MEXICAN SUPERSTAR CANELO REFUSES TO LOOK PAST WORLD CHAMPION COTTO AS HE PREPARES FOR ‘50-50’ MEGAFIGHT – Boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez has refused to look too far ahead as he prepares for his ’50-50’ fight with WBC middleweight world champion Miguel Cotto.
The stacked 160-pound division is brimming with talent including WBA and IBF knockout king Gennady Golovkin, WBO champion Andy Lee who defends his title against the undefeated Billy Joe Saunders, with Daniel Jacobs set to take on former champion Peter Quillin.
The victors are expected to face each other to determine who is the undisputed number one at the weight but Mexican ace Canelo knows he has it all to do against the legendary Cotto in an edge-of-the-seat BoxNation thriller exclusively live this Saturday night.
“I am 100% focused on this fight. My focus is winning this fight – it’s very important. Whatever happens after this fight, will happen after this fight, but this is my primary focus,” said Canelo.
“The only thing that I am focused on is Saturday night. Once this fight is over, we will determine which direction we will go.
“This is a very difficult fight – it’s a 50/50 fight. I’m here, I’m ready to win, and I’m willing to win. All my fights are necessary to win,” he said.
The bout represents one of boxing’s most anticipated fights this year with both men renowned for their exciting all-action styles.
They have a common opponent in pound-for-pound hotshot Floyd Mayweather, with four-weight world champion Cotto having given the unbeaten star a tougher night when they met back in 2012, something which will have no bearing on this fight according to Canelo.
“You know what, that doesn’t affect me [people saying Cotto did better]. Styles make fights. He may have done better – Cotto might have done better against Mayweather. However, I did better against Austin Trout, and Cotto didn’t do that good against Austin Trout,” Canelo said.
“All fights are different, all styles are different, so that’s not going to affect me at all.
“All of my fights I learned something. There are some important fights, there are some difficult fights, but with all these combined fights you gain experience, and with that experience I’m going to display that on Saturday night,” he said.
Canelo goes into the fight with just that solitary loss on his record to Mayweather having accumulated 45 wins, including 32 knockouts, at just 25 years of age.
The former unified light-middleweight champion will have the chance to become a two-weight world champion against the Puerto Rican Cotto in what is his most significant fight since he shared the ring with Mayweather.
“I’m not worried about the pressure. I am more concerned with the motivation. I am training. I’ve had a lot of fights, and I’ve learned a lot,” said Canelo
“Both of the fights [Mayweather and Cotto] are important. They’re in a different division. The one with Mayweather was for the unification of pound-for-pound, and now this is at a different weight division, so it’s important also.
“Plus, this is Mexico versus Puerto Rico, and more importantly I’m motivated and inspired and looking forward to Saturday.
“It’s going to be a great fight. The styles will accommodate to ensure that. If the knockout comes, it comes, if it doesn’t, I’m prepared for whatever happens in the ring,” he said.
Cotto v Canelo is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, TalkTalk 415, online or app) this Saturday night. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.
Boxnation to broadcast Canelo vs Cotto Live
One of this year’s most anticipated showdowns will be screened live and exclusive on BoxNation when middleweight titans Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez clash in a world title superfight not to be missed on November 21.
The Puerto Rican legend Cotto will put his WBC middleweight title on the line at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, with ‘The Channel of Champions’ BoxNation once again proving its punching power by adding yet another colossal contest to its action-packed schedule.
These two icons are set to meet in the height of winter but no matchup will be as sizzling hot as this one when old feuds are renewed as another Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry takes shape.
Both nations have slipped on the gloves and settled their arguments a number of times in the ring, including historic brawls such as Salvador Sanchez’s knockout of Wilfredo Vasquez and Felix Trinidad’s ferocious meeting with Oscar De La Hoya.
Now, a new chapter is ready to be written with Cotto and Canelo set to author their own version and unleash some more fistic fury for a fabled boxing tale.
The world’s number one boxing channel, BoxNation, will be the only place for British fans to tune in and see how it all unfolds, in what is one of boxing’s most eye-catching divisions.
Four-weight world champion Cotto, with a record of 40-4 with 33 KOs, and former WBC and WBA super-welterweight world champion Canelo, 45-1-1 and 32 KOs, have guaranteed fireworks when they do battle.
“I will give the fans the fight they want to see,” said Cotto. “As I have always said, during my whole career, I am here to fight the best names and the best fighters. This will be another chapter in my career and I will be ready for him. Fans will enjoy a real fight, another classic battle in the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry.”
“Historically, mega-fights are made because fans demand them,” said Canelo. “In this case, the fans have spoken out, longing for this fight and it is my pleasure to say that it is finally happening. All fights at this level are very important, but this fight in particular has something more. It will hold a special place in history as part of the big rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico, and I promise all the fans that this is going to be an event that will not disappoint.”
Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said: “This is a very special fight, it has ‘fight of the year’ written all over it, and BoxNation is delighted to deliver it live and exclusive for our customers. It will be an incredible, all-action, matchup to round off a fantastic year for BoxNation. Our subscribers demand the very best fights so we are pleased to add yet another leading contest to our outstanding, value-for-money, schedule. Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez are two fighters who hold nothing back and this fight will no doubt go down as an instant classic.”
Cotto-Canelo joins an unbelievable schedule on BoxNation which is stacked from top to bottom.
This weekend the channel will air Floyd Mayweather’s final bout live and exclusive when he defends his WBC and WBA welterweight world titles against Andre Berto, with Britain’s George Groves on the card challenging for Badou Jack’s WBC super-middleweight crown.
BoxNation will also show a host of other top fights including Frank Buglioni v Fedor Chudinov on Sept 26, Lucas Matthysse v Viktor Postol on Oct 3, Terry Flanagan v Diego Magdaleno on Oct 10, Gennady Golovkin v David Lemieux on Oct 17, Terence Crawford v Dierry Jean on Oct 24 and Mitchell Smith v George Jupp on Oct 30.
To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, TalkTalk 415, online or app) for only £12 a month visit boxnation.com.