hagler eventually won by a third round KO.

Hearns was a freak of nature in a way back then as he was 6-foot-1 with a 78-inch reach and fought as a welterweight out of the famous Kronk Gym with Emanuel Steward as his trainer. His hand speed was second to none as was his power and left jab. He won his first title in 1980 when he knocked out the intimidating WBA welterweight champion Pipino Cuevas of Mexico. When all was said and done, Hearns had won world championships in five different weight classes, becoming the first boxer in history to do so.

Along with his welterweight crown he added the WBC super welterweight, WBC middleweight and WBC super middleweight titles as well as the WBA’s light heavyweight championship. Hearns fought the best boxers of his era with many of them being Hall of Famers and world champions and had a 13-5-1 record against them. His only losses came to Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Uriah Grant and two against Iran Barkley. His most memorable wins came over world champions Cuevas, Roberto Duran, Wilfredo Benitez, and Virgil Hill. He was also named as the best junior middleweight ever by Ring Magazine.

The 53-year-old Hearns finally hung up his gloves in 2006 after knocking out Shannon Landberg in his last bout. However, he’s still been fighting in a way as he had to auction off some of his prized boxing memorabilia about 18 months ago to pay off a huge back tax bill to the government. Hearns, who earned about $40 million during his career, said he was saddened to lose some of his cherished possessions, but added that it was his duty to obligate the IRS. He ended up selling robes, trophies, gloves, championship belts, and vehicles and managed to pay off a big chunk of his taxes.

Hearns, who was born in Memphis, but made Detroit his home as a youngster, admitted he made quite a bit of money, but had a big family and shared his wealth with its members. He said he gave a lot and when it was time for people to give back they were long gone. Hearns will take his well-deserved place in the IBHOF in June 2012.

Controversies in professional boxing are as common as snow in Alaska, but this time it’s the amateur level that has triggered on ongoing debate. The Olympic Games will welcome women’s boxing for the very first time next summer in London, England, but nobody can agree on what the participants should wear in the ring. The International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) is leaning towards skirts while the boxers prefer to wear traditional trunks.

The argument has been roaring since November and the boxing organization is scheduled to discuss it in January. It said that nothing’s been written in stone as of yet as it’s just a suggestion and it will be looking for input from boxers, organizations, and the public. The AIBA said skirts are being considered because it will help differentiate between male and female athletes.

The suggestion has been met with a lot of opposition, but some federations support the idea. In fact in the 2011 European Championships in Holland, boxers from Romania and Poland wore the skirts without any complaint. However, most women boxers are fighting the idea purely due to the fact they don’t want to be seen as sex objects in the ring or contestants of a beauty pageant.

Now that female boxing’s been accepted the participants feel they should be treated just like the men. There will be three different weight divisions for women at the Olympics, which are middleweight, lightweight, and flyweight, with 12 contestants fighting it out for medals in each division. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) turned down women’s boxing in 2005, but finally relented in 2009 and okayed it.

Leszek Piotrowski, coach of the Polish women’s boxing team said that wearing skirts gives a good womanly impression and they’re a better option than trunks. But most people involved in women’s boxing feel the participants should be able to wear what they want in the ring when it comes to skirts or trunks. It’s conceivable that some women would prefer to wear skirts as it might not restrict their movement as much as trunks could.

Too many women have spoken out against the idea without trying a skirt out in the ring to see if it actually makes a difference. Until they do, their opinions shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Skirts in women’s sports are nothing new since they’re common in tennis, figure skating, and field hockey and have been for the last century. Some women love the skirts and they should be allowed to wear them if they choose said Katie Taylor, an Irish three-time world champion.

After hearing all of the backlash against the suggestion, the AIBA said it wanted to make itself clear and that the skirt issue isn’t a rule. The organization reiterated that it’s on the agenda and will be discussed in the near future. It’s likely that they won’t enforce a dress code at the Olympics, but will let the boxers make their own choice or just stick to everybody wearing trunks.

Two of America’s best boxers stepped into the ring at the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, California on Dec. 30 after lengthy absences. Former undisputed world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor had been on the sidelines for 26 months after being knocked out twice in a row in the dying seconds of Super Six Classic bouts against Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham while Andre Dirrell was out for 21 months after also getting injured in a Super Six tournament bout against Abraham.

