Photographs by Chris Farina - Top Rank 2009

View Manny Pacquiao v Miguel Cotto Gallery.

Manny Pacquiao entered the record books with his 12th round technical knockout of Miguel Cotto to claim the WBO welterweight crown and become the only fighter in boxing history to win world titles in seven weight categories.

The Filipino took his record to 50-3-2 (38 KOs) with a domineering performance over the Puerto Rican reigning champion in Las Vegas on November 14.

The loss was only the second on Cotto’s record following his 11th round TKO by Antonio Margarito in July 2008. Despite the controversy that followed surrounding Margarito’s hand wraps, Cotto suffered a heavy beating for much of the fight.

With another hard fight against Joshua Clottey in June, many, including Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, felt the fighter would be damaged goods, but they were soon proved wrong when the champion raced out the traps in the first round.

Pacquiao was under threat in the opening round due to a strong and offensive start from Cotto, but the 30-year-old Filipino superstar, who is widely considered the greatest fighter in contemporary boxing, was able to find his flow from the second round onwards and take control.

Cotto, 29, was no match for Pacquiao as the older fighter used his speed, accuracy and fitness to beat down any threat from the champion.

Pacquiao made Cotto touch down in the third round and take a standing eight count before blasting him to the canvas once more in the fourth, but again Cotto was back on his feet, a little dazed this time.

Pacquiao stalked Cotto around the ring and landed from all angles while the Puerto Rican struggled to reply. The fight could have been stopped any time after the eighth round, but referee Kenny Bayless allowed it to continue until the 12th round before stepping in.

After coming through such a battle and with the final bell on the horizon, the referee’s decision to stop the fight with only two minutes remaining was a more devastating blow to Cotto than any he had taken in the previous 11 rounds.