Cotto vs. Alvarez results: Canelo wins middleweight title by unanimous decision

Miguel Cotto is no longer a young man in the fight game. At 35, the Puerto Rican star suffered another big fight setback last night, losing to Canelo Alvarez by decision, which snapped a three-fight winning streak and may have ended the career rebirth that Cotto has experienced under trainer Freddie Roach.

Cotto (40-5, 33 KO) has been in this position before. In 2008, he lost for the first time, falling at the questionable hands of Antonio Margarito. In 2009, he was battered into submission by Manny Pacquiao. And in 2012, he was outboxed, though competitive, against Floyd Mayweather.

It may not have done Mayweather-Pacquiao business, but the good news is that it wasn’t Mayweather-Pacquiao the actual fight. While Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez didn’t exactly light up the highlight reel in a tactical main event battle Saturday night on HBO pay-per-view, they did both come to fight, and they kept the live crowd engaged through all 12 rounds, with Alvarez ultimately emerging victorious by decision.

The scores were a bit questionable, but there’s no doubt the right man won. Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KO), the new middleweight world champion, won on scores of 117-111, 118-110, and 119-109. HBO’s Harold Lederman had it 117-111 for the 25-year-old Mexican star. SB Nation scored the fight 115-113, closer but a clear victory for Alvarez, who made a compelling argument with his power, and closed the show strong in the 12th and final round.

It was a fight of momentum shifts and some telling power displays from Canelo Alvarez, who got a deserved victory Saturday night against Miguel Cotto, becoming the new lineal middleweight champion and new (for now, at least) WBC middleweight titleholder on unanimous decision scores of 117-111, 118-110, and 119-109.

SB Nation scored the fight a much closer 115-113 for Alvarez.

Here we go. Both guys coming out throwing power shots, looking like they want the knockout. As they go toe-to-toe, Canelo Alvarez looks in control. Good body shots for Canelo, and now Miguel Cotto is back with some jabs that disrupt Canelo’s timing a little bit.

Canelo stalking, Cotto trying to find openings without putting himself in bad spots. Cotto cut over the left eye, referee Robert Byrd says it’s due to a punch. Right hand from Alvarez, and then a quick hook from Cotto. Canelo fires a hard hook, partially blocked, but it pushes Cotto back. Everything at this point is crucial for the two fighters.

Miguel Cotto back on his toes, still working here in round 11, still in the fight. In Cotto’s corner, Freddie Roach tells Max Kellerman he thinks they’re a little ahead. Scores on social media are all over the place right now, so who knows?

Canelo trying to stay on the front foot, where he’s best, and he lands a right hand in close. Cotto is looking the busier of the two, though. Good hook from Alvarez. Cotto working his jab a little bit again. Canelo shoots an uppercut to the body, almost strays low. This is still a very close fight, and this was a close round again.

This hasn’t been a fight where anyone has fought poorly. Canelo Alvarez looks good, Miguel Cotto looks good. The difference has been Canelo’s power, at least thus far. He can hurt Cotto, not sure Cotto can really hurt him without a perfect shot.

Cotto draws the ire of the crowd by complaining of a shot to the kidney about a minute into the round. Cotto still on his toes, moving, but that’s not going to get it done at this point. Alvarez fighting with total confidence now, knowing he can do enough eye-catching stuff to neutralize anything that Cotto produces, or seemingly so.

Back to a more tactical pace to start round nine, and Canelo lands a good right hand counter as Cotto throws one of his own and then a hook behind it. Both at center of the ring. Uppercut from Alvarez. Cotto back with a body shot, doesn’t quite get there. Cotto digging to the body now, Canelo back with his own hook to the body.

Hard hook from Canelo backs Cotto down. Long right uppercut is blocked, barely, by Cotto. That was a half second from being a fight-ender, but Cotto got his glove in there. Another hard hook from Canelo. Then a big left uppercut. Cotto eating the shots and standing in there, but Canelo is in control right now.

Early in the round, and we’ve got some action! Miguel Cotto is looking to exchange with Canelo Alvarez, or at least is being forced to, and the two are trading hard hooks in this round. The first half of this round is the most sustained action we’ve seen in what has largely been a tactical, but entertaining, fight.

Cotto clearly is looking to put some fear into Canelo, so to speak, or at least make him respect his power, and both guys are landing good shots. This is heating up big time here in Round 8. Cotto throwing in combination, still moving, but biting down and throwing power shots more often.