Taylor, with a record of 29-4-1, with 18 KOs, suffered his knockouts as a super middleweight and decided to come back down to 160 lbs. to the middleweight division. He showed good speed in his comeback bout against Jessie Nicklow (23-3-3, 8 KOs), but not a lot of power. It didn’t really look like he’s been out of the ring for over two years, but Nicklow also lacked power and was basically a hand-picked opponent.

The 33-year-old Taylor stopped Nicklow in the eighth round after catching him with a solid right hand that appeared to stagger his opponent slightly. But before any other damage could be inflicted, referee Ray Corona jumped in and stopped the fight at the 36 second mark of the round much to the chagrin of Nicklow and the crowd. The complained that it was a quick stoppage and since it was the first time Nicklow was in trouble during the bout it probably was. However, Taylor was well ahead on the scorecards and would have needed to suffer another late-round knockout to blow the fight.

Dirrell upped his record to 20-1, with 14 KOs when he beat fellow southpaw Daryl Cunningham by a second round TKO in their super middleweight bout. It was an odd fight and it appeared obvious that Cunningham’s corner was looking for a way out since they threw in the towel at the 2:05 mark of the round and referee Jack Reiss called the fight off.

Cunningham was dropped by a left cross in the round and after making it to his feet was decked again, this time by a right hook. His corner threw a towel into the ring, but the referee allowed the fight to continue because it was thrown by an assistant, not the chief second. When the chief second threw the towel in about 20 seconds later, Reiss halted the bout. With the loss, Cunningham’s record dropped to 24-3 with 10 KOs.

It was hard to grade the 28-year-old Dirrell since it was an odd, short fight against an aging opponent. However, his speed was there and he landed at will with his right jab and Left hands to the body. Before the knockdowns, Dirrell hurt Cunningham with a solid jab and then hit him lightly during the break. It looked like Cunningham was trying to make out that he was injured and from then on it was obvious he didn’t want to fight anymore.

Taylor, an Olympic bronze medalist in 2000, and Dirrell both looked impressive, but nobody knows how they’re going to be able to handle top-name fighters until they take a solid shot to the head, which is something Nicklow and Cunningham weren’t able to do.

Considering he could have been sent to prison for up to 34 years if found guilty by trial, Floyd Mayweather Jr. can count his lucky stars for the generous plea bargain deal given to him in Las Vegas. Mayweather came to an agreement on Dec. 21 that will see him serve 90 days in jail, perform 100 hours of community service and pay a paltry $2,500 fine.

Mayweather was facing felony charges, including robbery, grand larceny, and coercion concerning an incident in September 2010 involving two of his three children and Josie Harris, their mother. Mayweather was charged with assaulting Harris when she informed him she was dating somebody else. Police said Koraun Mayweather, the couple’s son, saw her mother being assaulted by Mayweather as he was kicking and hitting her.

Harris suffered some minor injuries to her arms and face during the attack and said Mayweather threatened the children if they called police. Koraun said his father took the children’s cell phones, but he escaped from the house through a back door and contacted security. The boxer pleaded guilty to the battery charge and no contest to two harassment charges. He was also charged with misdemeanor battery for an incident in which he allegedly poked and verbally abused a security guard in November 2010. He’ll plead no contest to that charge in the near future.

Mayweather went to court in October and was found not guilty to two counts of misdemeanor harassment for another incident involving security guards. In addition, he’s also been convicted in the past and put on probation regarding situations of violence toward women. However, he was found not guilty relating to a domestic violence charge in 2005 that also involved Harris. She admitted to the jury that she lied during that case concerning an incident that took place in 2003.

In addition, one of Mayweather’s bodyguards Ocie Harris is facing six felony charges including attempted murder and use of a deadly weapon for a shooting incident which Mayweather has been linked to, but not charged for. Harris goes to court on Feb. 6. Mayweather has had a civil lawsuit filed against him in that case. Records also show there are more civil lawsuits against Mayweather in connection with assaults by his bodyguards on patrons at Las Vegas nightclubs and casinos.

