Cotto Punishes Margarito

The fight went much the way that Eric Raskin anticipated and feared:

Fueled by an exuberant crowd, Miguel Cotto targeted the eye. Cotto unloaded so many punishing uppercuts and head shots to Antonio Margarito, the Mexican star's right eye was sealed shut. A crowd of 21,239 at Madison Square Garden gasped -- then roared for Cotto to continue -- as the squeamish scene flashed on the big screen.
Cotto finished the job in front of his fellow flag-waving Puerto Ricans and retained his title, battering Margarito over nine lopsided rounds before winning a TKO decision amid confusion in the corner before they came out for the 10th on Saturday night.
Three years after he took a knee in defeat, Cotto fought his heart out in the rematch.
Cotto (37-2-0) earned a punishing measure of payback for his loss to Margarito three years ago. With the New York crowd going wild for Cotto, the Puerto Rican champ was never seriously threatened and retained his 154-pound title, shuttering Margarito's right eye to cause the stoppage.
Cotto stared down Margarito in his corner after the bout was stopped.
"Just to look at him and taste my victory on him," Cotto said. "He means nothing to me. I'm here with all my crowd and all my people. He means nothing to me."
Margarito beat Cotto in July 2008, only to later have his career and reputation tarnished when he used illegal hand wraps before a loss to Shane Mosley. Margarito didn't box again for more than a year.
He needed surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone following a loss to Manny Pacquiao last year and considered retirement. The New York State Athletic Commission didn't license Margarito until Nov. 22 after ordering another examination of his eye.

Raskin is right, the beauty of boxing is inextricably link with its ugliness.  The idea of justice being served doesn't really temper the bloodlust on display last night.