Achievements...

• World championship fights: 17-2, 14 KOs
• WBA super welterweight world champion, two successful defenses
• Former WBO welterweight world champion.
• Former WBA welterweight world champion, four successful title defenses
• Former WBO jr. welterweight world champion, six successful title defenses
• Former WBC International super lightweight champion, five successful title defenses
• 2000 Olympic representative for Puerto Rico, 139 pounds
• 2000 Puerto Rican National amateur champion, 139 pounds
• 1997, 1998, 1999 Puerto Rican National amateur champion, 132 pounds

Professional Career Profile...

At the age of 31, Miguel is a 10-year pro. The WBA super welterweight world champion, he won the title in June, 2010, and has made two successful title defenses.

Miguel has now held world titles in three different weight classes - he is also a former WBO and WBA welterweight world champion, and former WBO junior welterweight world champion.

A veteran of 19 world championship fights, Miguel has been Puerto Rico's biggest star and draw at the gate for several years. He has fought and beaten some of the sport's biggest names, and has already had a Hall of Fame career.

He made the second defense of the WBA title in his last fight on December 3, 2011 and scored a 10th round TKO win in the rematch against former WBO-IBF-WBA welterweight world champion Antonio Margarito - Margarito TKO'd Miguel in the 11th round of their first fight in July, 2008.

After the fight, Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com [excerpts]: Cotto exacted revenge in impressive fashion in their hotly anticipated grudge rematch. With a sold-out crowd of 21,239 mostly Puerto Rican Cotto fans absolutely rocking Madison Square Garden, he ended his saga in glorious fashion.

Cotto dominated the exciting, albeit one-sided, fight. He was in great shape, was fast and implemented the perfect game plan from trainer Pedro Diaz, whom he was working with for the first time.

Cotto fired accurate shots and was able to move away before taking too much in return from Margarito, who never stop coming forward.... By the third round, Cotto had swelled up the right eye, which eventually was completely closed, leaving Margarito with no vision on the right side. The ringside doctors watched the eye even more closely than they normally would because of the fact that Margarito had suffered a severe injury to it in his previous fight a year ago in a decision loss to Manny Pacquiao.

Round after round, the eye was checked and, finally, there was a lengthy powwow between the doctors and referee Steve Smoger (who did a typically great job) in the Margarito corner after the ninth round. As the discussion continued, the bell to start the 10th round rang and Smoger called timeout. After some more conversation, Smoger finally called off the fight three seconds into the round on the instruction of Dr. Anthony Curreri, the head ringside physician.

The call sent the Garden crowd into a massive celebration. It was like July 4th and New Year's Eve rolled into one inside the arena. Cotto, meanwhile, looked more satisfied and relieved than jubilant....

Cotto looked as good as he has looked since the first six dominating rounds of the first fight with Margarito. He has good fights in front of him.... Margarito needed 12 stitches to close the cuts to his bloody right eye.... [End Rafael item]

In his previous fight on March 12, Miguel defended the WBA 154-pound title for the first time and scored a 12th-round TKO win against former WBC-WBA welterweight and WBC super welterweight world champion Ricardo Mayorga.

After the fight, Fightwriter.com's Graham Houston reported [excerpts]: Miguel Cotto saved the best for last when hammering Ricardo Mayorga in the final round.

The exciting finish was just what Cotto needed. Cotto landed a left hook that might have dropped anyone in the 154-pound weight class.

We saw Cotto box and move the way he did when exercising control over Carlos Maussa - something of a Mayorga-type wild swinger - more than seven years ago.

Mayorga came into Saturday's fight in tiptop condition and he showed durability, but his aggressive surges were sporadic, while Cotto was methodical and consistent.

Cotto had been boxing well, and he had won almost every round.... In the 12th, though, Cotto finally connected with a full-leverage left hook just when the fight looked sure to go the distance. [End Houston item]

Miguel won the WBA super welterweight world title with a ninth-round TKO win against defending champion Yuri Foreman in June, 2010, at Yankee Stadium.

Miguel won the WBA welterweight world title in December, 2006, and made four successful title defenses.

He won the WBO jr. welterweight world title at the age of 23 in September, 2004, and made six successful title defenses before vacating the title to move up in weight.

