After a 309 day layoff Miguel Cotto (37-4, 30 KO’s) is set to make his return against Delvin Rodriguez (28-6-3, 16 KO’s) this Saturday, October 5th in Orlando, FL.
Cotto is back with an all-star team, including legendary trainer Freddie Roach who was hired to help return Miguel to his championship form.
Roach and Cotto have worked over the last few months on all aspects of training from conditioning and technique to diet and strategy.
Miguel Cotto looks to be in tremendous shape and has stated this camp is one of the best he’s ever had.
Looking lean and strong, Cotto was put on a new diet that allowed him to reach Jr. Middleweight level quicker, enabling him to focus more on boxing and less on weight loss.
Roach also has stressed a return to the championship form, emphasizing heavy combination body punching with thunderous left hooks. Those traits are what made Miguel great.
He’s primed, defensively, for a very active Delvin Rodriguez. Defense has been lacking from Cotto the last few fights but it appears to be much improved under Roach, who has paid heavy attention to revamping Cotto’s defense.
Courtesy Top Rank Cotto’s strategy will be to apply intelligent pressure and breakdown the bigger Rodriguez on the inside.
Delvin Rodriguez is a formidable opponent with a wealth of experience. He’s fought the likes of Austin Trout and Ashley Theopane and although defeated against both pugilists, made respectable showings.
The rangier fighter, Rodriguez, at 5’10”, will enjoy respective 3 and 3.5 inch advantages in height and reach.
Delvin will seek to fight on the outside, using his jab to set-up combinations. Properly executing this strategy will provide him the opportunity to be competitive against the Puerto Rican legend. If he deviates, as he has occasionally in the past, and decides to fight in the pocket, he’ll get caught with thunderous body punches that will ultimately lead to his defeat.
Courtesy HBO Cotto comes into this fight looking to redeem himself after two consecutive losses to Floyd Mayweather and Austin Trout, and will seek to make a strong showing to demonstrate to the world he’s the same elite-level fighter who defeated Shane Mosley and Zab Judah.
Rodriguez is on a small hot streak, coming off two very impressive victories over opponents George Tahdooahnippah (then 31-0-1) and Freddy Hernandez (then 30-4). A hungry Rodriguez will undoubtedly seek to capitalize upon the opportunity presented with the hopes of elevating his name, and position himself for lucrative, high-profile bouts in the future.
A strong performance from Cotto will likely earn a shot against one or more of four elite-level opponents: Newly-crowned IBF junior middleweight Carlos Molina, pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., current lineal middleweight champion Sergio Martinez or superstar Canelo Alvarez.
But Cotto must first, however, defeat Delvin Rodriguez convincingly to be considered an elite fighter again.
Can Miguel Cotto turn back the clock or will the resilient Delvin Rodriguez spoil the Puerto Rican’s comeback party?
There will be high drama in Orlando.
