HAVING fought both men, former super-welterweight world champion Austin Trout feels Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez will have too much for Miguel Cotto on November 21.
Cotto and Canelo meet for the former’s WBC world middleweight title at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and opinion is split over who will prevail.
But Trout, who outpointed Cotto in December 2012 before dropping a close decision to Alvarez four months later, believes the Mexican has the edge.
“Cotto’s experience gives him a bit of an edge but Canelo’s youth, strength and size is going to give him the fight in my opinion. I’m rooting for Cotto though,” he told Boxing News.
“Freddie [Roach, Cotto’s trainer], I’m sure, has a good game plan. I’m not sure Cotto will get stopped.”
While Trout acknowledges Cotto’s resurgence, he also takes it with a pinch of salt.
“In a sense, he’s a different fighter but they said the same thing when he teamed up with Pedro Diaz. Before I beat Cotto they were talking about how he had new legs, and then after I beat him they said he wasn’t fit or whatever. But he does look good now,” he told us.
The 30-year-old Las Cruces native also broke the fight down and feels Canelo should focus on the early rounds and Cotto the later ones.
“Canelo gasses in fights, his output drops dramatically in fights so if it goes to the later rounds Cotto has a chance,” he said.
“Cotto’s biggest weakness in this fight is the scarring on his face, he’s really beat up and he gets cut and swollen easily.
“Canelo needs to bust him up early, start fast and strong – that’s what I did against Cotto, I started fast to build the points up. For Cotto he needs to box early and finish strong.
“It’s a great fight for however long it lasts.”
