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Purto Rico's Cotto brings boxing to new Yankee Stadium
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| Published on Friday, June 4, 2010 |
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NEW YORK, USA (AFP) -- Brooklyn-based Israeli Yuri Foreman and New York favorite Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico will seize a slice of boxing history on Saturday as they bring prize fighting to the new Yankee Stadium.
The two will duel for Foreman's World Boxing Association junior middleweight title.
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| Miguel Cotto. AFP PHOTO |
But also playing a key role come Saturday will be the venue itself - hosting it's first fight more than three decades after the original Yankee Stadium hosted the last of the storied bouts to be held there.
The new 1.5 billion-dollar Yankee Stadium - inaugurated last year with a World Series-winning season by the Yankees - was designed to host multiple types of events, and Saturday's bout will be the first sports competition other than baseball to be held there.
"The building is built for this," Yankees executive Lonn Trost said. "Anyone who realizes the significance of attending the first fight in this facility, and having a ticket to the first fight, that's historical."
The list of those who boxed at the original Yankee Stadium is a roll call of ring greats: Harry Greb, Gene Tunney, Jack Dempsey and "Cinderella Man" James Braddock all fought here.
Joe Louis defeated German champion Max Schmeling on June 22, 1938, to avenge an earlier loss in the same ballpark.
Rocky Marciano won four straight fights there in the 1950s, before Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton fought on September 28, 1976.
"The world used to center around it," said veteran trainer Emmanuel Steward, who will be in Cotto's corner Saturday night.
A fight at Yankee Stadium, Steward said, was "a certificate of greatness."
Foreman, a self-proclaimed Yankees fan, is studying to become a rabbi and has backing from the large Jewish population in the New York area.
Cotto also has numerous fans in New York City who trace their roots to his native Puerto Rico. Cotto has headlined at Madison Square Garden several times on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day parade.
Since beating Shane Mosley in 2007 Cotto has lost by knockout to Antonio Margarito in 2008 and Manny Pacquiao last November.
Sandwiched between those defeats was a 12-round split decision over Joshua Clottey.
"Miguel hasn't had a real decisive performance in a long time, and we're working to get him back to that level where he can do that," Steward said.
He believes his fighter, who boasts a record of 34-2 with 27 wins inside the distance, is ready.
But Steward admitted that Foreman, who brings a record of 28-0 with eight knockouts to the bout, was a tough challenge.
"Everyone is focused on what Miguel has left and his style," Steward said. " Regardless of what preparation you have, Yuri is a very talented and underappreciated fighter who has an extremely difficult style for anyone.
"As good as Miguel will look it will always be a tough fight because of (Foreman's) style."
Both fighters say fighting at Yankee Stadium adds something extra to the contest.
The ring will be positioned in right-center field. Nearly 10,000 people will be seated on the field level and 20,000 more fans in seats in the outfield bleachers and down the first-base line.
A canopy will protect the ring and the first few rows of seats in case of rain.
"I'm going to feel like a Yankee on this night," Cotto said. "I am going to feel like Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter."
Added Foreman: "It's a great, great honor to be fighting in such a magnificent venue." | | | | Reads : 59 |
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