Mike Stobe - Getty Images
Don't expect much to change now that Miguel Cotto is technically a free agent, as the fighter remains loyal to Bob Arum and Top Rank. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
With his Top Rank contract having expired on December 31, Miguel Cotto is a true free agent at this point, but as previously noted, there's no reason to expect he's going to sign with Golden Boy Promotions or anything like that. Most likely, Cotto will be working with Top Rank on a handshake deal, a fight-by-fight basis, with his career-long promoters still at his side.
What does change is that Cotto now has a lot more control over where his career goes. He's not going to have to take any fight he doesn't want to fulfill a contractual obligation. Everything Miguel Cotto does from here on out will be 100% stamped for approval by Miguel Cotto.
Cotto says that fights with Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, and Canelo Alvarez are all possible. Every single one of them is a big money fight.
So what are the odds?
Manny Pacquiao
This is actually what I expect we'll see this spring. Pacquiao vs Cotto makes business sense, bringing together two legitimate fanbases, and it's a chance for Cotto to avenge the only unavenged loss on his career record. Pacquiao would be a favorite, but I think some may be underselling this potential fight -- Manny didn't just look vulnerable against Marquez, I thought he was slow and showing serious signs of decline against Mosley. You can look it up. Or I'll link it. Yeah, that was easier.
Floyd Mayweather Jr
Obviously Mayweather has other issues right now, but there was that "secret meeting" the two had in Puerto Rico some time back, and I think there's interest on both sides. Whether or not Top Rank could work with Mayweather is another story, but I think if Todd duBoef took the full lead here, Mayweather vs Cotto could happen. Mayweather and duBoef are still pretty friendly, by all accounts, and Cotto, as much as Arum respects and even loves the kid, is a duBoef fighter first.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr
Any time Miguel Cotto wants this fight, it can happen. That's pretty much a fact. It almost did in December 2010, but Cotto had a minor shoulder surgery and opted to sit out the remainder of the year to heal up. Chavez vs Cotto is a fight Top Rank wants to make because it is money in the bank.
Canelo Alvarez
Probably not. Canelo's a GBP guy and though some may physically favor him, let's be real: Golden Boy hasn't put him in with anyone near Cotto's level, and they're not going to start any time soon. This might also be true in 2013.
In other words, I don't think a lot is going to change. To make a fight between Cotto and a non-Top Rank fighter, something different would have to happen than the current status quo. For all intents and purposes, Miguel Cotto remains a Top Rank fighter. It's not on a piece of paper, but he's loyal to them and I just can't see him going off on his own to make a fight unless it was truly remarkable. Mayweather may be able to accomplish that, but Floyd's off the radar for this moment.
0 recs | 33 comments
Chavez Jr has the best risk-reward for him. If he wins, he then can go out with a monster mega fight aginst one of the others. Win or lose, he is on happiness lane.
Boss Man - January 2, 2012
Good for Cotto...
I like him against Canelo or Chavez Jr. But especially Canelo, I see a few similarities in the two, that should be a great match up. And i would like to see Cotto fight Floyd later down the line.
Clove_art - January 2, 2012
Yeah Good for Cotto
I think this is a good move. I think more fighters should take control over their careers.
Craig111 - January 3, 2012
I'd enjoy seeing Cotto vs. any of the possible choices but Pacquiao
Just don’t see a compelling reason for that fight. Don’t really think the hardcore fans would be all that excited about it, either. The first fight was highly competitive for five rounds, then it was ALL Manny. Even if Manny’s slid some, Miguel beating a one-legged, featherfisted Foreman, a washed-up Mayorga and a de-fanged Margarito doesn’t make a strong argument for why the result would be different this time. It’s not like Manny’s been loading up his gloves, either. Let’s move on to fresh opponents for both guys and start making some new boxing history instead of regurgitating leftovers. If Manny and Floyd can’t get it on, then my ideal match-ups for entertainment value would be Cotto-Mayweather and Pacquiao-Rios — NOT Pacquiao-Cotto II.
Wlksrck - January 2, 2012
If boxing promoters were concerned with what the hardcore fans want, a lot of things would be different. Also the hardcore fans buy either way – they know that.
Scott Christ - January 2, 2012
At least we have the “Dr.” on our side, Dan Rafael is good for the sport, so is Ken Herschman. There’s some optimism to me. Ross Greenburg? Nahnah nah nah, nahnah nah nah, hey hey hey, GOOD BYE!
cylee1180 - January 3, 2012
Dan Rafael’s good for the sport? He’s just an average writer for ESPN.
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012 via mobile
average is rather kind.
He is lazy and skates by on his personal connections. Can you imagine how much better Rafael would be if he had Scott’s work ethic?
