This wasn't the way Miguel Cotto planned to leave boxing.
Sadam Ali ruined the Garden party for Cotto on Saturday night, sending the Puerto Rican star into retirement with a 12-round defeat by unanimous decision.
The 37-year-old Cotto simply couldn't handle the quickness of his younger opponent, who took the WBO junior middleweight belt. Ali did it despite being the less-popular fighter only miles from his borough; Cotto has made MSG a second home, but fell to 8-2 in the arena.
"I had him hurt here or there in the first couple of rounds," Ali said. "I knew I had to do something, or he would have dug in."
Cotto finishes 41-6, and he looked his age far too often. He hurt his left arm in the seventh round in losing by scores of 115-113 115-113 and 116-112.
"Feeling good with the performance," Cotto said. "Something happened to my left bicep ... I don't want to make excuses, Sadam won the fight. It is my last fight. I am good, and I want to be happy in my home with my family."
Many of the 12,371 fans booed the decision and again when Ali spoke in the ring.
The fans soon were cheering as Cotto made his final statements to his legion of fans.
"Thank you to everyone," Cotto said in English. He usually answers questions in Spanish.
"Thank you for all the fans, I am proud to call MSG my second home. I had the opportunity to provide the best for my family because of the sport."
Cotto had received a thunderous ovation when he entered the ring, and they were chanting his name as he left, proud but defeated.
Ali is 26-1. He started quickly, then was stunned by a big right from Cotto that staggered him. Cotto charged as Ali recovered at the ropes, but it looked as if the fight had turned.
It hadn't. Indeed, Ali won the final four rounds on all three judges' cards.
Holder of six belts in four weight classes in his distinguished career - and the only boxer from the tradition-rich Caribbean island to own four such titles - Cotto retires with a reputation as one of the classiest and fearless fighters of his era.
