Floyd Mayweather vs Miguel Cotto appears very likely for May 5. (Photos by Ethan Miller and Al Bello/Getty Images)
FightHype is reporting that their sources say it's a done deal: Floyd Mayweather Jr will face Miguel Cotto on May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
This would be the first fight in the entire career of Miguel Cotto that isn't promoted in any way by Top Rank. Cotto's contract with Top Rank expired after his December 3 fight with Antonio Margarito, but the Puerto Rican star did say that he would stick with Top Rank to make big fights.
If Mayweather vs Cotto is more than speculation, then it looks like the best big fight came to him without Top Rank this time.
The fight will take place at the full 154-pound limit, and FightHype is saying the WBA junior middleweight title, held by Cotto, will be on the line. But Mayweather (42-0, 26 KO) has balked at fighting for non-WBC belts recently, which forced Shane Mosley to vacate the WBA welterweight belt ahead of their May 2010 fight, because Mayweather wasn't interested in paying their sanctioning fees.
Cotto (37-2, 30 KO) has been a potential opponent of Mayweather for half a decade now, but working for Top Rank, it never happened. Even when both were there, Bob Arum didn't want to make that fight because he didn't feel the timing was right, and frankly he was smart to think that way. But what wound up happening was Mayweather buying himself out of his Top Rank deal, creating a lot of bad feelings (to say the least) between himself and Arum, and since then Mayweather has not fought a single Top Rank opponent.
Cotto is 31 years old and simply wants the big fights. He was rumored to be Manny Pacquiao's opponent for a June 9 rematch, but balked at going down to 147 pounds. If a possible Mayweather fight weren't there for Cotto, maybe he would have, but Mayweather had the better cards here: He's willing to fight at 154 and can afford to pay for Cotto, and public interest in Cotto vs Mayweather may be higher than in another Pacquiao vs Cotto fight, too.
If this goes down today, it's basically a certainty that Timothy Bradley will face Manny Pacquiao on June 9.
0 recs | 62 comments
I’m honestly excited for this. Kudos for Floyd if it is fought at the 154 limit.
Kory Kitchen - February 1, 2012
me too and it will always leave the door for canelo cotto win or lose for cotto..
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
Yeah
I like this fight. Props!
xFenixKnightx - February 1, 2012
Honestly Floyd has some balls if the fight is at 154.
Waldo Rastel - February 1, 2012 via Android app
you are right, that is what it makes this fight interesting….
EL CIERTO (VEN) - February 1, 2012
Well, to be fair, it’s not like Cotto is a huge junior middle. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes in at something like 152 himself.
Kory Kitchen - February 1, 2012
True
And expect Mayweather to constantly point out that Pacquiao fought Cotto at a catchweight while he fought him at the full 154.
This will actually be a decent measuring stick between Floyd and Manny. Manny fought a younger Cotto and dominated him, but at a catchweight. Floyd will fight an older Cotto and likely win, but at 154.
AndrewDM - February 1, 2012
Yes and Mayweather will be correct when he brings it up though. I’m happy because this way if Mayweather wins we won’t hear people complaining of Cotto being drained like after Pacquiao beat him.
Kory Kitchen - February 1, 2012
Why?
Floyd is still naturally the bigger man. Sure, Coto started bigger, but he also started later. They fought at the same weights at the same ages for the most part, and Floyd still has a few inches of reach on Cotto.
Brickhaus - February 1, 2012 via mobile
Also, it is Cinco de Mayo
So wondering who will be and if there will be a strong co-main featuring 2 Mexicans. At least I hope thats the case.
xFenixKnightx - February 1, 2012
maybe canelo?
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
Canelo doesn’t like to be on someone’s undercards belive it or not which is why the last time it was a split-site ppv.
Kory Kitchen - February 1, 2012
Lame
But you never know. Lets hope for the best.
xFenixKnightx - February 1, 2012
kids got a big head already huh?
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
Might be his people.
You know, “Canelo Promotions”
xFenixKnightx - February 1, 2012
lol wow..ok..whatever..once he gets a spanking for a legit fighter..his head may shrink
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
from*
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
Canelo Promotions is real. They promote real cards in Mexico with guys like Tomoki Kameda and Leo Santa Cruz and Marco Antonio Periban.
