(Sports Network) - Antonio Margarito turned in a classically aggressive performance, pressuring the previously unbeaten Miguel Cotto for the better part of 11 rounds before scoring a TKO victory in the 11th to claim the WBA welterweight title Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Margarito (37-5, 27 KOs) stalked his rival for much of the bout, backing him against the ropes and into the corners. Finally, in the 11th, he forced Cotto (32-1) to one knee with a hard right hand. The champion returned to his feet, but was quickly staggered again before Cotto's corner threw in the towel and referee Kenny Bayless put a stop to the contest at 2:05 of the 11th.

It was the third straight stoppage victory for the Tijuana, Mexico-based fighter. Margarito knocked out Kermit Cintron on April 12 in Atlantic City, following up a first-round TKO against Golden Johnson in November. The three wins came on the heels of an upset loss to Paul Williams last July.

Cotto entered the bout having won four of his five fights at 147 pounds by knockout, and although his counter-punching and power gave Margarito fits in the early rounds, the Caguas, Puerto Rico native tired while facing down a relentless battering from the "Tijuana Tornado".

The defending champion seemed to have his way through a series of spectacular early rounds, as he countered Margarito's aggression and four-inch height advantage by covering up and unleashing brutal combinations when he saw any opening.

However, once the fight reached the halfway point, Margarito turned the tide. In the seventh, a series of devastating uppercuts against the ropes staggered Cotto, as did a sharp overhand right to the temple late in the round.

Cotto barely survived the flurry, but was chased around the ring for almost the entire fight as Margarito unleashed combination after combination.

It was the third world title win at 147 pounds for Margarito. He won the IBF welterweight championship from Cintron in April, but that belt was not on the line Saturday. He previously held the WBO title at this weight class, but dropped it to Williams last year.

In the night's semi-main event, Colombian Cesar Canchila overcame being dropped in the second round and outboxed Mexico's Giovanni Segura to claim the interim WBA light flyweight championship.

Segura (19-1-1) came out firing and relentlessly peppered Canchila (27-1) with heavy shots over the first two rounds, but Canchila turned the tide to take the fight relatively easily, 117-110, 117-110, 115-112 on the judges' scorecards, to hand Segura the first loss of his career.



















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