LAS VEGAS (Nov. 20, 2015) An action-packed card kicked off a weekend of back-to-back fight nights in Las Vegas, preceding the highly-anticipated Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez card at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Saturday, November 21 on HBO PPV. Attracting a crowd of 1,339, the night featured undefeated boxing legacy and fan-favorite Diego De La Hoya (13-0, 7 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico facing fellow countryman Giovanni “Lloviznas” Delgado (15-4, 9 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico in what was an explosive eight-round super bantamweight main event, live on Boxeo Estelar on Estrella TV.

Ring legend Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, former world champion Fernando “Feroz” Vargas and Golden Boy Promotion’s fighters “King” Gabriel Rosado, who also stars in the upcoming film CREED, Ivan “Striker” Delgado, Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete and Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa were all on hand to enjoy the night of action.

De La Hoya shined with a unanimous decision victory over Delgado in his grand return to Las Vegas and to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The fight saw back and forth action as both fighters traded combinations in the middle of the ring. Delgado proved a difficult opponent, landing hard combinations to the body and then following up with shots to the head of De La Hoya. De La Hoya showed his toughness and durability, taking Delgado’s shots and countering with clean effective punches of his own.

“I knew he (Delgado) was going to be a tough opponent,” said De La Hoya. “I used to spar with him when I was 15 years old so I was familiar with his style but I think now I am a faster and more intelligent fighter and that’s what gave me the victory tonight. This victory also proved to me that I have a great passion for the sport and hope to become a world champion soon. I’m not going to quit until I achieve my goal. I want to thank all the fans that came out to support me and I’m glad I closed out the year with victory.”

In the co-main event, undefeated John Karl Sosa (13-1, 6 KO’s) of Caguas, Puerto Rico battled Alan Sanchez (17-3-1, 9 KO’s) of Fairfield, CA in an eight-round welterweight bout. A tactical affair in the first few rounds, the two fighters showed their skill and ring intelligence as they got accustomed to the other’s style. Entering the final stanza of the fight, Sanchez was able to catch Sosa with a powerful shot that sent him to the canvas. Clearly hurt, Sosa bravely met the count but was sent down twice more, forcing the referee to call a stop to the bout, awarding Sanchez the win by sixth round technical knockout.

“I think my experience showed tonight. I was able to beat the favorite tonight, a young undefeated top prospect and this win means a lot to me and my career. I won and in a great way dropping him three times in the sixth round. This win proves that I have grown as a fight and am ready to go to the next level and compete for a regional title,” said Sanchez.

In the first televised bout of the evening, Guadalajara, Chihuahua, Mexico’s Horacio Garcia (30-1, 21 KO’s) took on Raul “Bule” Hidalgo (24-14, 8 KO’s) of Nuevas Casas Grandes,Chihuahua, Mexico. With Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, trainer of Canelo Alvarez in his corner, Horacio attacked Hidalgo from the opening round, landing hard shots to the head and body. The second round saw more of the same, as Garcia cornered Hidalgo on the ropes and landed clean, unanswered shots, prompting the referee to stop the fight, declaring Horacio the winner by second round technical knockout.

“This is my first time fighting in the U.S. and I feel that I gave a great performance. I am a strong, hungry fighter and this victory impressed the fans. I was prepared and I am ready to come back and show fans more,” said Garcia.

The last bout on The Ring TV’s live stream, Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (11-0-2, 6 KO’s) of East Los Angeles faced Erik Ruiz (14-4, 6 KO’s) of Oxnard, CA in an eight round super bantamweight matchup. The bout was close throughout, with both fighters landing shots at close range and trading momentum back and forth. Going to the scorecards, Ruiz was able to come away with a win via split decision.

“I thought I won the majority of the rounds but I got the win and that’s all that matters. Roy was a really tough guy and he came out throwing hard to the body like he said he would. It was a good fight and I’m glad the fans enjoyed it,” said Ruiz.

“He was beating me to the punch from the first round and it made it difficult to keep my rhythm. Honestly, I felt like I had lost but I know that I will come back stronger when I am in the ring next,” said Tapia.

As part of The Ring TV’s live stream, crowd favorite, Jason “El Animal” Quigley (9-0, 8 KO’s) put on a show as always in a four-round super middleweight bout against Marchristopher Adkins (5-2, 2 KO’s) of Dallas, TX. Quigley boxed effectively, controlling the distance and landing clean, hard shots, earning his first unanimous decision victory.

“It’s very exciting to get a knockout, but it’s also good to go the distance. I felt I showed my fans that I can box as well. I was in control the whole time and able to pressure him whenever I wanted. At the end, I knew I won every round,” said Quigley.

Opening up The Ring TV’s live stream, Francisco Esparza (2-0, 1 KO) of Las Vegas, NV, battled Jose Rodriguez (2-2, 1 KO) of San Juan, Puerto Rico. In a thrilling opening bout, the two fighters traded shots in the center of the ring, setting the tone for the card. At the end of the bout, Esparza was awarded a majority decision victory making his trainer Fernado “Feroz” Vargas proud.

“This was my second professional fight and I felt more comfortable and able to pace myself. I was also able to apply pressure when I wanted. My strategy was to move my head and break him down on the inside and I feel I did that efficiently tonight,” said Esparza.

Diego De La Hoya vs. Giovanni Delgado was presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Carmelita Chorizo. Doors opened at 4:30 p.m. and the first bout began at 5:00 p.m. The Boxeo Estelar broadcast aired live on Estrella TV at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00p.m. PT. The card also streamed live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream began at approximately 5:00 p.m. PT through 6:00 p.m and was viewed on RingTVLive.com, YIPTV.com, Fightsports.tv, UCNLive.com,Facebook.com/RingTV, Livestream.com, and The Ring TV Channels on Roku and Amazon Fire.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.estrellatv.com, www.hardrockhotel.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV, @HardRockHotelLV and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, www.facebook.com/HardRockHotelLV visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV and @HardRockHotelLV and follow theconversation using #BoxeoEstelar.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – Measuring interest in a fight isn’t exactly a science. It’s more a haphazard adventure. Either a so-called buzz is there, or it isn’t. For a couple of days, media prospectors were sifting though all the events surrounding Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez, searching for one.

For days, not much was there. Echoes instead of real noise created doubt about the pay-per-view hopes and suspicions about fans staying away from Mandalay Bay Saturday night because of skepticism left over from the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao mess in May.

But the empty echoes were suddenly gone Friday. Instead, there was a buzz that filled three ballrooms from crowds of fans who waited in line for three to four hours to watch the Cotto-Canelo weigh-in.

The buzz was off-the-scale amid sudden optimism about pay-per-view numbers for an HBO telecast (6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET) that Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya has said could approach 1.5 million.

That expectation might still be too high. But a buzzing crowd at the weigh-in indicated that a very good PPV audience is likely. Latino fans – Puerto Rican for Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) and Mexican for Canelo (45-1-1, 32 KOs) – jammed one ballroom for the live weigh-in and two adjacent ballrooms to watch the telecast.

Both made the catch-weight, 155 pounds, for a 160-pound, middleweight title that the WBC stripped from Cotto on Monday after he refused to pay the $300,000 sanctioning fee. A sculpted Canelo was right at the agreed-upon weight. Cotto was at 153.5, which is a half-pound lighter than the junior-middleweight limit. This is a middleweight fight in name only. But it doesn’t matter.

The anticipation is real for a classic, cut straight out of the rich tradition of the Mexican-Puerto Rican history.

“They are here because they think they are about see a war,’’ De La Hoya said.

The war parallel is little tired and probably too much, especially these days with all that is going in France and Syria. But boxing without hyperbole is a fight without a buzz. Nobody would care.

At the weigh-in, the roar said — again and again — that a lot people care intensely about one fight that might take the business beyond Pacquiao-Mayweather.

The weigh-in included at least one disappointing moment. Unbeaten Randy Caballero was at 123.5, or 5.5 pounds too heavy for the 118-mandtaory in a scheduled defense of his IBF bantamweight title against the UK”s Lee Haskins. About an hour after the weigh-in, the Nevada State Athletic Commission said that the title fight had been cancelled.

Did it matter? No, not at all. If there were any complaints, you couldn’t hear them. You could hear only that buzz.

LONDON (Nov 20) – Miguel Cotto’s trainer Freddie Roach wants the Puerto Rican ace to rematch and knockout pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.

The Hall of Fame trainer believes he has the right strategy to overcome boxing’s number one fighter and wants four-weight champion Cotto to face him again should he be victorious in his middleweight blockbuster this weekend against Canelo Alvarez, live on BoxNation.