Canelo, whether anyone wants to believe this or not, is abnormally smart about the boxing business
Scott Christ - February 1, 2012
cool..respect that
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
I didnt mean that as a slight.
Just trying to say his people.
xFenixKnightx - February 1, 2012
And unhappy with his alliances
pakinpower - February 2, 2012
Canello is already one of the top boxing draws in the world.
Rather than say he has a big head, I think it is more accurate to say he correctly recognizes his status.
Matt Miller - February 1, 2012
It’s also because Canelo can draw his own house. With the way boxing currently actually works and not the way it used to or even the way it should, Canelo shouldn’t be on anyone’s undercard. I figure there’s a good chance they do split site again and Canelo vs Mosley is in LA on 5/5.
Scott Christ - February 1, 2012
So Ortiz then?
xFenixKnightx - February 1, 2012
For what?
Scott Christ - February 1, 2012
Why not?
I doubt they’d be willing to pay for Ortiz-Berto, but giving Ortiz the co-feature slot helps build an Ortiz rematch, which is one of Floyd’s only legitimate options outside of Pacquiao. I’d almost be surprised if he’s not on the undercard in a showcase fight against someone like Malignaggi.
Brickhaus - February 1, 2012 via mobile
Maybe I misread the line of the thread
With Canelo, a possibility would be a split site with Canelo fighting in Stadium Azteca, on Cinco de Mayo, with Canelo keeping 100% of Mexican revenue and only getting a small guarantee on the US PPV. That seems like a win-win for everyone. Canelo’s not going to put on a competing card on the same date, but he probably can make the most money on that date.
Brickhaus - February 1, 2012 via mobile
How many do you think they could draw in the Staples Center for that? I mean the last split-site he did got about like 8 or 10,000 did it not?
Kory Kitchen - February 1, 2012
then what is stopping it being a split site card? it is cinco de mayo after all and if they all work in tandem under golden boy, canelo could face say ortiz lol (this isnt happening) and do a tournament where the winners fight in november….
sparky_mufc - February 1, 2012
Won’t be a tournament. Canelo will probably wind up fighting Mosley in LA. I’d bet on that right now.
Scott Christ - February 1, 2012
oh Lord, please don't let that happen
honorablecbm - February 1, 2012 via iPhone app
haha i was doing a satirical joke about top rank’s tourney, but still could be split site card with that headlining LA on Cinco De Mayo, could be big who knows, as big as alvarez is i think he benefits more at this stage of his career tagging onto the mayweather cards and keeps with boxing frequency to have their potential future fights sharing cards
sparky_mufc - February 1, 2012
He might be better off fighting in D.F.
I know seats sell for more in LA, but Mosley won’t draw flies competing against Floyd, and they almost never air the other fights at these split-site events.
Brickhaus - February 1, 2012 via mobile
Get Ortiz on there and if he does good it might help him the future.
Oritz looks good, later on in the year Mayweather wants to fight again and can’t get it done with Manny, Ortiz is the fall guy. The casual fan might think he didn’t look bad on Mayweather’s undercard maybe the fight might be good this time.
J Theory - February 1, 2012
Nice!
erod - February 1, 2012
Really excited about it. It’s good that Floyd agreed to fight at 154.
IronMalaka - February 1, 2012
I really like this fight. I still think Floyd takes it without too much trouble, but he’s walking into the ring with the best non-Maywather, non-Pacquiao fighter in the weight range and taking it at the full 154, too. Nice.
I know everyone complains about everything, but I’m totally going to pay to watch this fight and Pacquiao-Bradley. I’d pay a hell of a lot more for Mayweather-Pacquiao, but that ain’t happening.
AndrewDM - February 1, 2012
Great fight, I’m honestly really excited about this one even if Floyd will be the heavy favorite for it.
theninthlayer - February 1, 2012
Yeah!
Bald-Eagle - February 1, 2012
So I know Cotto has basically no chance to beat Mayweather, but do you guys think this version of Cotto (that has a trainer) is more or less likely to give a good fight than a prime Cotto?
