The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas will be rocking on November 21st, and we aren’t talking about the Latin Grammies taking place that same week. We are referring to Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez as they face off in what many believe has the potential to be fight of the year. As with any big fight, there has been a ton of promotion in the form of pressers, interviews and television programs. While these provide opportunities to delve into themes, storylines and goings on of the fight, there are underpinnings, which have not been addressed, and if so, only marginally. Guess we can’t blame them. The job of a promotion company or network is to sell a fight. Not willingly wade into the weaknesses of the participants or the event. Hence the reason for seven unspoken truths about Cotto vs. Canelo.
This Needs to Be What MayPac Was Supposed to Be
Boxing fans and insiders both believe this has fight of the year potential. Why? In Canelo you have a fighter whose preferred style is to brawl first, but can box if forced to. In Cotto, you have the opposite, a boxer first, but who has been known to willingly brawl if need be. Promoters themselves are trumpeting this as the bout you wanted to see in MayPac. However, you have to believe this is more than just promotion. This fight actually needs to be what MayPac was not. Because another snoozer will alienate the common fan, which boxing needs to remain relevant to the mainstream.
National Pride Is On the Line
Sure, the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico boxing rivalry has been played up. Yet, whether either fighter will admit it or not, Cotto and Canelo are currently the torchbearers of boxing for their respective countries – Puerto Rico and Mexico. And those countries will be watching in droves on the 21st. A loss, for either will be felt beyond the ring.
The Freddie Roach Factor
There is no denying Freddie Roach has breathed new life into Miguel Cotto’s career. Since the two got together Cotto has won three straight all by knockout. The most notable coming over former middleweight champion Sergio Martinez. Despite this many are still looking to poke holes in the Cotto resurgence. Some claim his victories were over weak opposition and Martinez was a one legged fighter before the opening bell of their bout. Canelo will be the toughest test of the Cotto-Roach tandem. Is Cotto’s success the result of great matchmaking or a resurgent fighter and his all-star trainer.
The Chepo Reynoso Factor
It’s not discussed nearly as much as Freddie Roach. Maybe its because Canelo and Reynoso have been together since the beginning of Canelo’s career. But if you watch a Canelo bout between rounds you don’t see much instruction being provided to Canelo. Which makes one think, will another Canelo loss against an A-Side competitor have Canelo and others wondering if Canelo needs to pull a Miguel Cotto and seek an all-star trainer of his own?
RocNation Sports Has To Pass A Test Too
Aside from the cultural rivalry, fighters and trainers, there are the promoters. A fight of this magnitude is old hat for Canelo’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions, however, for Cotto’s promoter RocNation Sports, this is the first big-time fight of the promotion company’s short tenure. So far, so good. They have been successful in negotiating a number of perks for Cotto from billing, to ring entrance, to color of the ring floor. So kudos to RocNation Sports for enabling their star fighter. But they still need fight night to come off without a hitch. November 21st will be a test for them as a company.
Win or Go Home
If the fight is close and competitive, both fighters can claim a moral victory and perhaps go at it again. But, if the fight is a one sided win for either, the loser will be at a serious career cross-roads. For Cotto, retirement likely looms large. At 35, what else is left to be done? For Canelo, the risk is becoming relegated to the B-Side. Meaning, good, but not good enough to beat the A-Side fighters like Mayweather and Cotto.
TripleG’s Got Next – And Neither Fighter Really Wants Him
Genady Golovkin, aka Triple G. He’s the owner of two of the four middleweight belts. More importantly he has been tearing through every opponent in his division. It’s been very reminiscent of a young Mike Tyson when he cleaned up the heavyweight division. Triple G wants the winner of Cotto-Canelo. Having been a mandatory contender for Cotto, he allegedly accepted a step-aside fee rumored to be in the seven-figure range so that Cotto-Canelo could face off. The winner is set to face Triple G next. However, don’t be surprised if that does not happen. Cotto has been noncommittal at best about such a bout. While we think Canelo would be game, his camp has also been uncharacteristically silent on the matter.
