"Believe me, this is just the start," Bob Arum told the assembled media at Saturday night's post fight press conference for Miguel Cotto's win over Muhammad Abdullaev.

In another impressive performance for the unbeaten WBO Junior Welterweight title-holder, Cotto avenged his 2000 Olympic loss when he battered his opponent so badly that he couldn't see. In the ninth Abdullaev complained of impaired vision and the ringside doctor called a halt to the delight of the 10,231 people who attended the card at MSG. "I want to apologize to everybody that I couldn't fight," said Abdullaev (15-2, 12 KO's).

"It was something I did not expect. I want to come back and fight in the United States."

"It was a very tough fight," explained Cotto (24-0, 20 KO's).

"I was happy to beat him in front of the Puerto Rican fans."

Cotto said he intentionally focused on the swelling over Abdullaev's eye.

In the corner I said he can't see out of the right eye. So when I came out that was the first thing I did."

Asked to compare his performance against Abdullaev now to when the two fought as amateurs Cotto said that "I think he did the same thing back then. But I was able to handle it better this time."

Now that Cotto took care of business there are a wide array of fights available to him, starting must obviously with the winner of the upcoming showdown between Arturo Gatti and Floyd Mayweather. Cotto, though, won't commit to anything just yet.

"It's not up to me. What ever Top Rank wants to do. If Top Ranks wants to do the winner of that fight, that's what we'll do."

What Top Rank seems to want to do is match Cotto against Oscar De La Hoya in a blockbuster match at 147. Whether that match is plausible (De La Hoya told this writer last month that he only wants to fight for titles) is still up in the air. If it would take place Cotto would be moving up 7 pounds. And while a move up in weight is possible Cotto says he feels fine where he is.

"As you can see by this fight the weight was not a problem. It was really easy to make the weight this time."

"He's a consumate professional," said Arum. "We are convinced now, particularly by this performance, that Miguel can fight anybody at this weight class."

It was another close Joel Casamayor fight and as usual both fighters (and their camps) thought they did enough to win. "Boxing is hit and not be hit," said Casamayor (31-3-1, 19 KO's). "It's a crying shame I have to take another one like that," he said. "A lot of these judges may not see so well," said the legendary Roberto Duran, Casamayor's trainer.

"Losers always talk big," retorted Raiymkulov (20-0-1, 12 KO's). "He was talking about my face - look at his face. That's from this (shakes fists) not my mouth."