Cotto and Foreman weigh in at Yankee Stadium

Defending WBA super-welterweight champion Yuri Foreman made the 154-pound limit right on the button at the weigh-in Friday afternoon for his first defense against Miguel Cotto Saturday night at Yankee Stadium. Cotto was half a pound under the limit.

The demeanor of the two fighters was a contrast. Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs) stepped up to Foreman (28-0, eight KOs) and glared intensely when ring announcer Michael Buffer called for the traditional prefight staredown, and the Puerto Rican boxer was cheered loudly.

Foreman, the first Israeli world champ, figures to draw plenty of Jewish supporters from his Brooklyn base. He just turned away and smiled to himself at the ferocity in Cotto's eyes when the pose ended. Either that, or Foreman was laughing about the "Superman" logo undies worn by Cotto.

When asked how he felt going into the fight, Foreman smiled and said, "I'm a little bit hungry." He then wolfed down a banana and a fruit smoothie-like drink. Cotto had a protein shake in his hand when he left the stage, and he walked briskly past reporters without saying anything.

Although he's a three-time world champion, some believe this is a make-or-break fight for Cotto. He was stopped by Manny Pacquiao in a welterweight title bout last November; Foreman won his title on the undercard convincingly over Daniel Santos.

Trainer Emanuel Steward, who is working Cotto's corner for the first time, said he read nothing into the fact that Foreman barely made weight. "Both fighters are right where they want to be," Steward said.

The Foreman-Cotto bout will be the first at Yankee Stadium since the Muhammad Ali-Ken Norton heavyweight title fight on Sept. 28, 1976, at the old Stadium. As of 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, work still was under way on the ring setup located in short rightfield.

Special tile flooring has been laid to protect the outfield grass, and a large canopy is in the process of being constructed. The corners still were on the ground, giving it the appearance of a large tent, but they will be raised later to hold the banks of lights necessary for the HBO telecast, which starts at 10:15 p.m.

Bob Arum, who was the promoter for Ali-Norton III at the old Stadium, said the Yankees told him 17,000 seats already have been sold. He's expecting the walk-up sale to push the crowd close to 23,000. Gates open at 5 p.m. Saturday, and tickets are available in all tiers from $50 to $400. The first bout is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

The semi-main event on the card matches NABF and NABO 154-pound champion Vanes Martirosyan (27-0, 17 KOs) of Glendale, Calif., against Joe Greene (22-0, 14 KOs) of Queens. Freddie Roach, who trains Pacquiao, is in charge of Martirosyan's corner. He said he expects his man to outbox Greene, and he's hoping to fight the Foreman-Cotto winner for that title.

Asked if Cotto has anything left after the loss to Pacquiao, Roach said, "No. I like him. He's a good guy, but I think he's finished. Foreman will win easily. Yuri will outbox him."