Austin "No Doubt" Trout controlled the fight early and roughed up Miguel Cotto late to win a 12-round unanimous decision and retain his share of the 154-pound title Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Trout (26-0) left Cotto's battered face red and swollen after cranking up the pressure over the final two rounds to truly take control on the scorecards. Cotto (37-4) lost his second straight fight after dropping a piece of the 154-pound title to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May.
Cotto had long ruled as the undisputed champion of the New York fight scene, winning all seven of his fights at the Garden, plus one at Yankee Stadium.
Trout never wavered even as the crowd was against him from the start. Two judges scored the bout 117-111 and the third had it 119-109.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.