While Mayweather has lost some court battles, the WBC Welterweight Champion’s still undefeated in the ring with a 42-0 record. He’s scheduled to fight again on May 5 against an unknown opponent, but it’s unclear if that date will now be in jeopardy since his sentence gets underway on Jan. 6, 2012. The boxing world is hoping for a Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao super fight, but that’s also on the back burner because of legal issues. There’s a defamation lawsuit against Mayweather pending because he accused Pacquiao of taking illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

The 34-year-old Mayweather will serve his sentence in the Clark County jail. The original sentence was for six months, but the judge suspended half of it. He also has to complete a year-long counseling program dealing with domestic violence. The next time Mayweather plans to fight, he’ll have to reapply for his boxing license since it expires at the end of the year. It’s unlikely, but the conviction could see him denied a license.

In some people’s eyes, not only did Amanda Rodrigues get away with murder, but she also profited from it after being awarded the remainder of her ex-husband Arturo Gatti’s estate. Rodrigues was handed an inheritance of $3.4 million on Dec. 16 by a Quebec Superior Court Justice named Claudine Roy when she awarded her the inheritance of the ex world champion boxer’s fortune.

Gatti’s family and friends believe Rodrigues was responsible for his death in the summer of 2009 when he was found on the floor of the couples’ rented apartment while on their second honeymoon in Brazil. Rodrigues was originally arrested as the main suspect in his murder, but Brazilian authorities released her after three weeks when they said Gatti committed suicide by hanging himself.

However, Gatti’s family said Rodrigues was a gold-digger and convinced Gatti to change his will just before he died, leaving everything to her. The family said Gatti’s original will from 2007 should be enforced, but they didn’t have a copy of it. The judge said there wasn’t any evidence that Rodrigues manipulated Gatti into changing his will though and said the most recent version will be honored.

Gatti’s younger brother and mother, who believe Rodrigues killed Gatti after he changed his will, took the case to court and fought to have the 2007 will enforced since it left the state to them and his daughter from a previous marriage. The judge said she realized Gatti and Rodrigues shared a rocky relationship, but they were still a couple since they appeared to make up after each argument. She said the fights were often violent and serious, but the couple always reconciled afterwards and were together at the time of Gatti’s death.

The pair met in 2006 in New Jersey when Gatti was 33 and Rodrigues was just 19 years old. They married the next year and had a baby son, but the relationship was anything but steady. The court heard that Gatti often stayed out all hours of the night drinking and Rodrigues would retaliate by hitting him, screaming, throwing things, and scratching his car with a key.

Pat Lynch, Gatti’s former manager, paid to have a private investigation carried out after the death and they came to the conclusion that the boxer was murdered. But coroners in both Brazil and Canada stated that there isn’t enough evidence to prove it. They admitted that he died violently and it’s possible he was killed, but impossible to prove.

While Judge Roy upheld the 2009 will, Rodrigues still faces more court battles since Gatti’s former wife Erika Rivera has filed a wrongful-death suit against her in New Jersey. In addition, a man in Florida is suing the estate for $5 million after claiming that Gatti punched him in the face.

Gatti had a daughter named Sophia with Rivera, and while they didn’t receive anything in the will, Gatti set up a $125,000 education fund for his daughter in 2007 along with a $1-million trust fund and a share of a house worth $250,000.

Rivera is eligible to withdraw funds from the trust fund each month for support. Rivera was also a co-plaintiff in the recent case in Canada as she wanted to block Rodrigues and her son from receiving any financial payment whatsoever.

Gatti was born in Italy, raised in Montreal, and then moved to New Jersey. He was 37 years old when he died. He turned pro in 1991 and won the IBF Super Featherweight and WBC Light Welterweight Championship before retiring in 2007. His pro record was 40-9, with 31 KOs.

The Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) has come out against the concept of open scoring in boxing matches. The announcement comes after the WBC (World Boxing Council) stated at its recent annual meeting that it would continue to announce the judges’ scorecards after the fourth and eighth round of championship fights.

However, some countries such as the USA don’t follow the open-scoring concept because their commissions don’t allow it. WBC President Jose Sulaiman said in these nations, a WBC representative would let each boxer know the scores by visiting their corners between rounds and informing them. The ABC offered several scenarios where it said the open scoring wouldn’t work properly and it could result in boxers trying to take advantage of the scores to manipulate the outcomes of fights.

