Miguel Cotto retained his WBO welterweight title with a split decision victory over Joshua Clottey, live on Setanta Sports.
Cotto was awarded the fight on two scorecards 116-111 and 115-112, losing the third 114-113.
The Puerto Rican's smart boxing down the stretch was probably enough to earn him victory, a hard-earned one that saw him hindered by a terrible cut over his left eye from the third round and a battering from Clottey in the seventh and eight rounds.
The bout began well for Cotto, roared on by a full house at Madison Square Garden, as he put his opponent down with a short left jab.
The next few rounds were close as Clottey, a little circumspect after the knockdown, blocked a lot of Cotto's shots but was wary of a counter when he over-committed.
In the third round from an accidental clash of heads, Cotto received his cut that would be in his mind throughout the corner, although his corner did a superb job in keeping it under control, and Clottey gaining in confidence landed with some heavy blows.
The next round was Clottey's and he was doing well again in the fifth before he was shoved in the back by Cotto leaving him prostrate on the canvas as his knee apparently buckled.
He was adversely affected by this in the sixth round when Cotto trapped him on the ropes and landed a number of punishing left hooks and right crosses.
Clottey enjoyed big seventh and eighth rounds bludgeoning his opponent with overhand rights and uppercuts in close as Cotto was dabbing his eye throughout.
In the ninth Clottey stalked Cotto but his workrate slowed. Cotto caught Clottey with a left hook but did not follow up, opting to back off afterwards.
The last three rounds saw the same pattern with Clottey moving after Cotto but landing little and getting caught with the occasional accurate flurry from the Puerto Rican who boxed smartly as he diverted from orthodox to southpaw and back.
It was ultimately these three rounds which kept the belt for Cotto who answered questions about his heart by coming out the victor from this punishing contest.