Miguel Cotto couldn?t have had better boxing options six weeks ago.
The Puerto Rican icon could?ve fought Mexican star Canelo Alvarez in what would?ve been one of the most anticipated fights of 2015. Cotto?s representatives also were discussing a potential rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr. with Mayweather?s people.
Each of those pay-per-view events would?ve earned Cotto more than $10 million, a well-deserved reward for a usually fearless fighter who has given boxing enthusiasts numerous memorable bouts during his Hall of Fame career. Neither fight is in play today.
Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KOs) has committed to facing hard-hitting James Kirkland (32-1, 28 KOs) on May 2 in San Antonio. Mayweather remains immersed in laughably lengthy negotiations for a long-awaited showdown with Manny Pacquiao.
That leaves Cotto in quite a precarious position.
The four-division champion has avoided Gennady Golovkin since the night Cotto annihilated Argentina?s Sergio Martinez to win the WBC middleweight title. His stunning dominance of Martinez made Cotto (39-4, 32 KOs) boxing?s lineal middleweight champion, a crown Cotto wasn?t certain he wanted to keep because he had lucrative alternatives at 154 pounds and doesn?t consider himself a true middleweight.
Eight months later, Cotto still owns the WBC middleweight title. It?s time he either commits to fighting Golovkin or relinquishes the WBC?s 160-pound championship.
Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) won the WBC?s interim middleweight title when he knocked out Mexico?s Marco Antonio Rubio (59-7-1, 51 KOs) in the second round Oct. 18 in Carson, Calif. The middleweight monster from Kazakhstan will fight for the third time Saturday since Cotto last fought.
Golovkin is a 35-1 favorite over England?s Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs), but unlike Cotto, at least Murray was willing to fight Golovkin. Once Golovkin inevitably destroys Murray in a fight HBO will televise at 5:45 p.m. from Monte Carlo, Monaco, Golovkin?s handlers again will be left to either lure a star into a daunting fight against Golovkin or have him face another overmatched opponent.
Golovkin clearly would prefer to fight Cotto in an event that?d definitely do huge business at Madison Square Garden. Assuming Golovkin wins Saturday, there?s no real reason Cotto-Golovkin couldn?t be made for June 13 at the Garden, the night before the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan.
It?s a dangerous fight for Cotto, who is 34 and has endured several brutal bouts in a pro career that began 14 years ago. But since when has Cotto avoided danger?
