Cotto defeats Clottey in Welter weight bout

Ghana's Joshua Clottey was Saturday night defeated by Pueto Rican, Miguel Cotto in a fiercely contested WBO Welter weight bout in New York's Madison Square Garden.

Clottey, 32 lost by a split decision to the defending champion, with the referees scoring 116-111, 115-112, 113-114.

Cotto in the opening round made his intensions clear with his marauding hooks one of which sent Clottey down.

A clash of heads in the third round, opened a severe cut along the left brow of Cotto, but the champion was composed.

Clottey rallied back in the fifth to the eight rounds, and coiled into his shelves again allowing Cotto to dominate the closing rounds.

The defeat comes as a surprise to fans at home in Ghana, especially at Bukom, the birthplace of Joshua Clottey, most of who predicted a knock out in his favour.

Clottey's dream to dominate the Welter weight division has thus been dealt a severe blow, much to the disappointment of Joshua Agbeko who enters the ring on July 11 against Vic “Raging Bull'' Darchinyan.

King kong Agbeko was at the Madison Square Garden to support his compatriot.

The defeat notwithstanding, his communications manager, Ebenezer Noye told MyJoyonline, Agbeko will appease the fans of Ghanaians come July 11.

Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com