Boxing: Miguel Cotto beats Sergio Martinez ..

Boxing • Martinez unable to answer bell for 10th round.

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

New York • Miguel Cotto became the first Puerto Rican fighter to win world championships in four weight divisions, stopping Sergio Martinez in their WBC world middleweight title fight Saturday night.

Martinez didn't get off the stool when the bell rang for the 10th round.

Cotto improved to 39-4 and is 8-1 at Madison Square Garden. Martinez fell to 51-3-2.

In the week leading up to the fight, Cotto's trainer, Freddie Roach, said his pupil would be able to use his footwork to control the fight, and still possessed power even though he moved up in weight class.

Cotto proved Roach right from the opening bell, knocking down Martinez twice in the first round with a flurry of body shots. As the fight progressed, Cotto pressured Martinez around the ring, and attacked when openings were presented.

Martinez forced Cotto to fight in the middle of the ring instead of on the ropes or in the corners. But Cotto was able to land a variety of jabs and hooks. By the end of the eighth round, Martinez had swelling around his right eye.

The Cotto-Martinez fight was the main event of a nine-fight card.

Boxing: Miguel Cotto beats Sergio Martinez by TKO