No matter how you look at things, Miguel Cotto is sitting pretty these days.
Recently the WBA junior middleweight champion had the honor of hosting his promoter Bob Arum during his visit to Puerto Rico as the Top Rank boss was in town to announce the joint signing of Luis Cruz, who has been with Miguel Cotto Promotions since turning professional in March of 2007. While both parties have great aspirations for Cruz, it was Cotto?s immediate future that was also brought up, as he and Arum shook on a deal for a forthcoming rematch with Antonio Margarito.
Cotto suffered the first loss of his career to Margarito by way of 11th round TKO in July of 2008 and would love nothing more than to redeem himself for that sorrowful night in Las Vegas. The rematch is tentatively scheduled for December 3rd in either New York or Nevada again and Cotto could be in line to pocket $5-$7 million plus a percentage of the pay-per-view shares.
?With a simple handshake we made our agreement real and we hope that it happens. And I feel comfortable and quiet to avenge that defeat and then go up the ranks to see what?s left for me [in] boxing,? Cotto stated in a recent BoxingScene.com piece by Rey Colon.
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After the Margarito fight Cotto very well could find himself moving up in weight yet again in an attempt to become the first Puerto Rico to win a title in four weight classes. Recently-crowned WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been linked as a possible foe in the future and Cotto can?t dismiss such a proposition.
“Right now it?s not our first choice but it would give us great pride to accomplish,? he added.
It?s easy to admire Cotto?s goals as he reaches the twilight of his career but I think any business above 154 pounds for him could be risky. One thing that was alarming about his March fight with Ricardo Mayorga at the MGM Grand was just how small Cotto looked inside of the ring for a man competing in the junior middleweight ranks.
Besides, there is so much action going on in his own weight class that I would love to see Cotto stay there to handle future business. We?ll see what motivates him most comes 2012.
Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at [email protected]
