Miguel Cotto annihilates Delvin Rodriguez with third-round stoppage on HBO Boxing

Delvin Rodriguez was supposed to be a test for Miguel Cotto -- not too stiff, but definitely a legitimate opponent who would gauge Cotto's place in the junior middleweight division.

If last night (Sat., Oct. 5, 2013) at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., was any indication, that place is damn near the top.

After two uninspiring bouts to start the HBO Boxing broadcast, Cotto took the Orlando crowd by storm, absolutely steamrolling Rodriguez in one of his best performances in recent memory.

To watch full Miguel Cotto vs. Delvin Rodriguez full fight video highlights online click here.

New trainer Freddie Roach had mentioned before the fight that he wanted to see more of the body punching that defined Cotto's early career and Cotto clearly listened, attacking Rodriguez's body with malicious intent from the opening bell.

Rodriguez did land some decent shots, but was repeatedly backed up and buffeted by the Puerto Rican's assault.

Once the body was good and tenderized, Cotto began to target the head more in the second, landing a hard right-left combo at the bell that left Delvin glassy-eyed on his stool. He did not let up once the bell rang for the third round, immediately backing up his man to the ropes and dropping him with another massive left hook.

The referee was very quick to stop the fight, but considering the ass-whooping he was taking, it was probably for the best.

In short, Cotto looked like an absolute beast, especially considering his tepid performance against Austin 0opM Trout the last time out. He's right back in the mix at 154 pounds, looking like he could give Saul "Canelo" Alvarez or Sergio Martinez a run for their money.

If this performance is at all an accurate representation of his abilities, Miguel Cotto is not done yet ... not by a long shot.

For round-by-round coverage and results of "Cotto vs. Rodriguez" click here.