MAYWEATHER, JR., FLOYD-VICTORIANO SOSA & MIGUEL COTTO-JOEL PEREZ SIGNED ON SITE POSTER (2003-SIGNED BY MAYWEATHER, JR. & COTTO)

HISTORY: On April 19, 2003 at Selland Arena in Fresno, California WBC Lightweight Champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr fought Victoriano Sosa in the featured bout. Mayweather, Jr. won a unanimous 12 round decision in defense of his title. Sosa Is Given a Boxing Lesson by Mayweather By Paul Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, April 20, 2003 He winked. Floyd Mayweather Jr. had been caught by an overhand right and fell into the ropes, forced to grab and hold Victoriano Sosa to stem the attack. There were 45 seconds remaining in the sixth round and the crowd was chanting Sosa's last name, imploring the upset-minded challenger to finish off Mayweather and take his World Boxing Council lightweight title. But while in the clinch, an unconcerned Mayweather looked down at the ringside broadcasting team and winked, as if he knew something. He did. Sosa, often the more exciting and busier fighter, was not landing clean blows, while Mayweather was picking Sosa apart with pristine jabs to the face and stomach. Mayweather weathered the sixth-round storm Saturday night and put on a jab clinic to come away with a one-sided unanimous decision, 118-110, 119-109, 118-110. The Times scored it 117-111. The announcement, though, angered the Selland Arena crowd of 7,255, which was nearly 3,000 less than capacity and witnessing the first world title fight in the city's history. "Don't go by the oohs and ahs," said a fresh-faced Mayweather, who improved to 30-0. "That's not what boxing's about. "A lot of [Sosa's] shots hit me in the arms and shoulders. I'm just happy with my victory. I don't go out there to brag and boast. I mean, he was throwing more punches than me but I was landing more shots." The CompuBox numbers showed Mayweather landing 55% (248 of 448) of his punches while Sosa connected on only 14% (79 of 565). Still, Sosa, a native of Santiago, Dominican Republic, who claims to be related to the Chicago Cubs' right fielder and could have used his purported second cousin's home run swing in the ring, was unimpressed. "I'm very surprised," said Sosa, whose eyes were swollen and whose record dropped to 35-3-2. "He has to give me a rematch. I beat him. "Here in California, I guess you have to kill someone." Or maybe not get tagged so often by jabs. "I could hit him with the jab all day," said Mayweather, who connected on 60% of his jabs (147-246), compared to the 7% (12-182) the wiry Sosa landed. "I hit him with the jab whenever I wanted to." 

In the co feature in a battle of junior welterweights Miguel Cotto knocked out Joel Perez in the 4th round. Cotto looked sharp in the second half of Round 1 and caught Perez with a quick flurry to the head at the midway point. According to CompuBox, Cotto landed 31 punches in the round to Perez's 8. Both men had decent success in the first half of Round 2, as Cotto looked for opportunities to counter with hooks and Perez worked predominately with his jab. A left hook opened a cut in the corner of Perez's right eye in the final minute of the round. Perez continued to work his jab in Round 3, but also became more willing to throw power shots when in close. Cotto took advantage of these opportunities and landed the cleaner shots, namely the left hand. Cotto snapped back Perez's head with a pair of jabs early in Round 4 and repeatedly caught Perez in the first half of the round. A left hand to the body caused Perez to back up and take a knee at 1:17 of Round 4. He remained on one knee and sprang to his feet just after the referee reached the count of ten.

Offered here is an original, on site poster which has been signed by both Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Miguel Cotto. 

FULL DESCRIPTION: This is an original, paper, on site poster which has been signed by both Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Miguel Cotto. Bold color and print. Bold, clear images. Collector John Gay who attended this fight had the poster signed by both Mayweather, Jr. and Cotto, No tears. Very mild folds from handling. No tack holes. Clean without staining. 11" x 17." Exceptionally rare, the only example we have seen.