Pacquiao stops Cotto in the 12th round

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Manny Pacquiao beat Miguel Cotto in the final round and won the WBO welterweight championship, his 50th win and seventh title in seven weight classes.

The grueling bout Saturday at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas ended when referee Kenny Bayless stepped in after Pacquiao hit the battered Cotto with a combination of punches to the head along the ropes at 55 seconds of the 12th round.

The much quicker Pacquiao improved his record to 50-3-2 with 38 knockouts.

Cotto went to the canvas in the first and fourth rounds, and appeared helpless in the last few rounds.

"We were very careful in the early rounds because we know what could happen," Pacquiao said. "We were looking for a KO shot. That's why I didn't throw lot of punches early."

Cotto, a former champion at the 140-pound limit and a two-time titleholder at 147, fell to 34-2.