Cotto had vowed to pull the upset by using his boxing skills, and at times he was quite effective. Cotto will be defending the lineal middleweight title after being stripped by the WBC this week because of a dispute over the sanctioning fee.
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De La Hoya would only commit to Alvarez’s next two fights coming in May and September 2016, on the Mexican holiday weekends that Mayweather long owned. He ranks right up there with all the great fighters in Puerto Rico’s decorated boxing history, including Felix Trinidad. Not only did he box with skill throughout the entirety of the night, his performance left no doubt that Alvarez’s new-Golden Boy aura and popularity meant nothing to him.
Miguel Cotto is the first Puerto Rican world champ in four different weight classes.
“I’m not afraid of any fighter. And this is a ideal example of the best fighting the best”.
Other Mexico vs Puerto Rico bouts include the Fernando Vargas vs Felix Trinidad fight in 2000; Luis Ramon Campas vs Trinidad in 1994; and Julio Cesar Chavez vs Hector Camacho in 1992, among many others. Better yet for those contemplating spending $69.95 to watch it at home, it doesn’t figure to lack for action.
“Miguel has a great training camp for this fight”. I’ve never seen Miguel better than this, ‘ he added.
In Manchester Anthony Crolla faces Darleys Perez for the WBA lightweight title and there is still a chance for him to face WBO champion Terry Flanagan. “This fight sells itself”.
“I don’t need a belt to fight Canelo”.
It’s probably just as well, because the fight was barely a middleweight bout anyway.
The fighters traded impressive exchanges through the early rounds of a bout fought at a catchweight of 155 pounds. Triple G will be at ringside, hoping that he will get the victor sometime next year, and unbeaten light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev will also be on hand.
Alvarez has now won 4 straight since his lone defeat, a split-decision verdict against Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2013. “For Latinos all over the world, this is our Super Bowl”, said Oscar De La Hoya. “Now it’s our job to bring them back”.
The Cotto vs. Canelo HBO pay-per-view begins at 9pm Eastern. Canelo’s striking power looked to be doing far more damage than Cotto’s.
To be clear, Cotto vs. Canelo is not for our middleweight championship.
Cotto boxed his way through 12 rounds, but when you are 35 and a decade older than the bigger, stronger guy standing opposite of you, making much of an impact becomes tougher and tougher as the rounds pass.
Cotto’s trainer Freddie Roach, by the middle rounds, was asking for Cotto to come forward.
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“It doesn’t matter if I landed 10 punches, but 10 well connected punches, and obviously not get hit by his punches”, said Alvarez.