Miguel Cotto coming out aggressively in the seventh round, but Canelo eats the shots and starts throwing his own. Cotto working at some range, then getting back out. Canelo with a long right that comes up short.

Cotto with a hook, and he’s moving and moving, but Canelo is clearly looking the more durable of the two, and his offensive output is clearly more dangerous. Cotto looking just the slightest bit discouraged. Canelo can’t be pushed back when Cotto does press, and it only seems to get Miguel in trouble. Otherwise, at range, Cotto is able to keep it on even terms at worst.

This is a very steady fight so far, in pace and output. No clinching, with referee Robert Byrd having an easy night. Canelo stings Cotto with a right hand, then comes hard with a left uppercut a moment later. A little over a minute into the round, and Cotto looks to throw a flurry to slow down Canelo.

Right now, Alvarez looks like he’s found a comfort zone. Another left uppercut gets in, Cotto ducking down into it a bit. Alvarez, the bigger man, seems to be able to take Cotto’s shots without any trouble. That could change -- Cotto’s a good puncher, and places shots well. Canelo throwing and getting even a bit reckless, throwing a long, looping right that lands. Cotto back with a jab, though.

Canelo Alvarez is staying aggressive, but Miguel Cotto now getting his own left hook going, throwing it routinely and finding some success with the shot. Cotto mostly still boxing, trying to make Canelo chase, in the hope of neutralizing Canelo’s offense, which has worked for others in the past.

Canelo with a jab. The two trade body shots, Cotto landing a good hook and Canelo back with a right hand. Right to the body, and a hook upstairs that misses from Cotto. Can’t be said enough how even this fight has been so far. Live updates have both landing about 40 punches so far.

Roy Jones Jr sees Canelo as the sharper puncher thus far, with Max Kellerman agreeing on the HBO broadcast. Canelo continuing the momentum he picked up last round, leading the action, which is something that has been tough for him to do in some fights. Against aggressive foes, his countering has worked very well. Against boxers, it’s been more mixed. Cotto is more a boxer so far tonight, and Canelo seems to have learned lessons from past fights.

Cotto with a nice right hand, though, and really, this is an extremely evenly matched fight thus far. Canelo’s taking the initiative now. Cotto sets his feet and throws a couple, but Canelo is still controlling the pace in this round. Canelo with a jab, Cotto back with three of his own. Cotto’s jab now really working late in the round.

Miguel Cotto is showing some of the tactics that gave Floyd Mayweather real success in Canelo Alvarez’s lone loss in 2013. Lateral movement and boxing, a decent jab, and a lead right that, as Roy Jones Jr. notes, is not usually a big part of Cotto’s repertoire.

Both guys throwing, with Cotto outworking Canelo a little bit early, using his feet to keep the range he wants. But, Alvarez showing some aggression by shooting long hooks to the body, even if they miss. Right upstairs, hook to the body from Cotto. Canelo trying to close the distance, but having some trouble really doing so.

The crowd in Vegas is overwhelmingly pro-Canelo Alvarez, with a lot of boos for Miguel Cotto. Cotto does have his supporters, but they’re drowned out. At the opening bell, the crowd is hot. This is real big fight atmosphere.

Out of the gates, Cotto shoots a right hand over Canelo’s jab, but it doesn’t get there. Big “Mexico” chant for Alvarez. A little scrap inside, nothing big lands. Both in the center of the ring, on their toes and looking for power shots. Canelo shoots a jab from distance, but too far out. Canelo lands a body shot under a missed hook from Cotto.

We are now just hours away from Canelo Alvarez facing Miguel Cotto in the HBO pay-per-view main event from Las Vegas. Alvarez remains the steady favorite with odds around 3-to-1 in his favor, according to oddshark.com’s listing of various sportsbooks.

Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KO) is the challenger in the fight, as he’s trying to win the middleweight championship from Cotto (40-4, 33 KO), but he’s also the younger fighter by 10 years, has significantly fewer miles on his body and is a somewhat naturally bigger man. He could have a considerable weight advantage once the fight is underway this evening.

Earlier today, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez hit the scales for their middleweight championship showdown tomorrow night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, with both fighters making weight before an intense staredown in front of an overflowing and passionate crowd.

Now, all that’s left is the fight.

This afternoon at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez take to the scales to weigh in for tomorrow night’s middleweight championship showdown on HBO pay-per-view, live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. SB Nation will have the live stream (above) as the main event and undercard fighters all weigh in.

UPDATE: See all of the weigh-in results here.