The ABC feels if a boxer knows the score after the fourth round and has received a cut from an accidental head butt then his corner might not try to stop the bleeding. This is because as soon as four rounds are completed in a boxing match and a fight has to be stopped due to an accidental foul then the bout goes to the scorecards. If he has a lead the corner could ignore the cut to the point where the fight is stopped due to excessive bleeding.

The ABC also feels if one boxer is well ahead on points then he might decide to stick and move for the rest of the bout or just try to avoid being hit. The fighter who is behind would then chase him around the ring knowing he needs a knockout to win. In addition, if a fighter knows he can’t possibly win on points he may just decide to quit as there’s no incentive to fight anymore.

According to the ABC, a referee would likely step in to stop a fight when somebody’s in trouble knowing that a boxer is far behind on the scorecards. The organization also feels if fans know the scores then they could influence or intimidate the judges by becoming vocal or perhaps even hostile, especially if a hometown fighter is behind in the bout. The last argument against open scoring the ABC gave was that fight strategy could possibly be changed drastically after the eighth round.

If any representative of a boxing commission such as the WBC attempts to notify the fighters between rounds what the scores are the ABC said they should be removed immediately from the ringside area. The ABC said it will invite all of the sanctioning bodies in boxing to discuss the matter further during its annual meeting in July.

Many fans feel the only legitimate argument the ABC presented was regarding a fighter trying to win a bout by retiring after the fourth round due to an accidental head butt. A boxer trying to run or avoid fighting while having a lead is a tactic of the sport and is in often used regardless if his corner knows the scores or not. Regarding a fighter quitting if he knows he’s so far behind, it would be up to the individual fighter, but it’s unlikely anybody would throw in the towel while behind on points due to the damage it could do to his career.

Hometown fans will cheer for their favorite fighters no matter what the score is or if their aware of it or not. It’s up to the judges to do their job the same way it is for a referee to step in and stop a fight at the right moment. The point about tactics changing drastically after the eighth round in nonsensical since good boxers are able to adapt to all situations. That’s what the sport’s all about.

It’s obvious one of the biggest problems boxing faces is the scoring system. If open scoring helps reduce the controversial decision then most fans would probably be all for it.

After two years of adversity, the Super Six World Boxing Classic finally wrapped up on Dec. 17 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City with American Andre Ward being crowned the tournament’s super middleweight champion. In addition, the WBA world champion Ward also earned the WBC Super Middleweight Title with his 12-round unanimous decision over Carl Froch of England.

Ward beat Froch in an interesting, but not overly exciting battle, which was scored closer than it should have been. Ward left the ring with two world title belts and the Super Six trophy by scores of 115-113, 115-113, and 118-110. If any of those scores represent the type of fight it was then it would be 118-110, which ironically was given by judge John Keane, a fellow countryman of Froch’s.

Ward started strongly while Froch struggled in the early rounds. The Englishman missed wildly on many of his power shots and was visibly frustrated and not being able to land cleanly on the unbeaten Ward (25-0, 13 KOs), who won the gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympics. Froch didn’t seem to figure Ward out until the ninth round, but by then it was a case of too little too late.

Froch’s record of 28-2, with 20 KOs was built on hard work and determination because his boxing skills are limited, especially when compared to an all-round fighter like Ward. However, this was a night where skills were needed to neutralize the American and Froch simply doesn’t possess enough of them. There were some good moments in the fight, but both boxers seemed to be slapping their punches, especially Froch, who also kept his hands too low throughout the bout.

After the fight, Froch praised Ward and said he was the slicker and faster boxer and was very hard to hit because of his excellent defense and movement. Ward returned the compliments and said Froch was a great fighter, but felt the speed difference between the two is what won him the fight.

The 27-year-old Ward beat some good boxers during the tournament in Mikkel Kessler (11^th-round technical decision), Allan Green (12-round unanimous decision), Arthur Abraham (12-round unanimous decision) and finally Froch. He also beat Sakio Bika by unanimous decision in a bout that was held outside of the tournament.

