Pinto turned professional in 2000 and won various regional titles in the Americas. He remained undefeated until fighting
Miguel Cotto (whom he had defeated twice as an amateur) for the
WBO junior welterweight title in 2004, in which
Cotto defeated him by KO in 2004. In 2005, Pinto lost a technical decision to former
IBF junior welterweight champion Vince Phillips after an accidental headbutt which cut Phillips. ==Coaching career==