The unanimous decision in front of a sold-out throng, proved that Manny Pacquiao is the only one capable of beating Mayweather.

Cotto was a worthy opponent, and continually backed Mayweather into the corner, only to see the 7-to-1 betting favorite unleash blinding rights and lefts.

It’s as if Mayweather delighted in the gauntlet set down by the Puerto Rican native.

In the second round, Cotto lifted Mayweather off the canvas in a “bear hug,’’ and later found Mayweather’s nose with a nifty left in the fifth round, which drew blood, but otherwise didn’t cause any real problem.

“Cotto is a future Hall of Famer,” said Mayweather, who pocketed $32 million, and raised his ring record to 43-0 with 26 knockouts. “He’s no pushover. I dug down and fought him back.”

Mayweather is a remarkable boxer, and likely the finest defensive wizard in this or any era. His hand speed and endurance are second to none, with the only exception being Pacquiao, who landed at L.A. International as the two combatants entered the ring.

And still Mayweather heaped additional praise on Cotto, whose only setbacks were handed him by Antonio Margarito, who was later found to have had loaded hand wraps, and the Pac-Man. “You’re a hell of a champion,’’ Mayweather said. “You’re the toughest guy I ever fought.”

Cotto has genuine respect for Mayweather. “The judges said I lost the fight,’’ he admitted. “I can’t do anything else. I brought my best tonight. I am happy with my fight and so is my family.”

Getting off quickly was important for Cotto (37-3-0 with 30 KO’s), and he did just that, but Mayweather, who landed 26 percent of his total punches, still won the opening round.

The same pattern developed in the second, and again it was Mayweather who took the round.

Cotto, who hit 21 percent of his total punches, had a good third round which was tight, and the fourth, which was equally close, but Mayweather, who found the range on 34 percent of his power shots compared to 23 percent for Cotto, took the round after pounding several rights.

Because of the way the bout progressed, scoring rounds was often difficult. In many, Cotto employed a sound body attack, but Mayweather would rally late.

It was evident that Mayweather’s hand speed and ability to slip punches would carry the night, and was best illustrated in the 12th round.

In it, Mayweather caught Cotto flat-footed, and landed several blows that snapped his head back.

The eighth was Cotto’s, and the early portion of the ninth was until Mayweather performed his magic. The final three rounds were more of the same.

Rick Assad has been a sportswriter for more than two decades. He has a political science degree from UCLA, a journalism degree from CSUN, is a staff writer for diamondboxing.com, and is a columnist for socalboxing.wordpress.com. You may e-mail him at richsports5@sbcglobal.net.

Though not well-known, A.J. Ellis drove in four runs last Sunday as the Dodgers pounded out an 11-5 win over visiting Colorado, as the catcher hit a second-inning single, and a fifth-inning, three-run homer.

Recently-signed veteran outfielder Bobby Abreu added a bases-clearing double during the six-run fifth.

Ted Lilly (5-0) threw a six-hitter with five runs (four earned) over six and one-third innings.

Tony Gwynn Jr.’s pinch-hit single in the eighth scored James Loney (single), and gave the Blue Crew a 2-1 victory over the Rockies on Saturday.

Juan Uribe drove in a run in the fifth, but Colorado answered with Tyler Colvin’s seventh-inning smash that tied it at 1-1.

Aaron Harang (2-2) breezed through eight frames, giving up four hits and one run (earned).

Chris Capuano (5-0) pitched like the staff ace after another impressive showing on Friday.

Capuano’s four-hitter, along with one run (earned), and three strikeouts, was plenty as the Dodgers topped the Rockies 7-3.

An 11-hit parade included homers from Ethier (seventh), Mark Ellis and Uribe.

Ethier also singled and doubled with two runs, and had a pair of runs batted in, while Ellis doubled and singled with three RBIs and two runs.

Chad Billingsley lasted four innings, gave up seven hits and two runs (earned), but was aided by four relievers as they bested San Francisco’s top hurler Tim Lincecum (2-3) on Wednesday 6-2.

