Miguel Cotto has been out of the ring since a November loss to Canelo Alvarez, but the return is in the works.
Michael Yormark, president and chief of branding strategy for Roc Nation Sports, told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday that Cotto is slated to return Dec. 3 in South Florida on HBO PPV. The bout will mark Cotto?s return to the junior middleweight division.
The Puerto Rican star won the lineal middleweight title with a stoppage of Sergio Martinez in June 2014, and then fought twice more at catchweights below 160 pounds.
Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) and Juan Manuel Marquez were deep in talks for a fight that would certainly do big money on PPV, but weight killed the negotiations. Marquez, who has held titles at 126, 130, 135, and 140, wanted the fight at the welterweight limit of 147.
Cotto, who hasn?t fought at 147 since a 2009 knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao, wanted the fight at a maximum of 150 pounds. They couldn?t agree.
Where Roc Nation Sports goes from here for a worthy B-side for a PPV is anyone?s guess. The 154-pound division is loaded, but so far, Jay-Z?s company and Al Haymon (who controls the division) haven?t done business stemming from a feud during the manager?s time in the music business.
The 35-year-old was originally slated to return in June, but a worthy opponent couldn?t be found after James Kirkland balked at the money being offered. RNS could run into the same problems again unless the Marquez talks can be revisited.
Another attractive option is Timothy Bradley, who has never fought above 147 but has expressed a desire to move up in the past.
Cotto has one more fight left on his deal with Roc Nation Sports.