35-year-old Cotto was outpointed by Mayweather when they met in May 2012 but had not yet joined forces with the much respected Roach, someone who Cotto believes would have helped him knockout the now retired superstar.

“I would love for Miguel to win this fight [against Canelo] by knockout, call out Mayweather and then end his career,” said Roach.

“Miguel always tells me that if he had me in his corner when he fought Mayweather he would have knocked him out. He tells me that story all the time.

“I think Miguel could pull off the strategy I have to beat Mayweather. I think that would be a good fight for him. I think I could put Miguel in a very aggressive mode,” he said.

Any hopes of facing Mayweather however could be dashed this Saturday night when Cotto steps into the ring against Mexican foe Canelo.

The former unified light-middleweight champion goes in as the bookies favourite in the fight but trainer Roach says his man is in top shape and ready to expose the Latino boxing idol.

“Miguel has had a great training camp for this fight. We’re 100% ready for this fight, the biggest fight of the year. I’ve never seen Miguel better than this,” said Roach.

“We are going to box a lot in this fight. We’re not just going out there looking for a knockout. I don’t want him doing that. I want him using his foot speed and his angles. He’s a more complete fighter now than ever.

“Canelo’s defence is terrible. He follows you wherever you go. He’s like a robot. If you use angles on him, he will be lost. He cannot make adjustments well,” he said.

Flame-haired Canelo though is well aware of the threat he is up against but will be looking to continue the momentum from his last fight that saw him knockout James Kirkland inside three rounds.

“I’ve had a great preparation. I’ve worked very hard. I am patiently waiting for Saturday night to have my hand raised in victory once again. It’s going to be a difficult fight – I know that – but that is why I prepared properly, and I am ready to give a great fight,” said Canelo.

British fighter Lee Haskins is also set to feature on the undercard as he takes on Randy Caballero for the IBF bantamweight world title.

The Bristol boxer will get his chance to shine under the bright lights of Las Vegas and can’t wait to step into the ring.

“Fighting in Las Vegas, fighting in a fight of this magnitude, I never thought in my dreams I would be on an undercard like this, that’s what’s giving me the extra push. It feels absolutely amazing just to be here,” said Haskins.

“The magnitude of the fight, seeing everybody here, just up in the middle of the Vegas square, it’s incredible.

“I’m sure he’s done a lot of sparing and he’s just as ready as myself. I’m just looking forward to having a great fight,” 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.

-Ends-
About BoxNation
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Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at Livesport.tv and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

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By Alejandro Echevarria

Whether or not the WBC Middleweight Title is on the line this Saturday’s match between Miguel Cotto (40-4-0, 33Ko’s) and Saúl “Canelo” Alvarez (45-1-1, 32Ko’s) will decide who the lineal middleweight champion will be. If all the pieces fall in place, it will also decide who fights Gennady Golovkin for recognition as the best middleweight on the planet. That is one of the many aspects that make this fight interesting. The storied rivalry between Mexican and Puerto Rican boxers and the fact that both fighters are at (or close to) the peak of their popularity also adds to the significance of the bout.

With that being said, what makes this fight appealing to many boxing fans and insiders is that the match-up of styles suggests this will be a war. Both fighters are good boxers but both are fighters. They are usually willing to trade, they both have power and both have shown to have a fight instinct instead of the flight one.
Canelo brings more stopping power to the fight but Cotto’s recent displays as a middleweight suggest he can also hurt bigger fighters. Similarly, Canelo proved he can use his strength and aggression to overcome a more skilled boxer as he did against Lara. It is easy to imagine that Cotto’s edge in class is offset by Canelo’s youth and physical advantages leaving us with a very even playing field.

Even though odds makers have the young Mexican as a 3 to 1 favorite, boxing analysts see this as a much more even fight and I agree. I do believe that whoever wins the fight will probably do so in a convincing fashion but that will be more because of the way these fighters carry themselves in the ring than because there will be a significance difference between them as fighters. Both of them will leave everything in the ring and, as happens to most fighters who fight this way, when they lose they will do so in spectacular fashion.

Most agree that for Miguel to win he has to use his well timed jab, foot work and not a small amount of body work. Canelo should be looking to press the action. If he can impose his size and strength on Cotto, who has had problems with this in the past, he should be able to get a stoppage in the second half of the fight. This same fight plan could instead prove deadly for Saúl if Cotto is able to disrupt his momentum with jabs and footwork as this would eventually lead to openings for left hooks to the body.

Regardless of who is ahead on the scorecards after the sixth round, the manner in which these initial rounds are fought will probably determine the outcome of the fight. Canelo has to land some big shots. Otherwise he will succumb to frustration and be worn down by Cotto’s left hand. Cotto needs to avoid punishment and must conserve his energy. If he doesn’t, his 35 year-old, battle-ravaged body will not hold up for twelve rounds.

With Freddie Roach in his corner, the four-division Puerto Rican champion seems revitalized. Whether this is just a mirage or he has really regained part of the physical prowess that made him so dangerous early in his career is up for discussion but the fact that he believes it doesn’t seem to be. I expect to see a very confident Miguel Cotto use his timing and footwork to stop Canelo from putting combinations together. Alvarez will have his moments and will probably win some of these rounds but at too high a cost. Cotto’s jab will be there at all times zapping Canelo of the necessary confidence to press the action and if left hooks are landing, his stamina may very well be diminished before the twelfth round. It’s not impossible for Cotto to get a late stoppage but I don’t think it will happen. More likely we will see a Cotto, ahead on the score cards, do enough to win a unanimous. Canelo will prove too strong to go down.
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Quality of opponents – Within their last five fights, both fighters shared two opponents. They both lost against Floyd Mayweather while Alvarez defeated Austin Trout to whom Cotto lost. Against “Money” Mayweather, Cotto looked better and was more efficient but he was clearly beat by Trout whom Canelo knocked down en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Canelo looked impressive in his two stoppage victories against Alfredo Angulo and James Kirkland. Of these two, the Kirkland victory stands out because it was fought the way the “Mandingo Warrior” wanted, that is to say it was a slugfest, and still Canelo won with a “Knockout of the Year” candidate.

Regarding his split decision win against Erislandy Lara, many thought this fight could’ve gone either way. Canelo had trouble dealing with the lateral movements and angles Lara presented but nonetheless came out with a victory. In this fight, Canelo proved that he can press enough and has enough hand speed to deal with slicker boxers.
On his side, since losing consecutive fights against Mayweather and Trout, Cotto has stringed three stoppages in a row. He outclassed and out gunned an over matched Delvin Rodríguez then challenged linear middleweight champion Sergio Martínez. Martínez had gone down in his last three fights, was almost knocked out against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (after which he needed surgery on his knee) and squeaked by Martin Murray in a fight that could’ve gone either way. Still, Cotto looked sharp and powerful in his first fight as a middleweight.

Against Daniel Geale, a former middleweight beltholder, Cotto again looked impressive until Geale quit after going down twice in round four. It must be noted that Geale looked drained the day of the weigh-in where a catch weight of 155 pounds was set but not met by Geale.

These recent fights offer a bit of an insight into the fighter’s strengths and weaknesses. Cotto’s two losses came at the hands of slick boxers and before his switch to training with Freddie Roach. His three victories came against foes that were either not on his level or not in their prime. Canelo’s loss to Mayweather and struggles against Lara show that he also has issues with angles and speed. His victories against a diminished Angulo and a James Kirkland without Anne Wolfe in his corner were impressive but not unexpected.

If we look back at their entire records, Cotto’s is more impressive. He’s faced more undefeated fighters, more past and eventual champions and more A-level opponents. He’s also come up short on his two biggest matches (Mayweather and Pacquiao) but his experience will serve him well. Still, I believe Canelo has a slight edge based on his victories over Lara, where he edged an opponent with a wrong style for him, and Kirkland where he fought his opponent’s fight and still came out with the win. In a sport where the saying “what have you done for me lately?” is so important, Alvarez has made a statement with his three most recent victories.

Defense and Chin – Neither fighter is a defensive master. Cotto may hold a slight advantage because his footwork is more polished and effective than Canelo’s but Alvarez is definitely the stronger more resilient fighter. It helps Canelo that he is quite fresh despite having 47 fights under his belt and has not been through the wars Cotto has endured. Even though Cotto has not been cut or badly bruised in his last fights, he hasn’t been hit by a big puncher in some time.

Both fighters have been hurt by single punches in the past. Cotto against the likes of Ricardo Torres, “Chop Chop” Corley and Zab Judah and Canelo against Jose Cotto but those all seem to be in the distant past. If this becomes a give and take fight, Canelo will probably have more resilience down the stretch and that may prove to be the difference maker.