As for Froch, he made it to the final, but both of his pro defeats came in the tournament, to Ward and a 12-round unanimous decision loss to Kessler. He managed to beat Andre Dirrell by a split decision and then regained his WBC title after Kessler vacated it by beating Abraham by unanimous decision. He then scored a majority decision over Glen Johnson in one of the event’s semi-final bouts.

The Super Six Classic was devised and broadcast by the Showtime Network, but it suffered some snags along the way as three of the original six fighters, Jermain Taylor, Kessler, and Dirrell all pulled out at various stages of it for one reason or another.

Ward could face IBF titleholder Lucian Bute in another title unification bout, but he said he’s exploring his options. However, while he’s a skilled boxer, he doesn’t exactly pull in the crowds. There were only about 5,600 fans the Boardwalk Hall for the tournament finale and if Ward doesn’t fight a top-name opponent in his next bout there’s probably going to be fewer fans buying tickets to see him fight. Froch has a more aggressive style and the 34-year-old is already talking about a rematch, but that could be a year or two away.

It’s typical of professional boxing to entertain us with one of the best fights in years on Dec. 10 and then to shoot itself in the foot due to a controversial decision. WBA and IBF Jr. Welterweight Champion Amir Khan of England traveled to Washington D.C and took on Lamont Peterson in his hometown and the two boxers put on one of the best displays of determination, courage, speed and skill for many a moon.

However, the excellent fight was marred with controversy when Peterson won by a split decision by scores of 113-112, 113-112, and 110-115. Fans weren’t upset with what many were calling a hometown decision; instead it was a result of hometown refereeing.

The judges couldn’t be blamed for the scoring since Khan would have won a unanimous decision if it wasn’t for referee Joe Cooper, also from the Washington area, who deducted two points from Khan during the bout. Without the deductions, Khan would have won by scores of 114-113, 114-113, and 117-110.

The two traded shots and combinations back and forth over 12 exciting rounds and while many rounds were hard to score, the general consensus of most fans was that Khan did enough to hang onto his titles, even if it was a draw. He dropped Peterson in the first round to jump into a quick lead on the scorecards.

Peterson turned it up during the middle rounds and Khan seemed to control the later ones. He may now regret the decision to take on Peterson in his backyard. However, there can be no criticism of Peterson, who definitely fought the fight of his career in this epic battle. He’s generally known as a boxer first, but turned this fight into an all-out brawl and just kept pressing the action.

Cooper took a point from Khan in the seventh round for pushing, which is very rare in a boxing match. Points are often taking for excessive holding, but pushing is generally considered to be part of a fight. Khan was also deducted a point in the 12^th and final round, but it’s unclear if this was also for pushing or for hitting on the break. The problem is nobody knows for sure since Cooper hasn’t explained his calls. Cooper never gave Khan any strict warnings prior to the deductions either.

Khan and his trainer Freddie Roach were upset about the point deductions and said after the fight that the refereeing was bias in their eyes. It’s hard to argue with them, but perhaps the best thing about the controversial decision is that fans will get to see a rematch of this classic. Peterson said he’d definitely give the former champion a chance to win his titles back.

Khan said Peterson was leading with his head low and he was pushing it away to make sure he didn’t get butted. Peterson said he didn’t mind the pushing, but didn’t like having his head held down by the Englishman. Khan’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya has asked the commission for an explanation of the refereeing decisions and the scoring.

If you agree with the decision or not, it was an all-action fight that entertained from start to finish. With the win, the 27-year-old Peterson raised his record to 30-1-1, with 15 KOs while the 25-year-old Khan’s record fell to 26-2, with 18 KOs.

Khan was attempting to defend his titles for the sixth time and will now be more determined than ever to win them back. A rematch is almost certain and two of the major negotiating points are bound to be the location of the fight and the referee. Washington D.C. and Joe Cooper will definitely be out of the question for Khan’s camp.

Former world boxing champion Muhammad Ali may not be in the greatest of health, but he’s at home and doing fine after recent internet rumors suggested he was in critical condition. Boxing has lost former heavyweights Joe Frazier and Ron Lyle in recent weeks and fans feared Ali might be joining them after reports circulated online that he was rushed to hospital shortly after attending Frazier’s November funeral in Philadelphia.