Gwynn’s three-run triple in the fourth off the two-time Cy Young winner gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead, before they collected solo runs in the sixth and eighth.

Ryan Vogelsong (1-2) was in command on Tuesday as the Giants squeezed past the Dodgers 2-1.

Brett Pill’s two-run homer in the second inning scored Buster Posey, who singled.

Vogelsong was touched for eight hits in seven and one-third innings, with Loney getting a single and double with an RBI in the second inning.

Kemp’s three hits (two singles and double) with a run, Ethier’s two singles and two RBIs, and A.J. Ellis (double and single) with an RBI and run, carried the Dodgers to a 9-1 victory versus San Francisco on Monday.

Lilly allowed four hits, one run (earned) in six frames, while fanning six with two walks.

Juan Rivera had three hits including a two-run homer in the third inning, and pitcher Aaron Harang had a run-scoring fielders’ choice in the second.

Left-hander Chris Capuano helped the Dodgers post a 5-1 victory on Saturday, and extended his scoreless inning streak to 18 and two-third.

Capuano (4-0) worked seven innings, gave up three singles while striking out seven with two walks, and lowered his earned-run average to 2.21.

Capuano’s two-run stand-up double in the second inning made it 3-0, while Dee Gordon singled and doubled with a run, and also produced a run batted in.

Paul Maholm (3-2) surrendered one run (earned), three hits with four strikeouts and no walks over six innings as the Cubs came away with a 5-4 win on Friday.

The Dodgers made it close with a run in the seventh inning, and two in the eighth as Jerry Hairston Jr. (three hits) belted a two-run homer.

Right-hander Chad Billingsley (2-2) worked six frames and allowed four runs (earned), eight hits, along with four strikeouts and three walks.

Matt Kemp had an RBI triple, while Andre Ethier contributed an RBI double, and each scored a run.

Clayton Kershaw was roughed up on Wednesday at Coors Field as Colorado tallied five runs (earned) on seven hits in seven and one-third innings as the Rockies claimed an 8-5 win.

It was tied at 5-5 until pinch hitter Jason Giambi cracked a three-run blast in the ninth.

A four-run first inning by the Dodgers held up during Tuesday’s 7-6 slugfest against the Rockies.

Mark Ellis had four hits with a run, and Ethier homered, singled and drove in three runs.

The Dodgers led 5-0 after three, and 7-0 through five, which offset the Rockies’ late outburst.

Troy Tulowitzki’s two-run double in a three-run fourth was the key blow of Monday’s 6-2 blowout by the Rockies.

Carlos Gonzalez dropped two hits with two runs scored and two RBIs for the Rockies.

Kemp’s 12th homer to right field was a solo shot in the first inning, and Juan Uribe added an RBI.

Rick Assad has been a sportswriter for more than two decades. He has a political science degree from UCLA, a journalism degree from CSUN, is a staff writer for diamondboxing.com, and is a columnist for socalboxing.wordpress.com. You may e-mail him at richsports5@sbcglobal.net.

That’s heady stuff, but “Newk’’ maintains his off-the-field achievements are just as important.

For several decades, Newcombe was the Dodgers’ Director of Community Affairs, and was recently appointed special advisor to the Chairman of the Board.

When Newcombe’s 10-year playing career came to a close after the 1960 season, he started drinking heavily and became an alcoholic.

After ups and downs, Newcombe finally won, and has been sober since 1967.

Newcombe talks to groups about the dangers behind the bottle.

“What I have done after my baseball career, and being able to help people with their lives and getting their lives back on track, and they become human beings again, means more to me than all the things I did in baseball,’’ Newcombe said.

At a time when race truly mattered, the Brooklyn Dodgers were miles ahead of every team in baseball, and it began with the signing of infielder Jackie Robinson, who made his debut on April 15, 1947. Robinson was later joined by Newcombe, catcher Roy Campanella, and infielder Jim Gilliam.

Newcombe compiled a 149-90 record with a 3.56 earned-run average, 24 shutouts and 136 complete games after missing 1952 and 1953 due to military service.

