Miguel Cotto Will Knockout Ricardo Mayorga in the Sixth Round Later Tonight

WBA World Light-Welterweight champion Miguel Cotto will successfully defend his crown against former WBA and WBC Welterweight titlist “El Matador” Ricardo Mayorga later tonight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cotto (35-2, 28 KOs), a Puerto Rican icon, last fought in June, when he trumped valiant Jew Yuri Foreman (28-1-0-1, 8 KOs) by a ninth round TKO at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Conversely, the obnoxious Mayorga (29-7-1, 23 KOs) has appeared in the squared circle only once since he was knocked onto Queer Street by Shane Mosley in September 2008.

"I'm either going to knock Cotto down or I'm going to bust him open with a cut on one of [his] two eyes," said Mayorga, 37, a pscyhotic Nicaraguan with a mouth the size of the city of Managaua. "I guarantee you that's going to happen in the first round. As soon as that bell sounds, I'm going after him. I'm going to kill this guy. I can sense that Cotto has a genuine fear of me. I can see it in his eyes. I can see it in his face." 

Unlike Mayorga, the talented Cotto soundly dominated Mosley (46-6-1-1, 39 KOs) and earned a unanimous decision victory in their lopsided November 2007 bout.

This bout will mark the second time Cotto has worked with Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward in his corner.

"I'm ready for the fight," said Cotto, 30. "Having Manny Steward on our team, he doesn't just work with Miguel Cotto. He works with the whole team. We are pretty grateful for Manny and the way he works and the way he teaches us to be better."

Comically, the average Mayorga threw verbal punches at the legendary Steward during a recent press conference.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, Emanuel Steward is a failure in this boxing business," blathered Mayorga. "He's had some sort of fame and been very lucky in his career because he helped a very famous name [Thomas Hearns] back in the day. That's how he grabbed some sort of attention and fame. But how sad for Cotto to change his style and try to change his boxing game at this late stage of his career. It's only going to mess him up and play into my favor."

Steward sent a prompt, and strong, retort at "El Matador."

"It's a good thing that fights are not won at press conferences because we'd be knocked out of the box," Steward said. "Miguel Cotto is going to knock out Mayorga. It won't go over four rounds. [Mayorga] has been training since January, but he doesn't have the skills or the power. Miguel is in great shape, punching sharp and accurate. It's going to be exciting. There is no way Mayorga can avoid being knocked out inside of four rounds."

Emanuel Steward "is a failure in this" prediction.

"El Matador" is too stupid to be overwhelmed in a mere four rounds. 

Instead, Cotto will easily emerge victorious over Mayorga in a few hours with a resounding and violent, sixth-round knockout.

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-boston/sergio-martinez-will-knockout-sergiy-dzindziruk-within-8-rounds-tonight