Skill an Technique – In terms of pure skill and boxing technique, it is Cotto who holds the upper hand. A decorated amateur and Olympic boxer, Cotto has proven he can outbox almost everybody (his victory over an almost prime Shane Mosley being the best example of this) when he is sharp. His well timed jab is a very disruptive weapon and carries enough pop to stun and stop the momentum for many fighters (he’s even floored several of his opponents with it).

Canelo has very good hand speed and when he feels comfortable in his stance, he can let those heavy hands go in good multi-punch combinations. Still, he has issues with moving targets and angles which Cotto could very well use to his advantage. If he freezes against Cotto, the Puerto Rican’s jab and left hook could prove deadly to whatever Canelo’s fight plan is.

At the end of the day, if Cotto could box for 12 rounds and avoid a give and take fight, he would probably come out on top.

Strength and Power – Here is another category where one of the boxers holds a clear advantage. Even though they both started at the welterweight limit, Canelo is the naturally bigger guy and seems to have a bit more pop in his punches. In his victories against Carlos Baldomir, Alfonso Gómez and most recently James Kirkland, The Mexican proved he can hurt opponents with single shots. Cotto usually needs to break down opponents before he can get his stoppages.

Both fighters can hurt each other but Canelo has a bigger opportunity of landing a single punch or combination that can determine the course of the fight. Cotto hasn’t been hurt by a single punch in some time but, has also not been hit by a big puncher in some time as well. Were they to trade punch for punch, Canelo would have a clear advantage.

Miscellaneous and Intangibles – As the name suggests, there are other aspects to consider. The last time Canelo was in a fight of this magnitude he lost and seemed frustrated by the end of the fight. Will the memories of the Mayweather fight haunt the young boxer and keep him from performing at his best? Is Cotto’s resurgence real or just the by-product of great matchmaking? Will Canelo’s lengthy training camp result in over training and drain him of the necessary explosiveness he will need to come out victorious? Can Cotto take the kind of shots that Canelo has landed on the likes of Angulo and Kirkland? And most important, are we in line to see a true classic? Out of all these questions, the one I would like most to be answered in the affirmative is the last one.

In anticipation of the upcoming fight, ESPN boxing experts share their forecast and analysis around the match between superstars Miguel Cotto and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

Julio Cesar Chavez, former boxing star and ESPN Deportes’ A Los Golpes analyst
As Mexican, logically I’m rooting for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. I also lean towards him for his youth, strength and hunger for winning the fight.

Ivan “El Iron Boy” Calderon, former professional boxer and ESPN Deportes’ boxing coverage analyst
If Miguel follows his style of blocking a giving at the same time, he could surprise. But I as things are looking, I have to lean towards Canelo.

Joe Cortez, ex boxing referee
This is a fight that will please fans […]. It’s going to be very close, but I align myself with Cotto winning by divided decision.

The boxing legends will appear as special guests in Cotto vs. Canelo: a One Nación & A Los Golpes Special, airing Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 pm ET on ESPN Deportes, and Friday, Nov. 20 at 6:30 pm on ESPNEWS. The pre-show show is hosted by the Networks’ boxing experts Bernardo Osuna, Claudia Trejos and Marysol Castro.

Bernardo Osuna, lead commentator and reporter for ESPN and ESPN Deportes’ boxing coverage
Any time a Mexican and a Puerto Rican fighter step into the ring, special things happen and I expect the same when Cotto and Canelo fight on Saturday night, giving us a battle worthy of this great rivalry.

Claudia Trejos, ESPN’s Friday Night Fights host
Puerto Rico vs Mexico is the most exciting rivalry in boxing. I expect Cotto-Canelo to be one for the books

Marysol Castro, ESPN’s Premier Boxing Champions host
Both of these fighters are looking to take home a title that is legendary between Puerto Rico and Mexico. It will be a thriller for sure and with national bragging rights on the line, I am going to go with Miguel Cotto.

For more information on ESPN and ESPN Deportes’ extended coverage around the fight, see http://es.pn/1WZGFim

NEW YORK, NY – Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions are pleased to announce their next co-promotion as part of the HBO Latino Boxing series. On Saturday, Dec. 5, former WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (24-1-5, 19 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico will take on undefeated Rafael Rivera (20-0-2, 14 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico in a ten-round featherweight showdown from the Osceola Heritage Park Exhibit Hall in Kissimmee, Florida televised live on HBO Latino beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

In the televised co-feature, Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (28-0, 15 KOs) will take on Steve Claggett (23-1-3, 16 KOs) in a ten-round welterweight co-featured bout. Opening the HBO Latino telecast will be a ten-round light heavyweight tilt featuring Colombian slugger Alexander Brand (24-1, 19 KOs) and Russian knockout artist Medzhid Bektemirov (16-0, 12 KOs) which is presented in association with Camponovo Sports and Gary Shaw Productions.

Tickets are priced at $67 and $35. Tickets go on sale Thursday, November 19 at 12:00 PM ET and will be available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.ohpark.com. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

“I’m very happy with my team and blessed by God to have the opportunity to do what I do best which is fight,” said Vazquez Jr. “I can see that Rivera is an excellent fighter looking to go far in this business, but I am coming to give it my all. I need to overcome this challenge in order to climb back to a number one rating and win a world title belt. It’s always exciting to be part of this great rivalry between Puerto Rico vs. Mexico and this one won’t be an exception.”

“It’s a real honor to be able to fight a former world champion and to do it on national television with HBO Latino,” said Rivera. “I’m young and hungry to be successful in the sport of boxing and I can’t wait to trade shots with Papito Vazquez.”

“Once again, Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions are committed to providing fight fans with an action-packed night of boxing on Dec. 5,” said David Itskowitch, COO Boxing, Roc Nation Sports. “The HBO Latino broadcast will showcase three exciting fights featuring some of the brightest young talents in the sport.”

“We are excited to come back to Orlando, Florida to give the fans great fights,” said Hector Soto, Vice President of Miguel Cotto Promotions. “On Dec. 5, Vazquez Jr. has the opportunity to show that he still has what it takes to be at the top level of boxing when he faces a tough Mexican fighter that is hungry and willing to make a great fight. This will be another great chapter in the storied rivalry of Puerto Rico vs. Mexico.”

Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. has emerged from the large shadow of his father, Puerto Rican legend Wilfredo Vazquez, to make a name for himself inside the squared circle. The 30-year-old former world champion from Bayamon is on a quest to capture a world title belt in the featherweight division. After storming out of the gates with an 18 fight unbeaten streak, Vazquez captured the WBO junior featherweight world championship by defeating then fellow unbeaten Marvin Sonsona via a fourth round knockout on February 27, 2010 in his hometown. Two successful title defenses followed before Vazquez lost his title to Three-Time World Champion Jorge Arce in an all-out war that the judges had a draw at the time of the twelfth round stoppage. Another world title challenge came against Six-Time World Champion Nonito Donaire on February 2, 2012, but Vazquez came up short, dropping a split decision to the champion. In his last bout on June 6, Vazquez lost via a unanimous decision against Fernando Vargas in an eight-round bout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on the undercard of Miguel Cotto vs. Daniel Geale. Dec. 5 is a true crossroads fight for the former world champion.

Undefeated featherweight boxer Rafael “Big Bang” Rivera made his pro debut on Aril 27, 2012 against Mario Lemus and came out with a technical knockout win in the second round. Since drawing in two of his next four fights, Rivera has reeled off 17 wins with 12 of them coming by way of knockout. In his last fight, Rivera scored an eight round unanimous decision win against Cancun, Mexico native Ruben Garcia in an eight round bout at Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks, California. On Dec. 5, Rivera will look to hold on to his undefeated record when he battles Vazquez Jr.

Washington, DC’s Dusty Hernandez-Harrison made his professional debut as the youngest licensed professional fighter in the United States on June 11, 2011, less than a month following his 17th birthday. Twenty-four straight victories would follow before Hernandez-Harrison headlined Roc Nation Sports’ inaugural throne boxing event at The Theater at Madison Square in a fight televised by FOX Sports 1 on January 9, 2015, capturing the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Championship with a dominant ten-round unanimous decision victory over Tommy “The Razor” Rainone. Since then, he’s continued his winning ways, scoring three more wins, including a first round knockout over James Wayka in his last fight on September 26. On the 5th of Dec., he’ll look to keep that momentum going against Steve Claggett.

Claggett (23-3-1), from Alberta, Canada, holds the Canada Professional Boxing Council welterweight title over his most recent fight over Stuart McLennan in a third round TKO and the Canada Welterweight Title from his win by unanimous decision earlier this year against Tebor Brosch. He looks to finish his winning year, and Hernandez-Harrison’s unbeaten streak, on Dec. 5.