Newcombe’s career kicked off in 1949 when he put together a 17-8 mark with a 3.17 ERA, 19 complete games, five shutouts, 149 strikeouts and 73 walks.

Brooklyn faced the vaunted New York Yankees in the World Series, and fell to the Bronx Bombers.

Though Newcombe was roughed up in that Series to the tune of two losses without a victory, and would absorb single setbacks in 1955 and 1956, he was thrilled to be the first African American to pitch in the Fall Classic.

Newcombe had a winning record seven seasons, three 20-win campaigns, and a 19-win outing in 1950.

In 1951, Newcombe went 20-9 with a 3.28 ERA, 18 complete games and three shutouts, in 1955 was 20-5 with a 3.20 ERA and 17 complete games, and in 1956 finished 27-7 with a 3.06 ERA, 18 complete games and five shutouts.

At a fundraiser for California Senator Barbara Boxer in 2010, President Barack Obama had a few words to say about Newcombe, who was present.

“Don was someone who helped America become what it is,’’ he noted. “I would not be here if it were not for Jackie [Robinson] and it were not for Don Newcombe.”

Fifteen years ago I had dinner with Newcombe, and the late Dodgers’ closer Joe Black in the stadium press box.

At one point, I told Newcombe his career numbers were similar to Dodgers’ legend Sandy Koufax, and that they seemed worthy of the Hall of Fame.

He thanked me. “Sandy and I have been great friends for a long time,’’ he said, “and I don’t want to say he doesn’t deserve to be there, because he does. But if our numbers are similar, then maybe I also belong.’’

Rick Assad has been a sportswriter for more than two decades. He has a political science degree from UCLA, a journalism degree from CSUN, is a staff writer for diamondboxing.com, and is a columnist for socalboxing.wordpress.com. You may e-mail him at richsports5@sbcglobal.net.

Chris Capuano (3-0) threw a three-hitter over six and two-third innings for the Dodgers (16-6), and struck out nine with two walks.

Kemp’s 11th homer, a solo blast in the 10th inning gave the Dodgers a 4-3 win on Saturday over the Nationals, who scored two runs in the ninth when 19-year-old Bryce Harper, who made his big-league debut, lifted a scoring fly, and Wilson Ramos added a run-scoring single.

In the bottom of the ninth, Juan Uribe’s run-scoring, ground-rule double to left plated Mark Ellis. Uribe came around on a wild pitch that tied it at 3-3.

Clayton Kershaw (2-0) was masterful across eight innings of Friday’s 3-2 win over Washington as he allowed three hits, two runs (earned) with six strikeouts and one walk.

Kemp (two hits) scored two runs, and Ethier single with a homer (fifth), drove in two runs with one run scored as the Dodgers opened a 3-0 edge after five innings.

On Wednesday, closer Javy Guerra (1-3) was hit in the face by a batted ball and gave up five singles with three runs (earned) in the ninth as visiting Atlanta rallied for a 4-2 win.

Ted Lilly toiled seven innings and gave up one run (earned) with three hits before Guerra’s second blown save.

Dee Gordon’s run-scoring hit in the fifth knotted it at 1-1, and Kemp’s solo homer an inning later made it 2-1.

Dan Uggla (two hits) had two runs batted in for the Braves, and Chipper Jones, who announced this would be his final season, added an RBI, as did Jason Heyward.

Martin Prado’s run-scoring triple in the ninth brought in Tyler Pastornicky (three hits) that lifted Atlanta to a 4-3 triumph on Tuesday.

The Dodgers led 2-0 in the first on Juan Rivera’s home run, but Atlanta tied it with a two-run fifth that saw Jones drill a solo blast.

Mark Ellis had two hits with a run, Rivera two hits and a run, and A.J. Ellis and Jerry Hairston Jr., each chipped in with two hits.

Uribe had four hits with three RBIs and two runs as the Dodgers rolled to a 7-2 pasting of the Braves on Monday.

