Miguel Cotto shone brightly once again, this time under the twinkling lights of Yankee Stadium.

The pride of Puerto Rico stopped a game Yuri Foreman in the ninth round Saturday night to win the junior middleweight title, delighting thousands of his fans in the first fight at the Bronx ballpark in more than three decades.  Official score cards had the fight 79-73 (twice), 78-74 all in favor of Cotto at the time of the stoppage.  Read on for more…

It didn't come without a little bit of controversy, or at least an interesting footnote.

Cotto started the fight strong using a forceful jab which sent the always moving Foreman to the ropes several times.  Foreman appeared hesitant as though he was not sure he belonged in the ring with Cotto. However by the fourth round he landed two good right hands to Cotto’s chin and won the round.

Foreman slipped in the seventh round and badly twisted his right knee, then slipped to the mat again later in the round. He survived to the end but could hardly move around the ring, limping on a right knee that was already covered by a black brace and getting tagged by Cotto at will.

Between rounds, Foreman's wife leaned over the railing and implored his trainer to stop the fight. Someone in Foreman's corner threw in the towel early in the seventh round, but referee Arthur Mercante Jr. angrily tossed the towel right back out. He asked Foreman if he wanted to continue, and the aspiring rabbi with the compelling back story elected to fight on.

It seemed like an odd choice for the referee to continue the fight.  As it turns out, he did not know who threw in the towel and had already made up his mind to have the fight continue.

This was not only a comeback for Cotto but also his new trainer Emmanuel Steward who showed he still has what it takes to get a fighter ready for a big fight.

At the end of the fight Cotto said, “We made the plan working with the jab and putting pressure on him.  It really worked.  I just followed instructions, Emmanuel was focused on the fight.  I had to continue to fight.  I feel sorry for his knee.  I thought the fight was stopped I saw his trainer throw the towel in the ring. I just still followed the instructions because the referee said it was someone else who threw the towel so I continued.  I worked to be the Miguel from the beginning of my career and that is what you saw.  I’m going to rest, then go after all the big names as always”

Foreman said, “First round was a little rusty, I didn’t get into my rhythm.  I was in it, he is a great fighter and I tried to fight.  I wear a brace from an old injury.  I was doing side to side movement and my knew just gave way.  I continued to fight because I’m a world champion and we need to fight.  I didn’t want to stop, when I saw the towel I thought it was over.