Miguel Cotto Puerto Rican professional boxer Date of Birth: 29.10.1980 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Amateur Career
2. Olympic Representation and Transition to Professional Boxing
3. Professional Dominance and Championship Success
4. Personal Life

Early Life and Amateur Career

Miguel Cotto was born on October 29, 1980, in Caguas, Puerto Rico. His family played a significant role in shaping his interest in boxing, with his father, brother, cousin, and uncle all involved in the sport. Cotto began training at the Bairoa Gym from an early age, honing his skills and setting the foundation for his future success.

Olympic Representation and Transition to Professional Boxing

In 1998, Cotto embarked on his amateur boxing career. He competed in the Puerto Rican Junior Championships before joining the national youth team. In 1999, he placed second at the Central American and Caribbean Boxing Championships. Cotto represented Puerto Rico at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but lost in the quarterfinals. Following this, he made the decision to transition to professional boxing.

Professional Dominance and Championship Success

Cotto's professional debut came in early 2001. In September 2004, he captured the WBO World Light Welterweight title with a technical knockout victory over Kelson Pinto. He successfully defended his title against Demetrius Hopkins, Daniel Santos, and Ricardo Torres. In 2006, Cotto moved up to the welterweight division and won the WBA Welterweight title by defeating Carlos Quintana. He retained the title four times before losing to Antonio Margarito in 2008.

Personal Life

Miguel Cotto is married to Melissa Guzmán and has two children, Alondra and Miguel Cotto III. He also has a daughter from a previous relationship. Cotto has been actively involved in giving back to his community through charitable initiatives.