He has repeatedly fought top opposition, including current or former world champions Antonio Margarito two times (TKO10, TKOby11), Ricardo Mayorga (TKO12), Yuri Foreman (TKO9), Manny Pacquiao (TKOby12), Joshua Clottey (W12), Shane Mosley (W12), Zab Judah (TKO11), Carlos Quintana (TKO5), Paulie Malignaggi (W12), Ricardo Torres (KO7), DeMarcus Corley (TKO5), Randall Bailey (TKO6), Carlos Maussa (TKO8), and Cesar Bazan (TKO11). He has also beaten previously undefeated contender Kelson Pinto (TKO6), as well as veteran contenders Muhammad Abdulaev (TKO9), Victoriano Sosa (TKO4) and Lovemore Ndou (W12).

 

Key Fights...

2011...

2ND WBA SW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - in his last fight on 12-3-11 in New York, NY, he TKO'd former WBO-IBF-WBA welterweight world champion Antonio Margarito (38-7). The fight headlined at Madison Square Garden and drew a crowd of 21,239. Miguel gave an impressive performance and dominated the fight. He boxed and moved effectively and consistently landed the harder punches. Margarito's right eye began swelling in the early rounds and worsened as the rounds progressed. The ringside doctor examined the eye after the 9th, and the referee stopped the fight on his advice at 0:03 of the 10th round. After nine rounds, Miguel led by scores of 89-82 on all three scorecards.

1ST WBA SW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 3-12-11 in Las Vegas, Miguel beat former two-time, two-division champion Ricardo Mayorga (29-7-1) by TKO in the 12th round. Miguel consistently beat Mayorga to the punch and used his jab effectively to keep Mayorga at bay. In the first of several showboating incidents, Mayorga dropped his guard and went to a neutral corner, daring (begging?) Miguel to hit him. None of Mayorga's psychological games had any effect on Miguel, however. He kept his cool and did precisely what he needed to do: fight his fight and not allow Mayorga to goad him into trading blows. That said, there were some violent exchanges, the champ and the challenger pounding away at one another. Miguel never seemed hurt, but Mayorga did. By the 11th, Mayorga's right eye was swollen and he was getting tagged by every shot imaginable, including uppercuts, hooks, and devastating counters. In the 12th, Miguel opened up and dropped Mayorga. Mayorga got up, and Miguel went to work again, but Mayorga fought back. During the ensuing flurry, Miguel connected with a hard jab that sent Mayorga to the same corner where, earlier in the fight, he'd taunted Miguel. It also appeared that Mayorga had hurt his thumb during the exchange. He quit on his feet, and referee Robert Byrd called it off with 53 seconds left. Miguel was up 107-102 on all three scorecards through the 11th.

2010...

WON WBA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT TITLE - on 6-5-10 in New York City, Miguel beat then-champion Yuri Foreman by TKO. All fight long, Cotto had done an amazing job of neutralizing Foreman's movement. In the seventh, however, Cotto's impressive ability to keep up with Foreman's speed became moot: Foreman's knee - which was in a brace - gave out twice. The champ had aggravated an old injury, and he limped badly for the rest of the match.  Foreman fought on valiantly through obvious pain, dragging his leg as Cotto landed shot after shot. At one point, confusion reigned when a towel was thrown into the ring. Referee Arthur Mercante Jr. did a quick investigation and determined that the fight could still go on. The fighters continued battling until the ninth, when Cotto caught a hobbled Foreman with a brutal left hook to the body. Foreman went down, and a new champ was crowned. 

2009...

LOST WBO W WORLD TITLE - on 11-14-09 in Las Vegas, NV, he was TKO'd against left handed former lightweight, super featherweight, and flyweight world champion Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2). The early rounds were close and exciting - Miguel was disciplined and sharp and scored with solid combinations, but Pacquiao scored a knockdown with a right hook in the 3rd round. Pacquiao scored another knockdown with a left hand in the 4th - Miguel fought on and rallied in the 5th round, but Pacquiao staggered him with a left hand in the 6th and steadily wore him down. Miguel boxed and moved in the late rounds, but Pacquiao landed the harder punches, rocked him in the 9th round, and Miguel's mouth and nose were bloodied, his face battered and swollen. Miguel won the 10th on two scorecards, but Pacquiao swept the 11th round, then rocked Miguel again early in the 12th and the referee stopped the fight at 0:55. After 11 rounds, Manny led by scores of 109-99, 108-99, 108-100.

