Miguel Cotto has had an outstanding 14-year career. He will almost undoubtedly be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
He took the Puerto Rican torch from Felix Trinidad and won titles in four different weight divisions, the only Puerto Rican fighter to do so.
He’s fought the biggest names put in front of him. Make no mistake, he has earned the right to call his own shots, and that is exactly what he’s doing.
Now while this may rub a lot of people the wrong way, a lot of decisions in boxing are made with who has the leverage, and right now Cotto is holding it.
He knew when he was the B-Side and played his part accordingly. But, now it seems like being the B-Side has brought out the worst A-Side in Miguel Cotto.
At a his final press conference with Daniel Geale, he told the media, “The only way I want to be remembered as a warrior who never said no to any kind of challenge in my career.”
He will be remembered as such, but the fight with Daniel Geale and the catch-weight has ruffled a lot of feathers and kind of contradicts Miguel Cotto’s career.
“Going out in which way?” Cotto told ThaBoxingVoice.com’s Nestor Gibbs.
“I’m only facing Daniel Geale because he was the biggest name on the table that accepted my terms. If Golovkin wants to fight he can sit with us, he’s going to talk to us and agree to our terms, the fight is going to happen, if not the fight’s not going to happen.”
It almost sounded like that was Floyd Mayweather Jr. talking to Nestor Gibbs, and maybe that’s where Cotto learned from.
Mayweather left Top Rank, who happened to promote Cotto and Mayweather throughout a majority of their careers. Mayweather left Top Rank, who happened to promote Cotto and Mayweather throughout a majority of their careers. Mayweather fought Oscar De La Hoya and just happened to become the biggest attraction in boxing.
Cotto left Top Rank to fight Mayweather in 2012. Since then, it’s been handshake deals with Golden Boy and then Top Rank after he lost to Trout. He transformed that into a lucrative deal with Roc Nation Sports.
Long gone is the Cotto that was willing to step into the ring with the most-feared man in boxing, Antonio Margarito. Maybe Cotto feels he’s owed something because had he beaten Margarito the first time around – he would have likely fought Oscar De La Hoya instead of Manny Pacquiao – and Cotto’s career would have been much bigger.
Whether it’s resentment or not, Miguel Cotto is going to do what’s best for Miguel Cotto. Maybe it’s stealing a page out of Mayweather’s book, but that’s the route he is taken.
Still a great fighter and Puerto Rican legend, he just has the A-Side in him now and less of the warrior spirit. Because if you want to fight Miguel Cotto, Gennady Golovkin, and Canelo Alvarez, “My terms are going to be whatever we decide when I sit with Freddie,” Cotto will tell you.
Take it or leave it, Miguel Cotto.