Bogota, Colombia native Alexander Brand is riding a seven fight winning streak dating back to July 2012. That streak began following his only professional defeat which came at the hands of current World Champion Badou Jack via an eight-round split decision on May 11, 2012. Since that fight, Brand has passed every ring test with flying colors, notching seven consecutive victories. In his last bout on August 9, he defeated Bernard Donfack by unanimous decision. He faces the sternest test of his professional career on Dec. 5 when he faces Bektemirov.

Born in Makhachkala, Russia, Medzhid Bektemirov began his professional career in 2009 in Houston Texas, where he currently resides. The undefeated Bektemirov’s 16-0 record includes 12 KOs. He most recently fought on April 18, 2015 at the University of Texas against Michael Gbenga, where he won an eight-round bout by unanimous decision. He looks to stay undefeated against Brand on Dec. 5.

Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. vs. Rafael Rivera, a ten-round featherweight bout, takes place Saturday, Dec. 5 at Osceola Heritage Park Exhibit Hall in Kissimmee, Florida and will be televised live on HBO Latino. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions.

For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

About Roc Nation Sports
Roc Nation Sports, a sub-division of Roc Nation, launched in spring 2013. Founder Shawn “JAY Z” Carter’s love of sports lead to the natural formation of Roc Nations Sports, helping athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been helping artists in the music industry for years. Roc Nation Sports focuses on elevating athletes’ career on a global scale both on and off the field. Roc Nation Sports conceptualizes and executes marketing and endorsement deals, community outreach, charitable tie-ins, media relations and brand strategy. Roc Nation Sports launched its boxing division, a full service promotional company which represents world champions Miguel Cotto and Andre Ward, in August 2014. Roc Nation Sports’ roster includes premiere athletes such as Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins, Kevin Durant, Geno Smith, Victor Cruz, CC Sabathia, James Young, Dez Bryant, Ndamukong Suh, Rusney Castillo, Yoenis Cespedes, Jaelen Strong, Todd Gurley, Wilson Chandler, Erick Aybar, Justise Winslowm Willie Cauley-Stein and Jerome Boateng.

About Miguel Cotto Promotions
Miguel Cotto Promotions is the leading promotional company in Puerto Rico founded by the five-time and four-division world champion Miguel Cotto and entrepreneur Hector Soto in 2005. Miguel Cotto Promotions has the vision of developing the best talent in Puerto Rico and Latin America, while searching for the best partnerships in the business to present the best quality shows in the industry. In 2015, Miguel Cotto Promotions launched their most recent project named “Boxeo Al Maximo” in partnership with Univision Puerto Rico network, capturing great ratings results on the new Saturday night fights’ platform.

About Osceola Heritage Park Exhibit Hall
Founded in 1977, SMG provides management services to more than 240 public assembly facilities including convention and exhibition centers, arenas, stadiums, theatres, performing arts centers, equestrian facilities, science centers and a variety of other venues. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 15 million square feet of exhibition space and more than 1.5 million sports and entertainment seats. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides venue management, sales, marketing, event booking and programming, construction and design consulting, and pre-opening services for such landmark facilities as McCormick Place & Soldier Field in Chicago, Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Houston’s NRG Park and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through its concessions and catering company SAVOR, currently serving more than 140 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.

LONDON (19 Nov) – Four-weight world champion Miguel Cotto has praised his legendary trainer Freddie Roach as the man to mastermind his victory over Mexican rival Canelo Alvarez.

The Puerto Rican icon’s fight week preparations have been marred in controversy after he was stripped of his WBC middleweight belt for failing to pay the governing bodies sanctioning fees.

As a result, Cotto will no longer be able to defend his world title for Saturday night’s megafight, exclusively live on BoxNation, but is certain he will emerge the victor after joining forces with the esteemed Roach, who has turned his career around with three wins in a row.

“Everything happens when it is the time to happen. I arrived three years ago, and my career had a different way to go right now because of Freddie, because of what Freddie did to myself,” said Cotto.

“I don’t know what would happen in my career if Freddie was with me before. Nobody can know that.

“We have developed a good chemistry between us. We can talk about our plans, what is going to be best for us during the fight. Our chemistry is the best thing we have with each other. Freddie has done such a great job and we are very prepared for this fight,” he said.

Hall of Fame trainer Roach is also upbeat, backing his man to take care of business in sensational style this weekend when he steps in against the formidable Canelo, who has 45 wins with just one loss – that coming against pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.

“We’ve had three great fights so far, and I expect the best one to be coming up soon,” said Roach.

“I think Miguel is the best fighter he’s ever fought, and I think he’s handpicked opponents. Mayweather was a tough fighter but not a big puncher, and this is the first heavy puncher he’s going against.

“Miguel has looked great in his last three fights, and his punching power is improving, and he’s using every bit of his body weight to do that, and it’s something we have been working on, and he’s punching very well.

“I feel that this guy gets hit too much, and I think Miguel will knock him out somewhere along the way. It’s going to be a great fight, and we are looking for a knock out in this fight, and we will be the first person to knock out Alvarez,” said a confident Roach.

35-year-old Cotto will enter the ring as the more experienced man having turned professional nearly 15 years ago when he made his debut in February 2001 with a first round stoppage over Jason Doucet.

Cotto claims a win over Canelo will be his biggest victory and has revealed that the time is near at hand for him to hang up his gloves.

“Boxing is the only thing I know to do in life. I’ve been working for the benefit of my family. I said before that I’m going to retire myself. I am 35 years old. I plan to be in boxing no longer than a year from now,” said Cotto.

“I don’t want to be in the sport for that much longer. I see two or three more fights and that will be all.

“This win will probably be the biggest victory of my career, but at the end of the road it’s just going to be victory No. 41 for me,” 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.

-Ends-
About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at Livesport.tv and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 19, 2015) – The Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) and former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) completed their final press conference yesterday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas ahead of their Nov. 21 world championship showdown, which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.

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. Below is what the fighters, trainers and dais guests had to say at today’s final main event press conference:

MIGUEL COTTO, The Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion:

“We are hours away from the fight. We had a great training camp in Los Angeles for several weeks. All I have to say is that I am ready for the fight. I know that Canelo is ready too. Let’s give the fans the fight they need from us.

“Freddie brings his best to every day and every session. The least I can do is bring my best too. I think the chemistry between us grows every day.

“We are going to apply our strategy in the best way possible. And I have no doubt that what we worked on in LA for seven weeks is going to be the key for a victory.

“I don’t need a belt to fight Canelo.”

CANELO ÁLVAREZ, Former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion:

“Thank you all for the support you’ve given me and this great event. Also, the reception that each and every one of you have given to me, I’m very grateful. I’ve had a great preparation. I’ve worked very hard. I am patiently waiting for Saturday night to have my hand raised in victory once again. It’s going to be a difficult fight, I know that, but that is why I prepared properly, and I am ready to give a great fight.”

FREDDIE ROACH, International Boxing Hall of Famer & Seven-Time BWAA Trainer of the Year Award Winner, Miguel Cotto Trainer:

“Miguel has a great training camp for this fight. We’re 100% ready for this fight, the biggest fight of the year. I’ve never seen Miguel better than this.

“Miguel is stronger. His condition is great. We had about 6-7 sparring partners for this fight. And we’re headed into our last workout today.

“I would love for Miguel to win this fight by knockout, call out Mayweather and then end his career. Miguel always tells me that if he had me in his corner when he fought Mayweather he would have knocked him out. He tells me that story all the time. I think Miguel could pull off the strategy I have to beat Mayweather. I think that would be a good fight for him. I think I could put Miguel in a very aggressive mode.

“We are going to box a lot in this fight. We’re not just going out there looking for a knockout. I don’t want him doing that. I want him using his foot speed and his angles. He’s a more complete fighter now than ever.

“Canelo’s defense is terrible. He follows you wherever you go. He’s like a robot. If you use angles on him, he will be lost. He cannot make adjustment well.

“We need a fight like this. It’s great for the sport.

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer for Canelo Álvarez:

“We are prepared to win our second WBC title on Nov. 21.”

CHEPO REYNOSO, Manager and Trainer for Canelo Álvarez:

“On the Canelo team we have a saying that, ‘what you do right cannot have a bad outcome.’ We worked very hard with 14 weeks of camp and not one day was without hard work and enthusiasm. We will see Canelo’s hand raised in victory on Nov. 21. After 14 weeks of hard work, we see him just days away with the same enthusiasm to be the champion, to be one of the best. Another saying we have on our team is, ‘the fight is won in the gym. In the ring, they just raise your hand.”