There’s no hiding the fact that Ali’s quite fragile and frail and has a hard time moving around, but that can be expected for suffers of Parkinson’s Syndrome, which is what Ali has been for almost 30 years now. He may no longer float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, but he still possesses a quick mind and sharp wit.

The 69-year-old, who once owned the most recognizable face in the world, was in fact taken to hospital five days after Frazier’s funeral service as he lost consciousness at home in Paradise Valley, Arizona. An ambulance was called via 911 and to take Ali to hospital about 7 pm on Nov. 19, but when it arrived he had already left.

Ali’s spokesman Craig Bankey said he was taken to hospital to receive treatment for dehydration and that most of the initial news reports were basically blown out of proportion. However, he didn’t say how long the former champ was in hospital for.

Because the public rarely sees Ali anymore, it has to rely on statements from his inner circle to find out what his state of health is. Some reports last year indicated that he traveled to Israel to receive adult stem treatments in an attempt to help fight off the effects of Parkinson’s. One thing’s for sure, Ali is receiving the best care money can buy.

He is looked after by Dr. Mahlon DeLong, who is a neurology professor at Atlanta’s Emory University and is recognized as one of the world’s top neuroscientists. He’s also won several awards for his efforts concerning Parkinson’s disease along with and other types of movement disorders.

The last time Ali’s health made the headlines was six years ago. Laila Ali, his daughter, said he was deteriorating back in November 2005 just before he met George W. Bush to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Just a week later Ali’s wife Lonnie denied those reports though and said he was doing fine. Gene Kilroy, a long time friend and associate of Ali, said he thought Ali’s condition at Frazier’s funeral was consistent with his state of the past few years and wasn’t any worse or better.

The next time Ali may be seen in public will likely be early in 2012 when he celebrates his 70^th birthday. An all-star gala has been scheduled at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand for Feb. 18 to celebrate his Jan. 17^th birthday and to raise money for medical research. Kilroy added that Ali’s just as popular as ever and he’s received messages from across the globe from people hoping to be a part of the celebration.

Miguel Cotto avenged his 11th round KO loss to Antonio Margarito in 2008 in another epic battle between the two in front of over 21,000 fans at Madison Square Garden in New York on Dec. 3. Cotto dominated most of the fight and it ended after the ninth round when the doctor recommended to referee Steve Smoger that it be stopped due to the condition of Margarito’s right eye, which needed 12 stitches to repair.

Margarito’s eye was a hot topic of discussion going into the fight and he wasn’t licensed for the bout in New York until a week before it took place. He had to pass several doctor’s tests on the eye since his orbital bone was surgically prepared after his unanimous decision loss to Manny Pacquiao in November 2011. The New York State Athletic Commission was always going to be cautious with any eye damage and it proved to deciding factor in the fight.

Cotto deserves full credit for the victory though as he fought an excellent and smart fight. He was noticeably motivated, landed the harder and cleaner shots and confused Margarito with his movement. The motivation, of course, stemmed from the first fight between these two when Cotto’s face was busted up and he was stopped in the 11^th round. The biggest controversy regarding that fight didn’t surface until six months later though when Margarito was caught with a hardening plaster substance on his hand wraps before entering the ring against Shane Mosley.

Mosley knocked him out in the ninth round and many fans wondered out loud if Margarito had always been stuffing his gloves. The thought crossed Cotto’s mind too and he was eager to face the Mexican again to find out for himself. Since being caught, Margarito has taken some pretty vicious beatings in his three major fights, against Mosley, Pacquiao, and now Cotto. He said the fight against Cotto shouldn’t have been stopped by the doctor, especially since he came on strong and ended it in the later rounds in their first meeting.

Margarito does have a point, but the fight could have been stopped even earlier due to his swollen eye, which was damaged in the third round. With the win, the 31-year-old Cotto retains his WBA Super Welterweight Championship and improves his record to 37-2 with 30 KOs. The 33-year-old Margarito falls to 38-8 with 27 KOs.

Margarito kept coming forward throughout the fight, which made it dramatic and exciting, but Cotto was just too determined to prove that the result of their first bout could have been the result of illegal hand wraps. Now that they’re 1-1, the best way to solve the controversial endings in both fights would be to have a third bout. However, Margarito may have to take a few months off for his eye to heal and he may have a hard time getting licensed in some states.