MIGUEL COTTO may not have defeated Saul Alvarez at the Mandalay Bay on Saturday. But it was an excellent contest and Cotto demonstrated once again that he is one of the best in the business. The Puerto Rican warrior has indicated he has about a year left in the sport, but there are plenty of appealing fights out there for him. Click below for our countdown of the top 10 opponents for Miguel Cotto to take on next:
10. Austin Trout
Trout holds a victory over Cotto but since then the Puerto Rican has linked up with Freddie Roach and undergone something of a renaissance. Avenging that loss would rectify that blot on Miguel’s record.
9.Kell Brook
Saul Alvarez simply looked the bigger man on Saturday, broader round the back and shoulders than Cotto. If Miguel fancied a trip all the way back to welter, Kell Brook is big at the weight, a world champion in need of a major fight and there would be the added appeal of British pay-per-view money.
8. Danny Jacobs
If Jacobs loses his WBA regular middleweight to Peter Quillin on December 5 he’d fade from the reckoning. But victory would make this a big fight in New York.
7. Erislandy Lara
Cotto was really a light-middleweight, operating only a touch higher in his last three fights. Light-middleweight is now his natural division and Cuba’s Lara, whilst a tricky customer, is probably the best at 154lbs (if Canelo doesn’t return).
6. Amir Khan
Two big names make a super-fight. With Cotto’s timing and power he’d be a hefty favourite but Khan has the speed and a high punch volume to pose the older man some problems along the way.
5. David Lemieux
The Canadian is a banger but Cotto the classier technician. Lemieux didn’t manage to lay much of a glove on Golovkin but Miguel took on Daniel Geale after the Aussie got crushed by “GGG”. It’s a rumble that would appeal.
4. Andy Lee
Previous talks for this fight came to nothing but now Andy Lee holds a middleweight world title, he’d bring out Irish support in New York (a location where Cotto likes to box) and after fights with Peter Quillin and Julio Cesar Chavez Andy is a name in the states. Of course, Lee has a very difficult assignment against Billy Joe Saunders coming up. If he gets through that he’ll want one of the sport’s big names.
3. Gennady Golovkin
It seems unlikely that the fight will materialize. The WBC can’t mandate it, given Cotto no longer holds their belt and would never have bowed to their demands any way. The Puerto Rican may well be beyond world titles, given his level of recognition and support but television would love this fight and Golovkin is the most famous middleweight out there except…
2. Saul Alvarez
A rematch hasn’t been much discussed in the aftermath of Saturday’s clash. But Cotto-Canelo was excellent to watch. Many felt the scorecards were wider than they should have been, which tends to be enough to justify a rematch, plus Cotto and his trainer Freddie Roach believe they deserved the victory. Besides who wouldn’t want to see it again?
1. Floyd Mayweather
Mayweather is retired. But if “Money” could be tempted to come back to go for a 50-0 career record, Miguel Cotto should be a likely candidate. The Puerto Rican gave Floyd a hard battle when they fought in 2012 and has since joined forces with Freddie Roach which adds another layer of intrigue. It’s hard to think of bigger event for 2016.