MICHAEL YORMARK, President & Chief of Branding and Strategy Roc Nation:

“The great Sugar Ray Robinson once said “rhythm is everything in boxing. Every move you make starts with your heart, and that’s in rhythm or you’re in trouble.”
When you think about these two great champions that sit before you – Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez – I think it is fair to say that everything they do comes from their heart. Because when they step into that ring on Saturday night, under the lights of the Mandalay Bay Events Center and HBO Pay-Per-View, not only will they be fighting for themselves and their own glory, but also for the pride and glory of their family, their fans, and their country.
“There are over a million compliments I could pay the champ, Miguel Cotto.But one thing I can tell you is when I visited him in training camp, I walked away literally exhausted by his effort, his passion and his commitment – I came away feeling bad for Canelo. It is clear that Miguel Cotto fights for a purpose well beyond himself. He fights for family and he fights for country. He knows the history of the Puerto Rico-Mexico rivalry, he knows that Puerto Rico currently holds the advantage, and he fully intends to extend that advantage on Saturday night.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez. Puerto Rico vs. Mexico. Puncher vs. puncher. Younger lion against….older lion. This fight has all the makings of an instant classic for the Lineal Middleweight World Championship. And, at least for Canelo, the WBC world championship.

“For Latinos all over the world, this is our Super Bowl. This is an event that not one Hispanic, not one Latino is going to miss. That is how important this event is to us. Puerto Rico vs. Mexico is like no other event for those countries. This is like our Super Bowl, that’s how important this event is.”

HECTOR SOTO, Vice President of Miguel Cotto Promotions:

“This Saturday, all of us will witness probably the best fight in the last 10 years. For the last eight weeks, Miguel Cotto has trained very hard to get ready for this fight. Thank you everybody for your support and we will see you Saturday night.”

MAURICIO SULAIMAN, President of the WBC:

“I am proud to celebrate this highly anticipated match between two icons representing their countries, their legacy and their pride.”

RICHARD STURM, President of Spoorts and Entertainment, MGM Resorts International:

“We are excited to host the clash of two champions who will bring a high level of intensity this Saturday night. They will provide fans with an exciting evening of world class boxing. Thanks to Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto, Canelo Alvarez, HBO, and Bob Bennet at the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Thanks to all for one of the greatest fights of the year.”

MARK TAFFET, Senior Vice President of HBO Sports Operations:

“This is an outstanding week and one we will remember forever. It’s exciting to be working as a fan on one of the most special events of boxing this year. Cotto-Canelo features the biggest stars in one of the biggest fights of the year.

“Earlier this year HBO was proud to feature events with both Cotto and Canelo. In May Canelo’s fight on HBO World Championship Boxing generated 2.1 million viewers and in June, Miguel generated 1.6 million views also on HBO World Championship Boxing. We can’t wait to bring this fight to all of their fans who tuned in earlier this year. We know that they carry their respective nations on their backs and we know that Cotto vs. Canelo will likely be a fight that will talked about for years to come.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Partner:

“In any sport, you want to be the best and say you are the best but few prove it. Thanks to Cotto, thanks to Canelo for giving us this mega fight. This fight is why boxing hasn’t been forgotten and never will.”

Cotto vs. Canelo, a 12-round fight for the Lineal Middleweight World Championship, 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; Tequila Cazadores and Corporate Travel Made Simple (ctms). Also on the pay-per-view telecast will be Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas in a 12-round co-featured fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship presented in association with Teiken Promotions; Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Drian Francisco in a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented in association with Caribe Promotions; and Jayson Velez vs. Ronny Rios is a 10-round featherweight bout which will open the Pay-Per-View telecast. 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.

Randy Caballero vs. Lee Haskins, a 12-round fight for the IBF Bantamweight World Championship, is presented in association with Bristol Boxing Ltd. and will be featured as part of the preliminary undercards available on digital platforms starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature a special live performance by 2015 Latin Grammy nominee Yandel. The performance will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View after the second fight of the pay-per-view telecast.

A limited number of tickets priced at $2,000, $1,750, $1,250 and $650, not including applicable service charges, can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay box office, ticketmaster.com, mandalaybay.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. Ticket orders are limited to four per person.

Tickets for closed circuit viewings of Cotto vs. Canelo at select MGM Resorts International properties in Las Vegas are priced at $75, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased at all MGM Resorts International Ticket Offices, http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez will be presented live with Fathom Events in select theaters nationwide. Tickets for theater screenings of Cotto vs. Canelo can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit www.fathomevents.com/event/cotto-vs-canelo-live.

Sports bars, restaurants, casinos (outside of Clark County, NV) and other commercial establishments can order Cotto vs. Canelo by contacting Joe Hand Promotions at 1-800-557-4263 or visit www.JoeHandPromotions.com. Joe Hand Promotions is the exclusive commercial distributor for Cotto vs. Canelo throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information, visit www.rocnation.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mx, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mandalaybay.com; follow on Twitter at @RocNation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @RealMiguelCotto, @Canelo, @HBOBoxing, and @MandalayBay; become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/RealMiguelACotto, www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/MandalayBay; and follow on Instagram @rocnation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @realmiguelacotto, @Canelo, @HBOboxing and @MandalayBay. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.

By Norm Frauebheim

LAS VEGAS – The World Boxing Council’s middleweight title belt almost looked like an item at a garage sale Wednesday during a news conference for the Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez bout Saturday night at Mandalay Bay.

It was at the end of long table next to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, seemingly on display, but not wanted by its former owner.

“I don’t need another belt,’’ Cotto said to a group of writers before the news conference started in a nearby theater.

His wardrobe is full of them. He has won titles in four weight classes over more than 14 years. Make no mistake, another one would be nice, but not at $1.1 million, the total he would have had to pay out of his purse for the right to defend the title against Canelo.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Negotiations with the WBC fell apart Monday night and perhaps took some buzz off of the HOB pay-per-view production. Cotto said he would have been willing to pay $125,000 to the WBC for the sanctioning fee. But Sulaiman said no, which is why the belt was parked like used car at one end of the VIP table Wednesday.

The rest, $800,000, was reported to be the amount Cotto agreed to pay Gennady Golovkin. Call it a step-aside fee. For six figures, Golovkin, the WBC’s No. 1contender, reportedly agreed to step aside for Canelo so the fight with Canelo could be made in another bout in the rich Puerto Rican-Mexican history.

But there are still questions about whether Golovkin will get that reported money.

“There are legal issues,’’Cotto attorney Gabe Penagaricano said Wednesday.
Translation: You’ll probably only see a Cotto-GGG fight in court. GGG’s best shot at unifying the 160-pound title will happen if Canelo wins the now vacant WBC version. There’s a good chance that Canelo will. The popular Mexican was about a 3-to-1 favorite Wednesday.

The always-reticent Canelo had little to say about the circumstances that transpired in the financial shuffle that that took the title out Cotto’s possession.

“It doesn’t change anything,’’ Canelo said. “I am prepared to fight the best Cotto.’’

From Cotto’s perspective, there are no regrets about his old belt. No worries, either. He shook hands with Sulaiman, who after the news conference had the belt slung over a shoulder. The flap won’t affect the fight, Coto said. that generated a few headlines. The public, Cotto said, doesn’t care about ruling bodies that charge sanctioning fees for interim belts, and silver belts in countless weight classes.

“We are bigger than the organizations,’’ said Cotto, who didn’t need to say more.

WBO World Middleweight Champion Andy Lee and his challenger Billy Joe Saunders are divided on who wins this Saturday’s mega-fight between Miguel Cotto and Saul Alvarez in Las Vegas, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Lee and Saunders collide in their own super-fight on Saturday 19th December at the Manchester Arena, but they’ll be paying close attention as to who emerges the victor from the Puerto Rican-Mexican shoot-out as it impacts on the talent packed 160lb division ruled by Gennady Golovkin.

With Alvarez the favourite to win in the fight, Irishman Lee reckons Cotto will be come out on top.

He said, “I’m going against the grain and picking Cotto. He’s boxing very cleverly at the moment and I see him using all his experience to box around Canelo. At his best, Miguel has excellent rhythm and I believe he can use that to frustrate Alvarez who I expect will come looking to take him out with one spectacular punch. Cotto on points.”

Unbeaten challenger Saunders is tipping Alvarez, but would love to see Cotto win as he wants to fight him.

“I believe that Alvarez will be too fresh for Cotto. He’s got too much on his side like youth, strength and speed and I think Cotto may be just on the slide now. I think Alvarez will win by late stoppage, but it’s going to be a cracking fight. There’s a side of me that would like to see Cotto win because he was my favourite fighter as a kid and I would have like to have fought a great like him. Maybe I still could down the line, but first things first with me and I want to win that WBO World title from Lee.” Said Saunders.

