Javier Fortuna Beats Cousin Cotto in 5th

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

In the TV opener on Showtime, we saw Javier Fortuna take on Abner Cotto, on Saturday night, in a junior lightweight scrap, set for ten or less. It was a goofy, foul filled affair, with the ref losing control in ChiTown. But the free-swinging Fortuna took over, in the fifth, with a left hand which sent Cotto down for a ten count.

The left, on the chin-button, landed flush and that was it for cousin Cotto.

The Puerto Rican Cotto, second cousin of Miguel, was 18-2 entering, with 8 KOs. Fortuna, from the Dominican Republic, was 25-0-1 with 1 NC coming in.

In the first, the lefty Fortuna looked to press. A right staggered the PR man bad. He likes to set down on shots, land heavy, make a short night of it. The ref yelled at Fortuna not to hold, at 1:15. In the second, a behind the head shot put Fortuna down. He said it was from a behind the head shot, and indeed the ref took a point from the PR man for an infraction. Haven’t seen that before…Then the Cotto head hit a camera, leaving a sweat stain, as Fortuna attacked him. Replay showed that two blows landed behind the head and that’s what send Fortuna down.

In the third, Cotto warmed up, landed inside the lines, came forward, maybe felt that he could handle the power. Fortuna was now sticking and moving more, but he was eating jabs, and this fight tightened up. Juan DeLeon told Cotto to be moving, and have fun, after the round.

In the fourth, Fortuna came out gunning. His wide stance and wide shots had him open for counters but his power makes it not as easy to answer as it might seem like one could. Cotto went low a couple times in this round. The third one sent Fortuna to the mat. He got a break, a couple minutes. No point was taken. Cotto was more fiery, was coming forward, while Fortuna ran about the ring. Cotto went down after getting hit after the bell, and the crowd hooted. The ref took a point from Fortuna. The late blow, by the way, missed and Cotto took two seconds before falling.

In the fifth, Fortuna cam out the aggressor. He worked some bloody blows in, and a left then sent Cotto down. He was down, and stayed down.

Cotto went 46-144 to 105-302 for the winner.

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