Official Weights from Carson:
Miguel Cotto: 153.6 lbs.
Yoshihiro Kamegai:153.8 lbs.
Rey Vargas: 121.6 lbs.
Ronny Rios: 122 lbs.
Saturday’s World Championship Boxing doubleheader telecast begins at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.
Opening up the telecast from the StubHub Center in Carson, California is a 12-round super bantamweight title contest between undefeated Rey Vargas and top contender Ronny Rios.The main event of the evening will be a 12-round junior middleweight title matchup featuring Yoshihiro Kamegai against future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto.
Legendary Miguel Cotto will be looking to overcome Yoshihiro Kamegai this Saturday night before he brings down the curtain on his illustrious boxing career.
The future Hall-of-Fame fighter has earmarked one last bout before the end of the year should he get past the big-punching Kamegai, exclusively live on BoxNation this weekend from the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Four-division world champion Cotto is putting his family first and is adamant that he will not be fighting beyond 2017.
“The decision is already made. I’m leaving on December 31st, no matter what happens with my career,” said Cotto.
“I think that 16 years is enough, and I have other things to do in my life. You know, I’m taking care of my family better, and that is the biggest and only reason that I have to stop boxing and quit and retire after December 31st this year,” he said.
“First of all, I have to just think about Kamegai, and then we are going to do what we always do. Then we’re going to pick and choose the best challenger out there, and we are going to face him,” Cotto said.
36-year-old Cotto will be looking to add another world title to his collection as he battles Kamegai for the vacant WBO light-middleweight belt.
Japan’s Kamegai is much respected after being involved in a number of wars throughout his career and having stopped 24 opponents in his 27 wins.
Cotto, trained by Freddie Roach, says he is ready for whatever Kamegai might bring to the ring.
“I’m going to do my fight. I’m going to do my fight that Freddie and I planned here to do on Saturday, and let’s see what Kamegai’s going to bring,” Cotto said.
“I’m always here to bring my best, to do my best, to do whatever it takes to get the victory and make my family and the people around me and myself better. I’m coming with the same kind of mindset, and I’m going to do my best on August 26th.
“All I want to do is finish my career in the best way possible. That’s the reason that I’ve been working hard at this stage of my career. And all I want for me is to finish this in the best way possible,” said Cotto.
The live action starts on BoxNation on Saturday night from 1.30am, with undefeated Mexican super-bantamweight Rey Vargas defending his WBC world title against Ronny Rios in the co-main event.
BoxNation’s upcoming schedule also includes the blockbuster ‘Fight of the Year’ contest between middleweight kingpins Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin on September 16th.
BoxNation will be bringing that not-to-be-missed superfight exclusively live to UK and Irish fans, with further details set to be released soon.
Furthermore, as part of BoxNation’s exclusive output deal with promoters Top Rank, they will be bringing fight fans the exciting WBO featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez exclusively live on September 22nd when he takes on undefeated Filipino Genesis Servania.
BoxNation is available on Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/ online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon) for just £12 a month. Buy now at boxnation.com.