Frank Warren’s end of year title extravaganza ‘X-Mas Cracker’ is headlined by two massive world title showdowns with WBO World Middleweight Champion Andy Lee defending his title against Billy Joe Saunders and WBO World Super-Welterweight Champion Liam Smith making his first title defence against Jimmy Kelly. A staggering SIX further titles are on the line with Mitchell Smith defending his WBO Intercontinental Super-Featherweight title against George Jupp; Paul Butler challenges for the Vacant WBO European Super-Flyweight Championship against Silvio Olteanu; Tommy Langford defends his WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Championship; Commonwealth Super-Welterweight Champion Liam Williams and Kris Carslaw clash with the Vacant British title also on the line; Jack Catterall defends his WBO Intercontinental Super-Lightweight Championship, and Adrian Gonzalez defends his WBO Intercontinental Lightweight Championship. Plus the undercard features Merseyside favourite Derry Mathews and Indian superstar Vijender Singh.

Tickets are priced at £40, £50, £75, £100, £200 and £300 are available from:

www.frankwarren.com

TicketMaster
0844 844 0444
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk

Manchester Arena
0161 950 5000
0161 950 5229 (disabled access bookings)
www.manchester-arena.co.uk

*Tickets are subject to a booking fee.

The Channel Of Champions, BoxNation, will televise Cotto v Alvarez and Lee v Saunders live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546 and Talk Talk 415. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com Or watch online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android.

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 17, 2015) –Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Canelo Promotions are pleased to announce the preliminary undercard of the Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez event on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The preliminary bouts will be available to view digitally on HBO Boxing’s YouTube Page, TIDAL.com and GoldenBoyPromotions.com, along with other websites and outlets starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

In preliminary undercard action, San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Alberto “El Explosivo” Machado (11-0, 9 KOs) will face Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (8-4-2, 6 KOs) of Long Branch, NJ in a six-round lightweight bout. After representing his native country in many international competitions, Machado looked to implement his power and style during each match starting with his pro debut on Nov.17, 2012 against Alex Nazario, which resulted in a third-round technical knockout. On Nov. 11, 2014, Machado overtook Alvin Torres with a second-round technical knockout to secure the vacant WBC USNBC Super Featherweight Title. Luckey will look to tarnish Machado’s undefeated record when they clash on Nov. 21.

Making the first defense of his IBF Bantamweight World Title, Randy “El Matador” Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs) will headline the preliminary undercard preceding the HBO Pay-Per-View telecast of Cotto vs. Canelo as he faces off against England’s Lee “Playboy” Haskins (32-3, 14 KOs).

A Silver Medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei (5-0, 3 KOs) of Zhengzhou, China is an imposing figure at 6’6” who continues to infuse excitement into the heavyweight division. On August 8, 2014, Zhang made his professional debut by scoring a first-round knockout
win over Curtis Lee Tate in Fallon, Nevada. On Nov. 21, he faces Juan Goode (6-2, 5 KOs) of Taylor, MI in a four-round heavyweight bout.

Puerto Rican unbeaten favorite Jose “Chiquiro” Martinez (15-0, 11 KOs) joins the preliminary undercard after scoring a third-round knockout victory against Armando Vazquez at Coliseo Hector Sola Bezares in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Aug. 8, 2015. Martinez will look to extend his undefeated record to sixteen fights on Nov. 21 when he takes on fellow undefeated fighter Oscar Mojica (8-0, 1 KO) of Dallas, TX in a six-round junior bantamweight fight.

Opening up the card, San Antonio up-and-coming prospect Hector “El Finito” Tanajara (3-0, 2 KOs) will face Jose Fabian Naranjo (3-1-1, 1 KO) of Uruapan, Baja California, Mexico in a four-round lightweight bout. The eight-time national champion Tanajara made his professional debut as a newly signed Golden Boy Promotions fighter on Aug. 6 and has added three impressive wins to his resume since then. On Nov. 21, he’ll look to add a fourth win with a victory over Naranjo in the ring.

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; Tequila Cazadores and Corporate Travel Made Simple (ctms). Also on the pay-per-view telecast will be Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas in a 12-round co-featured fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship presented in association with Teiken Promotions; Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Drian Francisco in a 10-round bantamweight bout presented in association with Caribe Promotions; and Jayson Velez vs. Ronny Rios is a 10-round featherweight bout which will open the pay-per-view telecast. 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.

Randy Caballero vs. Lee Haskins, a 12-round fight for the IBF Bantamweight World Championship, is presented in association with Bristol Boxing Ltd. and will be featured as part of the preliminary undercards available on digital platforms starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature a special live performance by 2015 Latin Grammy nominee Yandel. The performance will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View after the second fight of the pay-per-view telecast.

A limited number of tickets priced at $2,000, $1,750, $1,250 and $650, not including applicable service charges, can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay box office, ticketmaster.com, mandalaybay.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. Ticket orders are limited to four per person.

Tickets for closed circuit viewings of Cotto vs. Canelo at select MGM Resorts International properties in Las Vegas are priced at $75, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased at all MGM Resorts International Ticket Offices, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez will be presented live with Fathom Events in select theaters nationwide. Tickets for theater screenings of Cotto vs. Canelo can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit www.fathomevents.com/event/cotto-vs-canelo-live.

Sports bars, restaurants, casinos (outside of Clark County, NV) and other commercial establishments can order Cotto vs. Canelo by contacting Joe Hand Promotions at 1-800-557-4263 or visit www.JoeHandPromotions.com. Joe Hand Promotions is the exclusive commercial distributor for Cotto vs. Canelo throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information, visit www.rocnation.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mxwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.mandalaybay.com; follow on Twitter at @RocNation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @RealMiguelCotto, @Canelo, @HBOBoxing, and @MandalayBay; become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/RealMiguelACotto, www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/MandalayBay; and follow on Instagram @rocnation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @realmiguelacotto, @Canelo, @HBOboxing and @MandalayBay. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 18, 2015) – The Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) and former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) made their grand arrivals yesterday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas ahead of their Nov. 21 world championship showdown, which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View

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. Below is what the fighters and their trainers had to say at today’s grand arrivals:

MIGUEL COTTO, The Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion:

“Freddie is the biggest compliment I have in my career. He has made me a better boxer.
After this next fight, you are going to really understand what he has done for my career.

“I am not disappointed by the WBC’s decision [to strip Cotto of his title]. It was all about money. The fee for this fight was absurd to me and I prefer to keep the money in my account. I don’t need to pay attention to Oscar De La Hoya’s opinion. He should take care of his own business. And I will take care of mine. I don’t stick my nose in Oscar’s business.

“The organizations wants four champions in every division just to earn a percentage from
everybody. Then we have to pay for their mistakes. This is not fair to me. The WBC
told me my offer was not reasonable to them. They told me I was not going to be the
champion anymore. I don’t need their belt. I have enough belts in my house and with
the money I saved, I can buy any belt I want. I can be the champion of whatever I
want in my house.

“This fight sells itself. Everybody should know what to expect from Canelo and what kind of fight they can expect from me. I know I have everything I need to beat Canelo.

“I don’t want to be in the sport for that much longer. I see two or three more fights and
that will be all.

“No matter what I have to do on Nov. 21 to beat Canelo, I am going to do because I
prepared myself for war. I prepared myself for a good fight and, I am going to do my
best. This fight cannot be decided by one punch. I am going to use my whole arsenal to
beat Canelo.

“Training is all about discipline. Everyone knows that Freddie has Parkinson’s Disease.
You never hear any complaints coming from Freddie. This man, Freddie Roach, gave me
the tools I needed in my career and he made me work as hard as I can. Freddie made me
look the way I looked during our last few fights.”

CANELO ÁLVAREZ, Former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion:

“I understand the magnitude of this fight and what it means for the history of Puerto Rico vs. Mexico. I know this fight will go down as one of the most exciting and explosive nights in the famed rivalry and in the sport of boxing.

“I am very prepared for this fight. I have full confidence in my trainers and their approach to this fight. People can expect a great fight that will be talked about for years to come.

“I am doing this for my fans, for my country and for history.”

FREDDIE ROACH, International Boxing Hall of Famer & Seven-Time BWAA Trainer of the Year Award Winner, Miguel Cotto Trainer:

“Miguel trains with all he has. We’re in the gym every morning at 5:00 a.m. for conditioning work and that lasts for three hours. Then at 1:00 p.m. we have our boxing workout. We work really hard every day.

“Before I go to sleep every night, I run through my thoughts, and make sure I have everything covered. There’s not one aspect of the fight that I don’t think about. We cover all our bases. And we’re 100 percent ready for this opponent. Canelo makes a lot of mistakes. And we’re really going to take advantage of those mistakes. He has youth on his side. But that’s not going to be enough to beat us.

