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Still No. 1 Images from Manny Pacquiao's bloody win over Miguel Cotto for his 7th title in 7 weight classes. more photos

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Bad advice. Less than a minute into the third round, it was a right hand from Pacquiao that put Cotto down for the first time. He was up quickly and the two continued battling at a frenzied pace late into the fourth round when Pacquiao threw a huge left hand as Cotto was moving forward and dropped him for the second time.

Cotto was never the same after that and Pacquiao was relentless in administering a beating that sent blood flowing down Cotto's face, staining his white trunks pink. By the ninth round he was taking such punishment that his wife and young son got up from their ringside seats and left the arena, unable to watch any further.

Once again, Pacquiao had not just beaten a world class fighter, but systematically dismantled him. He did it in his usual — and very unusual — style, bouncing in and out and throwing punches from all angles in a frenetic style never before seen in boxing.

"I didn't know from where the punches were coming," Cotto said.

When it was all over, Pacquiao had another one of those green belts and his large entourage probably had a few more members. Cotto had inflicted some damage of his own, marking up Pacquiao's face and causing his right ear to have to be bandaged, but Pacquiao wasn't going to miss his own party.

He warmed up by crooning a few verses of "Sometimes When We Touch" at the postfight press conference, then headed out the door for the stage at the Mandalay Bay, his entourage just behind.

The singing was so-so, though no one was going to say that to the champ.

On this night he had earned the right to do whatever he wanted.

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