1ST WBO W WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 6-13-09 in New York, NY, he won a 12 round split decision against former IBF welterweight world champion Joshua Clottey (35-2). Miguel scored a knockdown with a jab that dropped Clottey to the seat of his trunks late in the 1st round. Miguel was cut over his left eye by a clash of heads late in the 3rd round, but built an early lead - after six rounds, he led by scores of 58-55 on all three scorecards. Clottey rallied in the second half of the fight - he swept the 7th and 8th rounds on all three scorecards, and won the 9th on two scorecards. but Miguel finished the fight strongly. He won the 10th round on two scorecards, the 11th on all three, then won the 12th on two scorecards. Scored 116-111, 115-112 Cotto, 114-113 Clottey.

2008...

WON VACANT WBO W WORLD TITLE - on 2-21-09 in New York he TKO'd Michael Jennings (34-1). Miguel constantly pressured Jennings and landed the harder punches. He bloodied Jenning's nose in the 3rd round, then scored two knockdowns with left hooks to the body and cut Jennings over his left eye in the 4th. Miguel scored another knockdown with a right hand in the 5th round, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:38. After four rounds, Miguel led by scores of 40-34 on all three scorecards.

LOST WBA W WORLD TITLE - on 7-26-08 in Las Vegas he was TKO'd against former WBO and IBF welterweight world champion Antonio Margarito (36-5). The fight was an epic battle at the MGM Grand. Miguel was the clear favorite to win. He kept Margarito off-balance with movement in the early rounds, was the sharper, more accurate puncher, and built a lead on the scorecards - after five rounds, he led by scores of 49-46, 49-46, 48-47. but Margarito relentlessly pressed forward, repeatedly drove Miguel back into the ropes, and steadily wore him down. Miguel's nose was bloodied in the 3rd round, his pace slowed in the 6th, and Margarito rallied strongly in the 7th round and rocked Miguel with a right uppercut that had him dazed. Margarito dominated the rest of the fight - Miguel showed tremendous heart and determination and was still effective when he boxed and moved, but Margarito repeatedly drove him back into the ropes and scored with a heavy two-handed attack. Margarito won the 6th round on two scorecards, swept the 7th on all three, won the 8th on two, then swept the 9th and 10th. Miguel's mouth was also bloodied. Margarito scored two knockdowns in the 11th round - the first with a left uppercut followed by a series of punches that forced Miguel to one knee - Miguel was also cut over hie left eye and face was covered in blood when he got up. Margarito pressed forward again and Miguel again went to one knee from exhaustion - Miguel's corner threw in the towel, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:05. After 10 rounds, the fight was scored 96-94, 96-94 Margarito, 95-95.

4TH WBA W WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 4-12-08 in Atlantic City, NJ, he TKO'd Alfonso Gomez (18-3-2). He scored a knockdown with a right hand to the body in 2nd round, then scored another knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 3rd. Miguel scored a knockdown with a jab in the 5th round, and the referee stopped the fight after the round.

2007...

3RD WBA W WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 11-10-07 in New York, NY, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against former lightweight, welterweight, and super welterweight world champion Shane Mosley (44-4). It was a close, exciting fight, and both fighters gave impressive performances. The momentum shifted back and forth. Miguel started fast, landed the sharper punches, and swept the 1st round on all three scorecards, but Mosley scored well with right hands and won the 2nd and 3rd on two scorecards. Miguel was more consistent and swept the 4th round, but Mosley rallied and swept the 5th. Miguel came back to sweep the 6th and after six rounds, led by scores of 58-56, 58-56, 57-57. the 7th was a three-way split - one judge scored for Miguel, one for Mosley, and one had it even, but Miguel swept the 8th. Miguel changed tactics in the 9th round boxing and moving and Mosley became more aggressive, and both were effective at times. Miguel won the 9th round on two scorecards, Mosley won the 10th on two, then Miguel came back and won the 11th round on two. Miguel was cut over his right eye by a clash of heads in the 12th, and Mosley won the round on two scorecards. Scored 116-113, 115-113, 115-113.

