Yankee Stadium's "Stadium Slugfest" Championship Boxing Match: Cotto vs. Foreman

Yankee Stadium will host the “Stadium Slugfest”—a world title boxing match between World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight champion Yuri Foreman and three-time world champion Miguel Cotto—on Saturday, June 5, 2010.

The “Stadium Slugfest” marks the return of boxing to the Yankees’ home stadium for the first time since Muhammed Ali defeated Ken Norton by a 15-round decision on September 28, 1976, at the original Yankee Stadium. The former home of the Yankees hosted 46 nights of boxing matches,… Show more including 30 championship bouts, over its 86-year history.

Foreman (28-0, 8 KOs), a 29-year-old from Brooklyn, N.Y., is the first orthodox Jew to win a world championship in nearly seven years. Born in Gomel, Belarus, and raised in Israel, Foreman immigrated to Brooklyn. The 2001 New York Golden Gloves Champion turned pro in 2002 and began studying to become a rabbi three years ago. He knocked down defending champion Daniel Santos in the final round of a 12-round fight on November 4, 2009, en route to a decisive and unanimous decision victory and Israel’s first boxing world title.

Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, has held a world title every year since 2004 and will be looking to extend that streak with his challenge of Foreman. Puerto Rico’s most exciting fighter, Cotto held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight crown from 2004-06, successfully defending it six times before vacating it to capture the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title at the end of 2006, a title he held for nearly as long. He won his second welterweight title in February 2009, knocking out Michael Jennings in the fifth round of a 12-round fight to become the WBO welterweight champion. He lost the title in his second defense, on November 4, 2009, to Manny Pacquiao. Notable victories for Cotto include Sugar Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Joshua Clottey, Paulie Malignaggi, and Demarcus Corley.

In the inaugural boxing match at Yankee Stadium, the boxing ring will be located in short right-centerfield with seating for fans located on the field as well as in the Yankee Stadium stands.

Tickets can be purchased at the Yankee Stadium box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster by phone (877) 469 9849 or Ticketmaster TTY (800) 943-4327, or on-line at Ticketmaster.com

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