In seven frames, Capuano fanned five, walked four and gave up six hits with one run (earned).

This is startling given the Dodgers needed a closing kick to finish 82-79 a season ago.

Two good things came out of 2011: Center fielder Matt Kemp’s second-place finish in the Most Valuable Player voting after swatting 39 homers with 126 runs batted in and a .324 batting average, and pitcher Clayton Kershaw winning the Cy Young.

Kemp’s off to another impressive start. Through this past weekend, he’s ripped nine homers with 22 RBIs and has a .450 average.

Right fielder Andre Ethier had an off-year in 2011 in which he struck 11 home runs with 62 RBIs. Ethier has four homers and 21 RBIs.

If the Dodgers make the playoffs, Kemp and Ethier will need to play at a high level, and so far Mattingly’s calm demeanor has allowed them to flourish.

After Sunday’s 12-0 road setback to the Houston Astros, Mattingly, a six-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glover with a .307 career batting average, was upbeat.

“You just kind of chalk it up as one of those days,’’ he said. “These games don’t happen to us very often.”

Even though, some managers would have panicked. Not Mattingly, who is a player’s manager.

In this regard, Mattingly, who smashed a career-best 35 homers with 145 RBIs in 1985 and was named MVP, is similar to Joe Torre, who spent three seasons in Los Angeles, and a dozen more as the New York Yankees’ skipper where he directed the club to six World Series appearances and four titles.

Mattingly is a laid-back, straight-shooter from Evansville, Indiana, but during his 14-year career with the Yankees that began in 1982, he was intense, but always cool.

During the mid-1980’s, Mattingly was considered the best all-around player in baseball.

Mattingly won the batting crown in 1984 with a .343 average, and set the big league record since tied with six grand slams in 1987, and tied the mark with homers in eight straight games that same season.

Beginning in 1984 and running through 1986, Mattingly bagged 200 hits with a high of 238, smacked 40 doubles with a best of 53, and from 1984 through 1987 drove in 100 runs.

A left-handed power hitter who drove the ball into the gap with regularity, Mattingly finished with 442 doubles, 222 homers, 1,099 RBIs, and 2,153 hits, but sadly played in one postseason.

True to form, Mattingly hit .417 with six RBIs and four doubles in a five-game loss to the Seattle Mariners in 1995, but clouted the go-ahead homer in Game 2 of the Divisional Series at Yankee Stadium.

A bad back forced Mattingly to retire at 34, and it’s a shame because he was deprived the opportunity to be part of a team that won multiple World Series.

Mattingly was New York’s batting coach under Torre, held the same post with the Dodgers, but had his eye on the Yankees’ managerial job that went to Joe Girardi in 2008.

Mattingly was left out in the cold. That is until the Dodgers hired him.

Rick Assad has been a sportswriter for more than two decades. He has a political science degree from UCLA, a journalism degree from CSUN, is a staff writer for diamondboxing.com, and is a columnist for socalboxing.wordpress.com. You may e-mail him at richsports5@sbcglobal.net.

Wandy Rodriguez handcuffed the Dodgers (12-4) on three hits over seven innings of Sunday’s 12-0 blanking, and Carlos Lee ripped a two-run homer to left field in the first, and Jordan Schafer’s grand slam to right in the second inning made it 6-0.

Jason Castro tripled and scored on Dee Gordon’s fielding error in the fourth inning for a 7-0 lead, and Castro’s run-scoring hit in the fifth pushed Houston’s lead to 10-0.

Chad Billingsley (2-1) was tagged for nine runs (five earned) in three and one-third innings with four hits, four walks and two strikeouts.

The Dodgers were 5-1 winners on Saturday as James Loney homered to right in the second inning, Matt Kemp lined his major league-leading ninth round tripper, a two-run smash to left-center in the sixth, and Andre Ethier’s two-run single to right in the eighth inning made it 5-0.

Clayton Kershaw (1-0) blanked Houston over seven innings, striking out nine with two walks and three hits.

