The Boxing Chessboard Options of Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
Miguel Cotto has disposed of Delvin Rodriguez. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has defeated Saul Alvarez. The question remains: what now, and against who for both men?
Austin Trout is preparing for his light middleweight bout with Erislandy Lara, so a rematch with Trout is out for Cotto for the moment. Hot talk has Cotto against Sergio Gabriel Martinez at 160 pounds. Martinez, aging and slowing down, might get exposed by Cotto at 160 pounds.
Both Floyd and Cotto might be looking at newly crowned IBF World Light Middleweight champion Carlos Molina. Floyd, who fights 147 to 160 pounds, is looking at a bout in Europe against Amir Khan. Better still at 147 pounds, Danny Garcia, Jesus Soto Karass, or the 31-0 Timothy Bradley. However, Bradley is rumored to be looking for a rematch with Manny Pacquiao, if Pacquiao can defeat Brandon Rios in their upcoming bout. Mayweather might also be looking at the winner of Erilandy Lara versus Austin Trout (if Cotto does not fight the winner).
Cotto versus Canelo Alvarez could be Canelo’s next big fight if Canelo wants it. Cotto might be Canelo in the same way Floyd did, but given more time for training and less promoting of his bout, Canelo might do better against Cotto. Who knows.
A wild card opponent for Mayweather could be the comebacking former WBA light middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, a winner of his last three comeback bouts. However, Foreman must first get by Javier Gomez in a bout at the Seminole Hard Rock and Casino next month. Floyd could also take an easy fight with former WBA World Light Welterweight champion Vivian Harris, who just won an upset 10 round split decision over 23-1 Danny O’Connor for his second comeback win, but this seems less likely as Harris is not a worthwhile draw beyond being a last minute substitute opponent perhaps.
Amir Khan, with recent wins over Julio Diaz and Carlos Molina (after losing to Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia). Khan is still scheduled to fight on December 7, but not against Devon Alexander. Khan will fight somebody, and apparently still expects to get fight Floyd in the Spring of 2014 if he wins his next bout. Khan versus Floyd would be much of a bout in Europe financially if not artistically, and the Europeans could build a great fight card and sell it on Pay-Per-View.
Most fight fans prefer to see Cotto fight Canelo early next year. The Latino fan base clearly means more money for Cotto and Canelo. However, Cotto may prefer to take his chances with Sergio Gabriel Martinez, who will turn 39 years old on February 21, 2014. Martinez may no longer have the legs to run for all 12 rounds while jabbing on the move. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. knocked Martinez down when he stopped moving in the twelfth and final round of their bout. Depending on the pace Cotto sets, Miguel figures he can get to the aging Martinez earlier than Martinez and put him away. It all depends how much Martinez has left in the tank. Critics may say different, but I like Martinez versus Cotto better than Canelo versus Cotto. I say this because Cotto looked great against Rodriguez in his last bout, while Canelo looked dismal against Floyd.
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