2ND WBA W WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 6-9-07 in New York he TKO'd left handed former IBF and WBO Jr. welterweight and undisputed welterweight world champion Zab Judah (34-4) in a sensational battle. Judah started fast - he rocked Miguel with a left uppercut midway through the 1st round, but went down later in the round from a low blow (replays showed it was just below the belt) and took about a minute to recover. Judah staggered Miguel with a straight left hand late in the 2nd that cut Miguel's lower lip badly, but went down from another low blow in the 3rd round (replays showed it was very low) and Miguel was penalized one point for the foul. Miguel kept pressing forward, rallied in the following rounds, and Judah was cut over his right eye in the 4th (replays showed it was from a clash of heads, but it was not ruled by the referee) and his nose was bloodied in the 5th round. Miguel was cut badly over his right eye in the 6th (replays showed it was also from a clash of heads). Judah came back in the 7th round and staggered Miguel with a left uppercut, then rocked him with a series of punches later in the round, but Miguel rallied and scored a knockdown with a series of punches, finished with a left hook, that dropped Judah to one knee in the 9th. Miguel scored another knockdown with a series of punches that put Judah flat on his back in the 11th round - he got up, but Miguel staggered him with another series of punches and the referee stopped the fight at 0:49.

1ST WBA W WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 3-3-07 in San Juan, PR, he TKO'd former three-time world title challenger Oktay Urkal (38-3): the fight headlined at Coliseo Roberto Clemente and drew a capacity crowd. Urkal gave a good effort, but Miguel dominated the fight. He constantly pressed forward, landed the harder punches, and used a strong body attack. Miguel was cut over his left eye by a clash of heads in the 5th round, and Urkal was penalized one point for another head butt in the 7th round. He was penalized another point in the 11th round for the same foul, and his corner stopped the fight at 1:01. After 10 rounds, Miguel led by scores of 100-89, 98-91, 97-92.

2006...

WON VACANT WBA W WORLD TITLE - on 12-2-06 in Atlantic City, NJ, he TKO'd previously undefeated left-hander Carlos Quintana (23-0). He started fast and rocked Quintana with a right hand midway through the 1st round and landed the sharper punches in the 2nd, but Quintana rallied in the 3rd and 4th rounds. Miguel stepped up his pace in the 5th - he rocked Quintana with a left hook midway through the round, and scored a knockdown moments later with a left hook to the body. Quintana got up, but Miguel scored another knockdown with a series of punches, and Quintana, battered and bruised around his eyes and with a bloody mouth, did not continue after the round. After five rounds, Miguel led by scores of 48-45 on all three scorecards.

6TH WBO JW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 6-10-06 in New York he won a 12 round unanimous decision against previously undefeated Paulie Malignaggi (21-0). Miguel dominated the early rounds - he cut Malignaggi over his left eye in the 1st round and scored a knockdown with a left hook in the 2nd. Malignaggi gave a tremendous effort and rallied in the middle rounds - he won the 5th, 6th, and 9th on all three scorecards - but Miguel finished the fight strongly and gave him a severe beating. He bloodied Malignaggi's nose in the 10th round and his mouth in the 11th, and Malignaggi had a bad swelling on his right cheek. Both fought hard until the final bell and had the fans on their feet. scored 116-111, 116-111, 115-112.

5TH WBO JW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 3-4-06 in Bayamon, PR, he TKO'd Gianluca Branco (36-1-1). Miguel outworked Branco, worked the body well, and steadily wore him down. Branco was cut on his scalp by a clash of heads in the 5th round, and was swollen under his right eye and on the right side of his jaw in the 6th. Miguel landed a left hook to Branco's right shoulder in the 8th round, and Branco grabbed his shoulder in pain and turned away from the action. The referee stopped the fight at 0:49. After seven rounds, Miguel led by scores of 70-63, 69-64, 69-64.

2005...

4TH WBO JW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 9-24-05 in Atlantic City he TKO'd previously undefeated WBO No. 1 ranked contender Ricardo Torres (28-0). It was a great fight with dramatic shifts of momentum. Miguel fought aggressively and started fast - he scored a knockdown midway through the 1st round, but Torres came back and staggered Miguel early in the 2nd, then scored a knockdown midway through the round - Miguel got up and Torres attacked furiously, but Miguel weathered the storm and staggered Torres late in the round. Miguel wore down Torres with a relentless body attack, and scored another knockdown in the 4th round, but Torres rallied again and staggered Miguel midway through the 5th. Miguel recovered and scored a knockdown in the 6th, then scored another knockdown in the 7th round - Torres got up but was unsteady, and the referee stopped the fight at 1:52. After six rounds, Miguel led by scores of 57-53, 57-53, 56-53. Miguel suffered a broken eardrum in the fight. Torres went on to win the WBO Jr. welterweight world title.