Ted Lilly (2-0) tossed a six-inning, four-hit, one-run (earned), five-strikeout, six-walk outing on Friday as the Dodgers scored all their runs in the first three frames of a 3-1 victory.

The Dodgers opened a 2-0 lead on Kemp’s two-run blast in the first, and Ethier’s run-scoring base hit in the third inning made it 3-0.

Kemp homered and singled with two runs scored and had a run batted in during Thursday’s 4-3 triumph over the Brewers at Miller Park.

Ethier (single and double) scored and chipped in with an RBI, while Matt Treanor had a run-scoring triple for the Dodgers, who scored a run in the second, two in the third and one in the fifth.

Aaron Harang (1-1) went six effective innings and held Milwaukee to eight hits and three runs (earned) with one walk and four strikeouts.

Ryan Braun had a sacrifice fly, Mathew Gamel a run-scoring hit and Aramis Ramirez (two hits) a homer as the Brewers edged the Dodgers 3-2 on Wednesday.

The Dodgers led 1-0 in the first, Milwaukee tied it 1-1 in the second inning, and the Dodgers made it 2-1 with a run in the fifth.

Milwaukee pushed across two runs in the ninth inning for a 5-4 victory on Tuesday after the Dodgers forged a 4-3 lead on Ethier’s two-run homer to left-center in the eighth.

Ethier also doubled and scored two runs, while Loney singled, doubled and had an RBI.

In an early showdown in the Bronx this past weekend, New York flexed its muscles by taking two of three games from the Halos.

Some of the excitement that came out of Anaheim was the off-season signing of free agent first baseman Albert Pujols and pitcher C.J. Wilson.

A hitter with a .328 lifetime average, Pujols, a three-time National League Most Valuable Player, led the St. Louis Cardinals to a pair of World Series titles and there’s hope he’ll do the same in Orange County.

In Sunday’s 11-5 loss, Pujols, who inked a 10-year, $240-million deal, had a run-scoring single in the seventh inning that cut New York’s lead to 8-5.

Pujols is batting .243 with no home runs and four runs batted in, but the clubhouse is panic-free.

Mark Trumbo homered in the second to give the Angels (3-6) a 1-0 lead, but New York’s Raul Ibanez countered with an RBI single in the bottom of the frame.

The Yankees (5-4) posted a four-run third on Curtis Granderson’s RBI grounder, Alex Rodriguez’s run-scoring hit, Mark Teixeira’s RBI double and Nick Swisher’s sacrifice fly.

Derek Jeter’s three-run homer to right in the fourth inning gave the Bombers an 8-1 edge, but Chris Iannetta’s two-run blast in the fifth made it 8-3, and Maicer Izturis’ run-scoring double in the sixth closed the gap to 8-4.

Swisher had an RBI single in the seventh, and Ibanez’s two-run poke made it a six-run lead.

Wilson’s 7-1 gem on Saturday was exactly what the struggling Angels needed as the California-native scattered six hits over six innings with two walks and two strikeouts.

Wilson (2-0), who signed a five-year, $77.5-million offer, gave up a run in the fifth on Robinson Cano’s one-out single.

Pujols showed signs he’s about to unleash his full offensive arsenal. In the first inning, Howie Kendrick singled with one out, and Pujols lined a hit to left. Each was left on base when Kendrys Morales and Torii Hunter both fanned.

Two innings later, Kendrick (three hits with three RBIs) singled, and Pujols drove him home with a run-scoring double that made it 3-0.

Pujols had one hit in four at-bats during Friday’s 5-0 whitewash. This game will be remembered for Rodriguez’s 630th career home run that tied him with former teammate Ken Griffey Jr. for fifth place all-time.

A-Rod’s drive off Ervin Santana came in the third inning and expanded the Yankees’ advantage to 4-0.

Santana (0-2) struck out five and walked three in six innings, while surrendering six hits and five runs (earned).

New York jumped out 3-0 on Swisher’s bases-clearing double in the first, and Granderson’s solo rocket to right in the fifth made it 5-0.

