NEW YORK (AFP) – Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto has claimed the World Boxing Organization welterweight title by stopping Britain’s Michael Jennings in the fifth round at at Madison Square Garden. Cotto, who improved to 33-1 with his 27th stoppage inside the distance, knocked down Jennings three times, twice in the fourth round and again late in the fifth round to finish matters. Jennings rose to his feet at the count of nine by referee Benji Esteves, but Esteves looked into the Englishman’s eyes, shook his head and waved an end to the bout after 2 minutes and 36 seconds of the fifth round. “I just threw my punches with all my strength,” Cotto said. “I hit him with a huge hook and I took it to him to finish the fight.” Jennings, 31, fell to 34-2 with his first loss inside the distance in his first fight outside Britain. Cotto, 28, claimed the vacant crown and improved to 5-0 at Madison Square Garden with his third early stoppage at the famed venue before 12,000 screaming supporters. “I was just trying to come back to the Miguel of the beginning of my career,” Cotto said. “I wanted prove to people I can work to the body and the head and I was able to do it.” Cotto ended a fierce exchange in the fourth round with a stunning left hook to the chin in the middle of the ring and the Puerto Rican crumpled Jennings with a left to the body in the corner. Cotto switched to his natural southpaw style and sent Jennings to the canvas again with another left to the body but Jennings rose and lasted the final 30 seconds to the end of the round. In the fifth, Jennings missed an uppercut and another left to the body by Cotto dropped the British boxer to his knees, heralding the end. “He was a really good fighter,” Cotto said of Jennings. “He has a lot of strength, a lot of courage.” Cotto was coming off an eight-month layoff, the longest of his career, since suffering his only pro defeat and losing his World Boxing Association welterweight title to Antonio Margarito last July. Margarito stopped Cotto in the 11th round but has been suspended for a year after glove tampering was uncovered before a January loss to Shane Mosley, who looks to be Cotto’s next foe as a result of the ban. Cotto also sent a message to the combatants in May’s showdown between Britain’s Ricky Hatton and Filipino star Manny Pacquiao. “If Shane Mosley wants a rematch, if the winner of Pacquaio and Hatton wants to fight, I’m always here to fight them,” Cotto said.
