Closing out a five-day, four-city international press tour which had already made stops in Los Angeles, Mexico City and New York City, WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) and former Two-Time Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) hosted a press conference on Friday, Aug. 28 in front of a hometown audience in Cotto’s native Puerto Rico. Hundreds of media members and thousands of screaming fans filled Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez to see Cotto and Canelo and their teams despite the area being hit by Tropical Storm Erika the night before.
The press conference audience was thrilled as the fighters made their entrance to an impressive pyrotechnic display. The excitement in the crowd continued as both fighters faced off and spoke about their upcoming 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. In addition, Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, manager and trainer for Canelo Alvarez, serenaded the crowed with an a capella rendition of the favorite Puerto Rican tune “Que Bonito Puerto Rico,” in a show of respect to the fans in the audience.
The press conference stop inBayamón, Puerto Rico capped a busy week for Teams Cotto and Canelo. By the end of the week, Cotto and Canelo visited four cities in two countries, spanning four time zones, traveling 9,500 miles and encountering thousands of screaming fans in five days. Wherever they went, fans and the media were a buzz about the anticipated showdown between Cotto and Canelo, with many making early predictions that the Nov. 21 middleweight championship will be crowned ‘Fight of the Year.’
Both fighters are now heading off to their respective training camps in Los Angeles at Wild Card Gym for Miguel Cotto and San Diego, Calif. for Canelo Alvarez to prepare for their epic showdown on Nov. 21.
>Below are photo highlights from the four-city international Cotto vs. Canelo press tour.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ON AUG. 24:
ABOVE: WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (second from left) and former WBC & WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (right) pose on August 24, 2015 in Los Angeles after the press conference to kick off their four-city international press tour.
“The world is talking about this fight. The rich history between Mexico and Puerto Rico makes this truly exciting,” Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya on Aug. 24 in Los Angeles.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO ON AUG. 25:
ABOVE: WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (left) and former WBC & WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (right) pose on August 25, 2015 in Mexico City at a press conference to announce their world title fight on November 21, 2015 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.
“I am very grateful that I am always welcomed here in Mexico and shown great respect. The support of Mexicans is unmatched. It is an honor to fight Miguel Cotto,” said former Two-Time Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez on Aug. 25 in Mexico City.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK ON AUG. 26:
ABOVE: WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (left) and former WBC & WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (right) face off at the start of their New York City press conference to promote their upcoming HBO Pay Per View fight on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas.
“This is a match-up of epic proportions, can’t-miss action styles and passionate fans bases, as is evident by the crowd here today,” said Roc Nation President and Chief of Branding and Strategy Michael Yormark on Aug. 26 in New York City.
BAYAMÓN, PUERTO RICO ON AUG. 28:
ABOVE:WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (center left) and former WBC & WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (center right) pose on August 28, 2015 in Bayamón, Puerto Rico at a press conference to announce their November 21, 2015 world championship fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.
“I’m going to get this victory for all Puerto Ricans around the world,” said WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto on Aug. 28 in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
With seven world titles between them, impressive resumes and high levels of popularity in their home countries, Cotto vs. Canelo is shaping up to be the biggest fight in boxing this year and the biggest fight in the history of the famed Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry.
Cotto vs. Canelo, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra; Mexico, Live it to Believe it!; O’Reilly Auto Parts and Tequila Cazadores. The Cotto vs. Canelo press tour was sponsored by JetSmarter. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.
Photos by Tom Hogan Photos/Roc Nation Sports/Golden Boy Promotions