One-time Dodger hurler Hiroki Kuroda (1-1) struck out six with two walks, allowed five hits and no runs across eight innings for the Yankees.

Rick Assad has been a sportswriter for more than two decades. He has a political science degree from UCLA, a journalism degree from CSUN, is a staff writer for diamondboxing.com, and is a columnist for socalboxing.wordpress.com. You may e-mail him at richsports5@sbcglobal.net.

Not even the greatest team in baseball history played at a .900 clip, so it’s unlikely the Dodgers will continue this pace after sweeping San Diego this past weekend at the stadium.

Dee Gordon’s two-out, bases-loaded single to left field in the ninth inning scored Juan Rivera (walk) and lifted the Blue Crew to a 5-4 win on Sunday, as they now own a six-game winning streak.

Matt Kemp continued his torrid start and hit .545 (12 of 22) with four homers and eight runs batted in with seven runs scored over this stretch.

Kemp was named National League player of the week, and may take the honor again after his impressive showing.

Kemp’s solo shot in the third inning was his sixth homer and gave the Dodgers (9-1) a 3-1 lead. In the frame, Rivera added an RBI single that plated Andre Ethier.

The Dodgers led 2-0 in the first on Ethier’s fielder’s choice and Rivera’s sacrifice fly.

Kemp bagged three hits including two homers and four RBIs with two runs during Saturday’s 6-1 victory over the Padres.

A four-run first afforded Ted Lilly, who made his season debut an early cushion as the left-hander worked seven innings with two hits, four strikeouts and one walk with one run (unearned).

The Dodgers scored twice in the second and James Loney doubled and singled with a run.

Aaron Harang fanned a team-record nine consecutive batters on Friday and broke the mark held by Johnny Podres in 1962 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Harang whiffed 13 in six and one-third innings as the Dodgers outlasted San Diego 9-8 as Ethier (three RBIs) drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.

A three-run first was enough as the Boys in Blue held off the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday 3-2.

Juan Uribe, Rivera and Loney each had an RBI, and Chris Capuano (1-0) allowed two runs (earned) in five and one-third innings, while striking out seven with no walks and six hits.

On Wednesday, Rivera had three hits, two RBIs with a run, Kemp three hits with a run and Ethier two hits and an RBI as the Dodgers prevailed 4-1 over the Bucs.

Chad Billingsley (2-0) hopes to rebound after an average 2011, as he struck out four in six frames while giving up five hits with one run (earned).

Ethier’s solo homer to right field in the eighth inning was the difference in the Dodgers’ 2-1 win over the Pirates in the home opener on Tuesday.

For every dazzling run, there’s a pulverizing wallop administered by a rugged linebacker. For every hold-your-breath kickoff or punt return, there’s a defender waiting to lay a wicked lick.

This is what’s at the core of football, and it’s precisely what makes the NFL so exciting and appealing for fans.

Then there’s the case of Gregg Williams, a long-time NFL defensive coordinator, who admitted ordering bounties when employed by the New Orleans Saints.

The most recent story that surfaced was a long hotel room rant by Williams the day before the Saints were to meet the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC divisional playoff game last season. In it Williams implored players to intentionally injure wide receiver Michael Crabtree, running back Frank Gore, quarterback Alex Smith and tight end Vernon Davis.

It’s one thing to make a tackle; it’s altogether different when your goal is to hurt Crabtree, who was coming off a surgically repaired knee.

Williams said Crabtree “becomes human when you [expletive] take out that outside’’ ligament.

With regard to Gore, an All-Pro, Williams said, “we’ve got to do everything in the world to make sure we kill Frank Gore’s head. We want him running sideways. We want his head sideways.”

Dating back three years, an investigation revealed Williams had cash bounties on Minnesota’s quarterback Brett Favre, Arizona’s Kurt Warner, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, and Carolina’s Cam Newton.

The bounties paid $1,000 when a player was carted off the field, and $1,500 when he was knocked out.

Properly, Williams has been suspended indefinitely by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Though drastic, it would serve Williams right to never step foot on a field again.