3RD WBO JW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 6-11-05 in New York he TKO'd 2000 Olympic gold medalist Muhammad Abdulaev (15-1). Abdulaev, who had beaten Miguel in his first fight at the 2000 Olympics, gave a strong effort and relentlessly pressed forward, but Miguel dominated the early rounds - he boxed and moved effectively, consistently outworked him, and won the first five rounds on all three scorecards. Miguel caused a swelling over Abdulaev's right eye in the 6th, but Abdulaev stepped up his pace and won the 6th round on one scorecard and the 8th on all three. Miguel continued to score with sharp combinations, and Abdulaev, with his right eye completely shut, signalled the referee to stop the fight at 0:57 of the 9th round. After eight rounds, Miguel led by scores of 79-73, 79-73, 78-74.

2ND WBO JW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 2-26-05 in Bayamon he TKO'd former WBO Jr. welterweight world champion and left-hander DeMarcus Corley (29-3-1). Miguel scored a knockdown with a left hook in the opening minute of the 1st round, and staggered Corley later in the round, but Corley rallied late in the 2nd. Corley staggered Miguel early in the 3rd with a right hook to the temple, but Miguel weathered the storm, recovered, and outworked Corley in the 4th. Miguel rocked Corley midway through the 5th, then scored a knockdown with a left hook to the body. Corley got up, but Miguel pressured him, Corley went to one knee, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:45.

2004...

1ST WBO JW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 12-11-04 in Las Vegas, NV, he TKO'd former WBO Jr. welterweight world champion Randall Bailey (28-4). Bailey started fast and landed two hard right hands in the 1st round, but Miguel dominated the rest of the fight. He scored one knockdown with a right hand that dropped Bailey to his knees in the 2nd round, and another with a right hand that dropped Bailey to one knee and cut him over his left eye  in the 3rd. Miguel steadily wore down Bailey with hard body punches, and the referee stopped the fight on the advice of the ringside doctor at 1:39 of the 6th.

WON VACANT WBO JW  WORLD TITLE - on 9-11-04 in San Juan, PR, he TKO'd previously undefeated Kelson Pinto (20-0). Pinto had beaten Miguel two times as an amateur. Miguel staggered Pinto with a left hook in the 1st round and scored a knockdown with a right hand-left hook combination in the 2nd, but Pinto kept coming back and there were some fierce exchanges. Miguel staggered him again in the 3rd and 4th rounds, then scored a knockdown with a left hook in the 5th. Miguel scored another knockdown with a series of punches in the 6th, and Pinto's corner threw in the towel to stop the fight at 2:28. Miguel wore trunks on which were sewn the names of all of Puerto Rico's world champions.

5TH WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - on 5-8-04 in Las Vegas he won a 12 round unanimous decision against former world title challenger Lovemore Ndou (38-6-1). Miguel pressed the action in the early rounds - he outworked Ndou, consistently landed the harder punches, and buckled Ndou's knees in the 6th. Ndou gave a tremendous effort, kept fighting hard, and rallied in the late rounds, but Miguel boxed and moved effectively and won by scores of 117-111, 116-112, 115-113.

4TH WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - on 2-28-04 in Las Vegas he TKO'd former two-time world title challenger Victoriano Sosa (37-3-2). Sosa gave a strong effort and rocked Miguel late in the 2nd round, but Miguel scored a devastating TKO. He bloodied Sosa'a lip and staggered him with a left uppercut in the 3rd round. Miguel scored three knockdowns in the 3rd - the first with a left uppercut to the chin, the second with a left hook to the head, and the third with a left hook to the body - and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 2:51.

2003...

3RD WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - on 12-6-03 in Bayamon he TKO'd previously undefeated Carlos Maussa (16-0). Maussa is tall, awkward and very determined, and was coming off an impressive TKO win against unbeaten prospect Jeffrey Resto, but Miguel dominated the fight. He scored a knockdown in the 3rd round and steadily wore down Maussa. Miguel staggered him in the 8th round, and Maussa's corner stopped the fight at 2:02.

