Cotto vs. Canelo Undercard: Live Results and Highlights for Every Fight

In the co-featured bout on the Cotto vs. Canelo undercard, Francisco Vargas overcame huge adversity to stop Takashi Miura in Round 9 and claim the WBC Super Featherweight Championship in a Fighter of the Year contender.

Vargas (23-0-1, 17 KO) had to overcome cuts above and below his right eye, which was nearly swollen shut, a brutal early knockdown and an opponent who just kept coming, to score the stunning and unexpected stoppage.

It was easily the comeback of the year, given that Vargas, who took a wicked amount of punishment, appeared on the verge of being stopped in the previous round.

On the undercard, Guillermo Rigondeaux won a putridly boring unanimous decision over wholly outmatched Drian Francisco in a fight that was serenaded by massive booing from the fans in the arena.

Rigondeaux (16-0, 10 KO) is a former unified super bantamweight champion who recently signed on with Roc Nation Sports. He’s a tremendous technical fighter, who, along with his opponent, took this fight on short notice, but his safety-first style turns off networks and many boxing fans.

He won the fight easily but didn’t endear himself to the crowd by landing in the single digits in punches in the majority of the rounds.

In the opening contest, Ronny Rios scored a minor upset unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jayson Velez to capture the WBC Silver Featherweight Championship.

Rios (25-1, 10 KO) rallied from a questionable point deduction for low blows to outwork and outbox Velez (23-1-1) down the stretch and win a clear and correct decision.