“Miguel is bigger than the belt.”

CHEPO REYNOSO, Manager and Trainer for Canelo Álvarez:

“I have had the privilege to see Canelo grow into the man that he is and I know that he is ready for this fight. He has been preparing for this night his whole life.

“Canelo is a strong, intelligent fighter, with a lot of heart and that will show on fight night. I know he will raise up his hands in victory for Mexico.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer for Canelo Álvarez:

“We are very well prepared for this fight. Canelo is a strong fighter who is getting better every day. On fight night there will be fireworks in the ring.

“We are very confident in Canelo’s abilities. He is someone with no limitations and will go down in history as legend after his victory on Nov. 21.”

Cotto vs. Canelo, a 12-round fight for the Lineal Middleweight World Championship, 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; Tequila Cazadores and Corporate Travel Made Simple (ctms). Also on the pay-per-view telecast will be Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas in a 12-round co-featured fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship presented in association with Teiken Promotions; Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Drian Francisco in a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented in association with Caribe Promotions; and Jayson Velez vs. Ronny Rios is a 10-round featherweight bout which will open the Pay-Per-View telecast. 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.

Randy Caballero vs. Lee Haskins, a 12-round fight for the IBF Bantamweight World Championship, is presented in association with Bristol Boxing Ltd. and will be featured as part of the preliminary undercards available on digital platforms starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature a special live performance by 2015 Latin Grammy nominee Yandel. The performance will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View after the second fight of the pay-per-view telecast.

A limited number of tickets priced at $2,000, $1,750, $1,250 and $650, not including applicable service charges, can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay box office, ticketmaster.com, mandalaybay.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. Ticket orders are limited to four per person.

Tickets for closed circuit viewings of Cotto vs. Canelo at select MGM Resorts International properties in Las Vegas are priced at $75, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased at all MGM Resorts International Ticket Offices, http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez will be presented live with Fathom Events in select theaters nationwide. Tickets for theater screenings of Cotto vs. Canelo can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit www.fathomevents.com/event/cotto-vs-canelo-live.

Sports bars, restaurants, casinos (outside of Clark County, NV) and other commercial establishments can order Cotto vs. Canelo by contacting Joe Hand Promotions at 1-800-557-4263 or visit www.JoeHandPromotions.com. Joe Hand Promotions is the exclusive commercial distributor for Cotto vs. Canelo throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information, visit www.rocnation.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mxwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.mandalaybay.com; follow on Twitter at @RocNation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @RealMiguelCotto, @Canelo, @HBOBoxing, and @MandalayBay; become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/RealMiguelACotto, www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/MandalayBay; and follow on Instagram @rocnation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @realmiguelacotto, @Canelo, @HBOboxing and @MandalayBay. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Miguel Corro was stripped of his WBC Middleweight title just days before his bug fight with Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas.

“The World Boxing Council worked tirelessly through a process that began over two years ago to secure the celebration of the highly anticipated fight between Miguel Cotto and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. The WBC is proud of that accomplishment that is giving boxing fans around the world a very important fight to see,” the WBC said in a statement. “After several weeks of communications, countless attempts and good faith time extensions trying to preserve the fight as a WBC world championship, Miguel Cotto and his promotion [Roc Nation Sports] did not agree to comply with the WBC rules and regulations, while Saul Alvarez has agreed to do so. Accordingly, the WBC must rule on the matter prior to the fight.

“The WBC hereby announces that effective immediately it has withdrawn recognition of Miguel Cotto as WBC world middleweight champion.”

The WBC also announced that if Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) wins Saturday’s fight, he will claim the vacant WBC belt. Alvarez would also displace Cotto as lineal champion. If Cotto wins he will remain lineal champion but WBC interim titleholder Gennady Golovkin will be elevated to full WBC titlist.

The WBC did not announce any details regarding what rules or regulations Cotto failed to comply with, but sources said Cotto’s title was withdrawn because he refused to pay a $300,000 sanctioning fee to the WBC.

“The WBC’s decision is premised on the fact that Miguel Cotto and his camp are not willing to abide by the governing WBC rules and regulations, and the specific conditions the WBC established to sanction the fight,” the WBC said. “Simply put: they are not willing to respect the very same rules and conditions which applied to Cotto becoming WBC champion. The WBC wishes Miguel Cotto the best of luck as we truly regret the course of action which led to them taking such decision. … The WBC wishes the promotion great success and we are satisfied that this great fight for boxing will be enjoyed by millions of fans around the world.”

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 17, 2015) – Buzz is building for the epic showdown set for this Saturday, November 21 when Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) and former two-time Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) will meet in the ring at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas for the Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championship.

Home to some of the greatest fighters to ever lace up the gloves, the middleweight division has long been a favorite of boxing fans because of the opportunity to watch fighters with unique skill sets and intangibles compete on the sport’s biggest stages.

As 20-time middleweight world champion Bernard Hopkins has said of the division he ruled for more than a decade, “The middleweight division has the power of the heavyweights, and the speed of the flyweights. That’s why the middleweight division will always be one of the prestigious divisions of all-time.”

In 2015, a group of middleweights are in the midst of a quest to add their own names to the aforementioned list, and beginning with the November 21 mega fight between Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto and Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas; the era of the “New Kings of the Middleweight Division” is underway.

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. Below is what celebrities, sports figures, media writers and other fighters had to say about their picks for the outcome of Cotto vs. Canelo on Nov. 21:

Sugar Ray Leonard, Six-Time World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist:

“I like Cotto for sentimental reasons and for what he has meant to the sport and boxing fans! Canelo has developed and grown along the way and taken to school against one of the best in Mayweather. If Cotto becomes that Miguel Cotto I remember, he will win by a smart, technical and fearless decision.”

Lennox Lewis, Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist:

“I’m picking Cotto over Canelo because he has the most experience.”

George Foreman, Two-Time Heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist:

“It will be a battle of wills as they are evenly matched. In my opinion, things will start to separate after that. Canelo Alvarez punches like a mule. Cotto just doesn’t have the heart to run; he will stand to fight after six rounds and by the ninth round he’ll most likely be KO’D by Canelo.”

Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, Current Unified WBA, IBF, WBC and IBO Middleweight Champion:

“It should be a great fight between two champions and two proven warriors. The edge goes to Canelo as he is younger and physically bigger than Cotto, however you can’t count out Cotto with Freddie Roach in his corner. Tom sees it as Canelo by decision, and Gennady thinks Canelo will stop Cotto late.”

Sylvester Stallone, Academy Award Nominee Staring in “Creed”:

“One of those two guys will win for sure.”

Mario Lopez, Host of “Extra”:

“We are going for Canelo. My loyalty is to Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions. This is a big Puerto Rico and Mexican rivalry.”

Rosie Perez, Acclaimed American Actress:

“I’m sticking with my fellow Boricua. Win lose or draw, Miguel Cotto all the way!”

Kate Del Castillo, Acclaimed Mexican Actress Staring in “The 33”:

“Oh my gosh, are you kidding me? Canelo, of course! Of course!”

John David Washington, Star of HBO series “Ballers”:

“We the fans are in for a dynamic action packed fight. Should be violent and dramatic. I love Cotto because he is all heart. Canelo is a beast and more experienced now. I can’t call it. What I can predict is this will truly be a fan friendly fight and one of the most entertaining fights this year no hype needed. We will get our money’s worth.”

Bruce Buffer, Official Octagon Announcer for UFC:

“Both Cotto and Canelo possess boxing skills and styles that will make a much-anticipated war in the square ring as they will bring the fight to each other. I give the edge to Miguel Cotto and may the best man that night win.”

Claudio Sanchez, Lead Singer and Guitarist for Coheed and Cambria:

“Miguel Cotto. His experience, his new trainer Freddie Roach and he left hook to the body will be the key to beating Canelo Alvarez. Viva Puerto Rico!”

Erick Aybar, Short Stop for the Atlanta Braves:

“I like Cotto because he is a more experienced boxer, a harder puncher and is always leading the attack.”

Angie Martinez, American Radio Personality and “The Voice of New York” on Power 105.1:

“Cotto, by decision.”

Rusney Castillo, Right Fielder for the Boston Red Sox:

“I have to support our Roc Nation family member, Miguel Cotto, in his fight against Canelo Alvarez on Nov. 21. I may not be sure what round he will overcome Canelo, but I am confident that Cotto will take the night!”

Larry Merchant, Longtime Boxing Analyst and Commentator for HBO Sports:

“Old Sayings, ‘Youth must be served.’ Canelo, 25, by TKO in round 10.

