LOS ANGELES, January 8, 2017 ? Four-division champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico is a sure bet for the Boxing Hall of Fame after he decides to hang up the gloves. At age 36, that day is not too far away.
Former junior middleweight champion James Kirkland of Austin, Texas would like to see several more victories in his 30s before he too decides to call it a career.
One of them will take a big step in the direction of their immediate goals at the expense of the other on February 25 in Dallas, Texas. The fight will air on HBO PPV, the first pay per view event of 2017 in boxing. After spending all of 2016 out of the ring, the fight is fittingly called ?The Return.?
Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) and Kirkland (32-2-1, 28 KOs) are both coming off losses in 2015 at the hands of the same man, Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez. Alvarez scored the consensus 2015 Knockout of the Year over Kirkland in May, who came into the ring without his unconventional but highly effective trainer Ann Wolfe, a mistake in retrospect. Despite the loss, Kirkland showed his toughness staying the ring two rounds past the point any other man would have been finished off.
Cotto was Alvarez?s next opponent in November, and lost a competitive decision he still believes he won, while showing the skills that made him Puerto Rico?s greatest champion. His jabs were fast and kept Alvarez at bay many times when he needed to avoid punishment. He connected well, but he could not hurt the larger, younger, stronger Alvarez the way he was getting hurt by Canelo?s power shots.
This matchup is more intriguing than it might first appear. Both want to make their case for continuing their careers with a strong performance. Kirkland told Ringside Seat, ?I feel like getting an opportunity to face Miguel Cotto was somebody that I looked up to in boxing. Seeing his career, on the tremendous change he has brought to the game. For me to be able to get the opportunity to show what I can bring and take my boxing skills to the next limit is something I can definitely put down in my boxing ability and things that I have accomplished in boxing.?
Cotto said he?s also looking forward to making a statement. ?This fight is going to be the newest chapter in my career. I?m going to take it and going to handle it in the best way possible, I?m going to do my best first with (trainer) Freddie (Roach) in the gym, and the night of the fight to make my family proud this night.?
Kirkland, who is once again training with Ann Wolfe, knows he needs a good performance after his last appearance in Texas. ?Since the last fight, learning and looking back and seeing the fight and the mistakes that I made, for a lot of different things, I?m definitely eager to get back in there and show my fans, that hey look, Kirkland is still a rising star, he?s still someone that?s going to make a stamp on boxing. And just to put on the gloves, show Texas and everybody out there I?ve still got the love and passion for boxing.?
