He wasn't trying to get the fight stopped, in the post-fight interview he said that he slipped & landed on his knee. Anyone whose ever done any sport knows that kills for a couple of minutes & I'm sure Mercante knew that as well.

Also, there was NEVER any chance of Cotto being disqualified in New York on the weekend of Puerto Rican Day Parade, Cotto would have had to rape Clottey in the ring to even lose a point, no sensible ref is going to risk it.