2ND WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - WBA SL WORLD TITLE ELIMINATOR - on 9-13-03 in Las Vegas he TKO'd former world title challenger Demetrio Ceballos (26-4). Miguel consistently outworked Ceballos and landed the harder punches, then switched to the left handed stance in the 6th round and rocked Ceballos several times. He rocked Ceballos with a series of punches in the 7th and Ceballos's corner stopped the fight at 2:28. After six rounds, Miguel led by scores of 60-54, 60-54, 60-55.

1ST WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - on 6-28-03 in Bayamon he knocked out former three-time world title challenger Rocky Martinez (38-8-1). Miguel cut Martinez over his right eye in the 1st round, then scored a knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 2nd and Martinez was counted out at 2:42.

On 4-19-03 in Fresno,CA, he knocked out former world title challenger Joel Perez (34-5-2). Miguel was busier and sharper, scored a knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 4th round and Perez was counted out at 1:29.

WON VACANT WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE - on 2-1-03 in Las Vegas he TKO'd former WBC lightweight world champion Cesar Bazan (39-5-1), Iit was a step up in class for Miguel and his most impressive win. He dominated the fight - Miguel scored a knockdown in the 1st round and bloodied Bazan's nose in the 2nd. Miguel consistently kept a busier pace, landed the sharper punches, and wore him down. Bazan kept fighting back hard, but his right eye gradually swelled shut from repeated left hooks. Miguel rocked him in the 11th round, and the referee stopped the fight at 0:16. After 10 rounds, Miguel led by scores of 99-90, 99-90, 100-89.

2002...

On 11-22-02 in Caguas, PR, he TKO'd Ubaldo Hernandez (18-9-2). Miguel steadily wore him down - he bloodied his nose in the 2nd round, then rocked him a couple of times and cut him under his right eye in the 4th. Miguel hurt Hernandez with a body punch in the 7th round, then scored a knockdown and Hernandez was counted out at 1:31.

On 9-14-02 in Las Vegas he won a 10 round unanimous decision against former four-time world title challenger John Brown (23-9). It was a step up in class of opposition for Miguel and the first time he went 10 full rounds. Miguel dominated the fight - he scored a knockdown in the 2nd round, staggered Brown in the 8th, and won by scores of 100-88, 100-89, 100-89.

He debuted at the age of 20 on 2-23-01 in Austin, TX, and TKO'd Jason Doucet (debut). Miguel scored two knockdowns in the 1st round, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:12.

Personal & Amateur Background...

Miguel said, "I was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico. I have two brothers. I'm the youngest. My father was in the military, in the National Guard here in Puerto Rico for 25 years. My mom stayed at home and teach us how to live.

"When I was 11 years old, my weight was 156 pounds and I tried to lose weight with boxing. My brothers were already boxing and I tried to do the same. I started at the Gym Bairoa in Caguas. I lost weight, but I started to feel something for boxing. In the beginning, it was just for game, but then I start to feel like, a love for boxing.

"Jose Miguel Cotto is my brother. Juan Miguel boxed amateur, he never changed to professional.

"I had 125 amateur fights with 23 losses. I fought Panchito Bojado, Ricardo Williams. I fought Kelson Pinto, Muhammad Abdulaev.

"I was Puerto Rican national amateur champion from '97 to 2000, all at 132 pounds, but the last year at 140.

"I fought with Ivan Calderon when I was amateur, 100 pounds. [note: Calderon is a former WBO mini-flyweight and jr. flyweight world champion] He beat me three to two. After that, we make the team of Puerto Rico to represent Puerto Rico in international competition. We were both in the Olympics in 2000. He's, if not the best, one of my best friends."

Miguel returned to the ring in January, 2002, after being injured a car accident in August, 2001 - driving to a 5:30 A.M. workout, he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a concrete wall; he said, "Sometimes I feel the shoulder pain, the shoulder tired. But any other problems about that, no.

"It was a very serious accident. I broke my arm and shoulder in four different places. I think being in the shape I am in really helped.

In addition to a scar on his right shoulder, he has a six-inch titanium rod in his right arm.

He said, "I'm lefthanded. I do everything with my left hand. The only thing I can do with my right hand is fight. I feel more comfortable fighting righthanded when I'm beginning.