Miguel Cotto retains WBC middleweight crown with KO

Miguel Cotto retained his WBC middleweight title with a devastating showing of power Saturday night, knocking out Daniel Geale in the fourth round. Cotto (left in photo) landed a huge left hook early in the round and Geale went down like a tree falling in the forest. Somehow, the Australian got up, but he wasn’t staying up for long. Cotto landed a dozen more punches, missed with a few others, then put Geale down again with a straight right. Referee Harvey Dock stopped the bout at 1:28 of the round. The Puerto Rican champion dominated from the outset at the Barclays Center in New York. Next up for Cotto (40-4) after his brilliant showing following a one-year layoff could be a big-money fight with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez later this year, a fight that is all but lined up. – AP