Cotto, Miranda Overpower Foes

WBA welterweight champ Miguel Cotto (29-0) won nearly every round against mandatory challenger Oktay Urkal (38-4) ... but it was never easy. Cotto landed his trademark brutal body shots from the opening bell but Urkal never backed down. In fact, it was Cotto that seemed to tire and get frustrated after an accidental clash of heads opened a cut over his left eye. Urkal was deducted a point for a head butt in round seven and another point in the eleventh. After the second deduction, Urkal's corner threw in the towel - partially due to what he believed to be unfair treatment from the referee but also because - due to open-scoring - he knew his fighter was hopelessly behind on the cards.

In the co-feature, Edison Miranda (28-1) outworked Allan Green (23-1) in a battle of top prospects fought at a catch weight of 162 pounds. Green talked a good game leading up to the bout but - other than the eighth round when he dropped Miranda with a left hook - failed to back it up in the ring. Miranda makes up what he lacks in boxing skills with aggressiveness and pure power, Miranda staggered Green in the ninth and put him on the canvas twice in the tenth and final round. Green just barely made it to the final bell but the scores were unanimous in favor of Miranda: 97-90 and 96-91 twice. The win may land Miranda an HBO date in June or July with undefeated middleweight Kelly Pavlik in what could be a great slugfest.