Miguel Cotto won a fourth title in a third weight class by stopping Yuri Foreman in the ninth round of their HBO-televised fight at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y., on Saturday.

Referee Arthur Mercante Jr. waved the bout off 42 seconds into the ninth round after Cotto dropped Foreman with a left hook to the liver. Cotto, who led on the scorecards 79-73 (twice) and 78-74 after eight rounds, lifted Foreman's 154-pound belt with the career-rejuvenating victory.

Cotto (35-2, 28 knockouts) boxed confidently and effectively throughout the match, controlling the distance and tempo of the bout with a hard, accurate jab. Foreman (28-1, 8 KOs) boxed in a skittish fashion during the early rounds of the bout, but he settled down enough to land a hard right cross that appeared to stun Cotto at the start of the fourth round.

However, Cotto began to open up offensively in rounds six and appeared to be on his way to a late stoppage when Foreman's right knee buckled and caused him to collapse in round seven.

Foreman, clearly in pain, limped around about minute before deciding that he wanted to continue. Obviously immobilized by the injury, Foreman had to try and slug with Cotto but before the harder puncher could land any debilitating shots the titleholder's knee gave out again.

Foreman again opted to continue but the action was halted by a white towel tossed into the ring. However, the towel was thrown in by Foreman's wife, not his corner, so Mercante correctly called for the bout to continue. It did, but not for much longer, as Cotto ended matters early in the ninth.

RingTV.com co-editor Michael Rosenthal will file full post-fight column on the bout.