Apprentice - February 1, 2012
a prime cotto actually had a trainer in his uncle..and had more of a potent body attack..so i think a primer cotto had a better shot
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
Well, yes, Evangelista was technically a trainer, but he took Cotto as far as he [Evangelista] could go, imo. I think Steward and Diaz both added other things to Cotto. But yes, I do miss his body attack.
Apprentice - February 1, 2012
if theres anything i want to bring back is the body attack..i mean i give cotto a shot..not much..switch to southpaw would help maybe..
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
I’m interested in seeing what Diaz comes up for this fight. I know people say that Margarito is no measuring stick because he was shot, but my own measuring stick is Miguel’s performance itself. Miguel did things in that fight which he hasn’t done before, which suggests that maybe Diaz can get more out of him.
Apprentice - February 1, 2012
agreed! i mean he lost what maybe one round? i actually thought he was throwing his right far more effectively..
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
exactly – the gameplan against margarito is no secret. the fact that Cotto executed, almost perfectly, was impressive. it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but it worked. curious to see more of Diaz’s work (i assume Cotto stays there and doesn’t go back to Steward). the big disadvantage is replicating styles during sparring. it’s pretty much impossible at this echelon of boxing.
Sentimental - February 1, 2012
I was reading the article on FightHype and it’s funny that Bob Arum managed to piss away another megafight by letting it “marinate”, like Gamboa / Lopez. Now he gets no revenue whatsoever from this fight.
Apprentice - February 1, 2012
How did Arum piss this fight away?
Kory Kitchen - February 1, 2012
I just said it there: by letting it “marinate”. According to the FightHype article, these two were supposed to meet when they were both under TopRank, but then Mayweather split with him and now Cotto has become a free agent. I guess that if they had fought back then it wouldn’t have been a “megafight”, but now it is and he gets nothing because he can’t work with Mayweather.
Apprentice - February 1, 2012
If he could work with Mayweather, he may have been able to get this fight done while Cotto was still under his banner.
Apprentice - February 1, 2012
That’s true. But then I wonder if Pacquiao would be pissed if Arum would have “allowed” Cotto to fight Mayweather rather than him.
Kory Kitchen - February 1, 2012
Yes
Plus Top Rank told Cotto last night that they are not in the event business, meaning promoting one fight and one fight only.
That doesnt mean the wouldnt but not at the expense of skewing all of their other fighters under contract.
That just not their model
pakinpower - February 2, 2012
I never knew they tried to let it marinate honestly. Mayweather hasn’t fought for Top Rank since ‘06, and Cotto wasn’t quite a mega star yet. WIsh they would have fought in 2008, but Mayweather retired.
Kory Kitchen - February 1, 2012
I didn’t either, and in all fairness, it wasn’t a megafight back then, but like I said above, if he could work with Mayweather, he may have still been a part of it.
Apprentice - February 1, 2012
Floyd didnt want to fight Cotto
Called him a ‘punching bag’ back then. Not good enough for the likes of him. Then he retired.
pakinpower - February 2, 2012
for some reason I think this version of cotto stands a better chance, although I do agree with those who say the lack of a body attack hurts. I can see cotto putting up a decent fight but falling to the better fighter. and that coupled with a good payday…ain’t nothin wrong with that.
KidSleez - February 1, 2012 via Android app
if its cotto canelo and guerrero on the table…i rather see cotto in there
Vicmatic1 - February 1, 2012
I also think this development at least will likely give us an interesting manny fight as well, if he does indeed face bradley. probably best case scenarios of not getting floyd/manny fight
KidSleez - February 1, 2012 via Android app
This is a good fight; I'm pretty much in agreement with everyone.
I don’t think Miguel stands much of a chance because of the enormous gulf in ring IQ first and foremost, but they’re two superstar fighters getting in the ring together. For that alone, I’m excited.
Oli Goldstein - February 1, 2012
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Frank Lee - February 1, 2012
Gonna be a tasty fight..
I like PBF but i would love to see Cotto win
HeartbreakShot - February 1, 2012
I’m happy with this too. It’s absolutely the best fight for Mayweather under the circumtances. Ortiz is too stupid to ever beat Mayweather, and we already had the first fiasco. Canello vs. Mayweather will be there down the line, and it will be bigger and better down the line. Guerro? Meh. And we all know the situation with Manny.
Matt Miller - February 1, 2012
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