Cotto vs Margarito 2: What Really Happened When the Plaster Was Gone

Boxing rarely gives you a second chance at justice. Usually, when a fighter gets robbed or beaten by a "cheater," the moment just fades into history books and bar arguments. But on December 3, 2011, things felt different. The air inside Madison Square Garden was thick. You could almost taste the resentment. When Miguel Cotto stepped into the ring for Cotto vs Margarito 2, he wasn't just looking for a win. He was looking for an exorcism.

Most fans remember the first fight in 2008 as a brutal, soul-crushing beatdown. Cotto was the undefeated golden boy of Puerto Rico, and Antonio Margarito was the "Tijuana Tornado," a man who seemed to have bricks in his gloves. Literally.

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The Ghost of the Plaster Scandal

You can't talk about the rematch without talking about those hand wraps. After Margarito stopped Cotto in their first meeting, he was caught before his next fight against Shane Mosley with illegal, plaster-like inserts in his wraps. This changed everything. It didn't just tarnish Margarito's win; it made Cotto’s fans feel like their hero had been subjected to a criminal assault rather than a sport.

By the time the rematch rolled around three years later, the narrative was set. Cotto was the victim seeking vengeance. Margarito was the villain whose career was already on life support after a horrific beating by Manny Pacquiao left him with a broken orbital bone and a permanent cataract.

Honestly, the lead-up was as intense as the fight itself. During the HBO Face Off, Cotto didn't hold back. He called Margarito a "criminal" to his face. He showed pictures of the suspicious wraps from the first fight. Margarito just smiled that smirk that drove people crazy, dismissing Cotto as a "crybaby."

A Different Kind of Fight

When the bell rang, it was clear this wasn't 2008. Miguel Cotto, now under the guidance of trainer Pedro Diaz, didn't stand in front of the Mexican brawler. He moved. He boxed. He used a sharp, snapping jab that found a home on Margarito’s damaged right eye almost immediately.

By round three, that eye—the one the New York State Athletic Commission spent weeks debating whether to license—started to puff up. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion. Cotto wasn't just winning; he was dismantling.

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• The Movement: Cotto stayed off the ropes. In the first fight, he got trapped. In the rematch, he danced.
• The Precision: Every left hook was aimed at the surgical site of Margarito's eye. It was surgical.
• The Pace: Margarito tried to apply his signature pressure, but he was missing the "thud" that used to stop opponents in their tracks.

By the middle rounds, Margarito's eye was completely shut. A purple, bloated mess of a thing. He was still coming forward because that's what Antonio Margarito did—he was a warrior, regardless of what you thought of his ethics. But he was swinging at shadows.

The Stoppage That Sparked a Riot

The end came in the tenth round, though the fight technically ended after the ninth. The ringside doctor had seen enough. Despite Margarito’s protests and the Mexican fans' boos, the fight was waved off.

Cotto didn't celebrate with a backflip. He walked over to Margarito’s corner and just stared. He looked at the man who had nearly ended his career and said nothing. He didn't need to. The scoreboard—and Margarito's face—said it all. The official scorecards at the time of the stoppage were a shutout: 89-82 across the board.

Why This Fight Still Matters

A lot of people say Cotto vs Margarito 2 didn't prove anything because Margarito was "damaged goods" from the Pacquiao fight. Maybe. But for Cotto, it was the final piece of his legacy. He proved that when the playing field was level, he was the superior technician.

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If you’re looking to understand the nuance of this rivalry, you have to look at the punch stats. In the first fight, Margarito threw nearly 1,000 punches. In the rematch, he couldn't get his rhythm because Cotto’s footwork neutralized the volume. It’s a masterclass in how a fighter can adapt his style to overcome a psychological bogeyman.

What You Should Do Next

If you've never watched the HBO 24/7 series for this fight, go find it. It's probably the best produced "hype" show in boxing history because the hatred was 100% real. You should also watch the Pacquiao vs Margarito fight right before it to see the physical toll that led to the eye injury.

For those analyzing the technical side, pay close attention to Cotto's lead foot. He constantly kept it outside of Margarito's, creating the angles that allowed him to land the hook and escape before the counter came. It’s the "Cotto Blueprint" that every boxer should study when facing a pressure fighter.

The rivalry ended that night in New York. There was no third fight. There didn't need to be. One man left with his dignity restored, and the other left with the realization that his "Tornado" days were over for good.