Matt Miller - January 3, 2012
I agree – I don’t think he has anywhere near the same kind of fundamental knowledge as Scott, he’s not an especially good writer (again, being kind) and, as you say, he’s really, really lazy. He also doesn’t know how to score a fight for shit and gets a pay package and a ton of job perks which he just doesn’t deserve.
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012 via mobile
His jokes are unbeatable, however. David Haye’s TOE!!!! Memorial Day BBQ!!!!
Scott Christ - January 3, 2012
FIGHT FREAKS… ASSEMBLE!!!!
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012 via mobile
alot of the memorial day bbq was mostly from the freaks comments
Vicmatic1 - January 3, 2012
Add in the fact that it was criminally unfunny and, voila, you got a fat guy hosting an awkward BBQ.
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012 via mobile
indeed alot of it was bad comedy..but the fact he ripped off most of it from his chatters and readers makes it even worse. espn should have more of kieran mulvaney imo.
Vicmatic1 - January 3, 2012
You guys are forgetting that HBO hired him as a sort of matchmaker, and any competent/semi-competent writer/fan in that position would be good for the sport. That and Ken Hershman. Gone are the days where HBO threw a bunch of money at the next post-De La Hoya hyped superstar in a series of mismatches (Jermaine Taylor, Andre Berto etc.). That’s what i mean. Do I like him particularly much? No, but he’s the lesser of many evils imo.
cylee1180 - January 3, 2012
... he wasn't hired as a matchmaker.
Er, you musta forgot. Those was rumours.
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012
No, they didn’t hire him. that was rumored way back but nothing ever came of it.
Scott Christ - January 3, 2012
Don't dismiss a good Pacquiao/Cotto II fight
I think Pacquiao-Cotto II would be more entertaining than Cotto-Mayweather cuz Manny comes forward to land big shots while Mayweather is all defense and a couple of punches. Cotto now knows he needs a game plan for Pacquiao II and also get a solid Coach. He had neither for that fight. He used his friend Joe Santiago as his “trainer” when he was not prepared for such big role. If Cotto can get again the Cuban Trainer and put a good BOXING plan he can neutralize Pacman instead of trying to KO him thinking he is the big man on the fight. Also, Marquez showed the blueprint on how to deal with Pacman, so a good counter puncher fighting in reverse most likely can fair well with him now.
Manuel Perez - January 3, 2012
I like all of his options
Cotto said he wants all the big names and he has earned the right both in the ring and outside to get any and all of them before moving on as a retired Puerto Rican superstar.
Like Tito before him, as long as he continues to take on great challenges until the end, he will be hugely admired.
pakinpower - January 2, 2012
Just a quick note on Miguel's face
He is one of the most expressive fighters in the game. You can almost always ‘read’ him even during his fights. When he is uncomfortable and or tired, it is evident.
I love the picture above of the quiet,confident, satisfied Mguel.
It’s as if he’s Alfred E Newman saying :
“What, me worry?”
pakinpower - January 2, 2012
Agreed on all counts.
Scott Christ - January 2, 2012
Wrong.
What we have here is nothing less than Miguel Cotto’s finest “Not bad” face. And I must say, it’s impressive.
http://tinyurl.com/6waso6e
JasonTO - January 3, 2012
“I will give the best Mee Gul Coat-O I can give. Da oh-poh-nunts wheeel nawt het meeh.”
cylee1180 - January 3, 2012
Another cool thing about Cotto,
besides his expressive facial gestures, is that he has somehow made his broken English work for him. For whatever reason, when Miguel struggles with a word in English, his pauses feel to me like “meaningful pauses”—as if he were hesitating a moment for dramatic effect—when he’s really probably just searching for the word, as most of us do when semi-fluent in another language.
Matt Miller - January 3, 2012
How did Cotto/Margarito do in terms of PPVs?
Apprentice - January 3, 2012
I don’t know. Nobody’s releasing PPV numbers anymore and Arum only floats figures once people start caring enough to bring it up.
Scott Christ - January 3, 2012
Read it did 550,000.
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
I believe it was Dan Rafael that reported it in a chat or blog.
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
Also I thought HBO had to releae them because they are a public company?
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
I’d like the Floyd fight.
Its not whats best for him, (apart from financially) but its still a big fight.
Shitali Klitschko - January 3, 2012 via mobile
either fight is fine with me..just like the person above mentioned..canelo(not likely) first or jcc jr..then the mega fight with mayweather(maybe not likely either) or pac..and then retirement..miguel is smart and has made money and put it back in his promotional company which actually signs fighters and makes deals with top rank and golden boy and arenr used as a ploy for self promotion..i think cotto has two or 3 significant fights left and will be watching no matter whom is next.
Vicmatic1 - January 3, 2012
+1
Apprentice - January 3, 2012
Berto/Ortiz winner?
I reckon that would be a sizzling battle. I think money would be the issue there.
TheBod - January 4, 2012 via mobile
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