Old Sayings also say, ‘Great fighters always have one great fight left in them.’ Cotto, 35, by decision.

Canelo was lulled, listless vs. Mayweather; true grit vs. Kirkland. Cotto re-dedicated and restored himself vs. so-so opposition. Therefore, I’ve got Canelo.”

Dan Rafael, ESPN.com:

“Cotto is a great fighter who will be in the Hall of Fame someday but Canelo might join him there eventually and he is 10 years younger and whole lot fresher. Boxing is usually a young man’s game so I am going with Canelo by a late knockout.”

Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports:

“Canelo by decision. A lot of people lost faith in Canelo after he lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather did that to a lot of fighters. Alvarez is a supremely gifted fighter who has learned a lot since that fight. He punches well with both hands and is increasingly putting his punches together well. He’s the naturally bigger man and has youth on his side. Cotto’s late-career resurgence has been fueled, in part, by less than stellar opposition. Sergio Martinez was at the end of the line when they fought. I greatly respect Cotto, and he’s going to make it a fight, but I think the bigger, younger and stronger man will win it.”

Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press:

“I think it will be a good fight early with both fighters taking some punishment. In the end, I think Alvarez will wear down Cotto and win by TKO in the 11th round.”

Lyle Fitzsimmons, CBSSports.com:

“I can’t recall a recent high-profile fight that seems like so much a 50/50 proposition going in. Cotto has the resume and the skill set. Canelo has the youth and size. In the end, I think this will be the fight in which the youngster proves that he belongs among the elites, using an advantage in energy to carry him to a narrow win in a punishing fight. Canelo by decision.”

Lance Pugmire, The Los Angeles Times:

“Canelo Alvarez’s youth and power should decide this fight.

Even if Miguel Cotto is the smarter, more tactical fighter, he is likely to be drawn into a battle where Alvarez will punish him, and it will likely happen often enough to result in a late stoppage victory. I’ll say, 11th round.”

Jeff Powell, The Daily Mail:

“Canelo by decision.

Even though Freddie Roach’s training has clearly improved Cotto, youth and strength will prevail in what is likely to be a close fight through the first seven or eight rounds with Canelo pulling away in the later stages.”

Sergio Machado, NBCDeportes.com:

“Miguel Cotto has been and still is a great boxer, actually one of the best in history. However, boxing, like pretty much everything else in life, has generational changes and this may be the time for Canelo Álvarez to take the torch and establish himself as one of the most prominent faces of the sport. Canelo represents a big problem for Cotto because of his power. In his few losses and even in some wins, Cotto has shown problems when he gets hit with power. Cotto likes to engage as well and this is something very dangerous against an opponent with prominent heavy hands. I think Canelo has a slim chance to KO Cotto in the later rounds.”

Francisco Cuevas, NBC Deportes:

“When two boxers like Canelo and Cotto meet in the ring is a great event for boxing. Cotto should win because of his experience and dedication but Canelo should also win because of his youth and power. At the end of the day the fanatics around the world will win, witnessing a true classic match between two warriors.”

Brian Campbell, ESPN.com:

“Cotto by decision.

Canelo’s advantages in size and youth are hard to ignore. But Cotto’s edge in experience will ultimately be the deciding factor. The more Cotto can use his powerful left hook to dissuade Canelo from turning the fight into a brawl, the bigger the opening will be for the Puerto Rican icon to keep it a boxing match, which plays into his favor.”

Steve Kim, UCNLive.com:

“In what I believe is a very evenly matched fight, I think youth will eventually prevail and I’m picking Saul Alvarez to edge Miguel Cotto in what will be a hard-fought contest that will see pockets of great action and swings in momentum.”

Steve Springer, Author and Former Los Angeles Times Award-Winning Sports Writer:

“Canelo by split decision.

Canelo wasn’t ready for prime time when fought Mayweather, but this is his time.
At 35, Cotto still has some fight left in him, but his age will show Saturday night.
In a tough, competitive, often brutal match, the torch will be passed.”

Robert Littal, BlackSportsOnline.com:

“I think Miguel Cotto is going to surprise some people and put a boxing lesson on Canelo. Freddie Roach is one of the best of putting a game plan together and exploiting weaknesses, I think he has seen how Canelo has problem with movement and good boxers. You are going to see a combination of excellent boxing, defense and power punching from Cotto and he will cruise to a unanimous dominate decision.”

David Avila, TheSweetScience.com:

“Before Cotto began training with Freddie Roach, I would have picked Canelo by KO. But Cotto has become a more technical and strategic fighter under Roach. Now, I consider it a deadlocked even fight. I see it ending in a draw.”

Cotto vs. Canelo, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championship, 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; Tequila Cazadores and Corporate Travel Made Simple (ctms). Also on the pay-per-view telecast will be Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas in a 12-round co-featured fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship presented in association with Teiken Promotions; Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Drian Francisco in a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented in association with Caribe Promotions; and Jayson Velez vs. Ronny Rios is a 10-round featherweight bout which will open the pay-per-view telecast. 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.

Randy Caballero vs. Lee Haskins, a 12-round fight for the IBF Bantamweight World Championship, is presented in association with Bristol Boxing Ltd. and will be featured as part of the preliminary undercards available on digital platforms starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature a special live performance by 2015 Latin Grammy nominee Yandel. The performance will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View after the second fight of the pay-per-view telecast.

A limited number of tickets priced at $2,000, $1,750, $1,250 and $650, not including applicable service charges, can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay box office, ticketmaster.com, mandalaybay.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. Ticket orders are limited to four per person.

Tickets for closed circuit viewings of Cotto vs. Canelo at select MGM Resorts International properties in Las Vegas are priced at $75, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased at all MGM Resorts International Ticket Offices, http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez will be presented live with Fathom Events in select theaters nationwide. Tickets for theater screenings of Cotto vs. Canelo can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit www.fathomevents.com/event/cotto-vs-canelo-live.

Sports bars, restaurants, casinos (outside of Clark County, NV) and other commercial establishments can order Cotto vs. Canelo by contacting Joe Hand Promotions at 1-800-557-4263 or visit www.JoeHandPromotions.com. Joe Hand Promotions is the exclusive commercial distributor for Cotto vs. Canelo throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information, visit www.rocnation.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mxwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.mandalaybay.com; follow on Twitter at @RocNation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @RealMiguelCotto, @Canelo, @HBOBoxing, and @MandalayBay; become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/RealMiguelACotto, www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/MandalayBay; and follow on Instagram @rocnation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @realmiguelacotto, @Canelo, @HBOboxing and @MandalayBay. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.

LONDON (17 Nov) – 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.

-Ends-
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By Bart Barry-

Saturday at Mandalay Bay, Puerto Rican middleweight champion Miguel Cotto will swap blows with Mexican junior middleweight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in a main event that should mark 2015’s best pay-per-view match. The broadcast will happen on pay-HBO, a network whose commentators surely will invoke, in tones alternately awestruck and threatening, the name of the Kazakh fighter who holds the HBO middleweight title, reminding viewers Canelo-Cotto happens at a catchweight, 155 pounds, and that its unlucky winner will have fewer than two weeks to savor his victory before a Mexican sanctioning organization promises to strip that fighter of its belt and award the garish green tchotchke to HBO’s undisputed middleweight champion – as if the WBC ever would strip Canelo Alvarez.

The best outcome for aficionados is a Saturday match so even, violent, and robust, fans rise in a single, stentorian voice to demand a Cinco de Mayo rematch. The best outcome for HBO’s champion and at least one of his copromoters, of course, is that one man, probably Canelo, wins lopsidedly and then, in hotblood, gets goaded by Max to say he wants to fight the HBO middleweight champion next.

Among the many things about Latino prizefighters that should enchant aficionados, there’s this: An apparent obliviousness of American media manias. A man like Saul Alvarez lives in a selfsufficient country where, whatever his handlers might say when a contract gets signed, he doesn’t think about HBO or the opinions of its commentary crew or, best of all, its current exuberance for fighters from the former Soviet Union. However it gets broadcasted, the Saturday match between Alvarez and Cotto is not an elimination bout for a chance to face HBO’s middleweight champion; Canelo-Cotto is a prizefight in which each man will face an opponent many, many times better than anyone the HBO middleweight champion of the world has fought.

The winner of Canelo-Cotto, HBO tells us in a chorus with its champion’s official promoter, will have some arbitrarily chosen span of time before the winner has to declare he will face HBO’s middleweight champion or else risk ongoing banishment from HBO’s Gatti List and Fight Game List. Banishment from both lists ripples banishments across social media as a force multiplier, including possible banishments from the ESPN list, Pinterest, a number of influential Twitter polls, and a carefully chosen plethora of whatever apps teenage girls mindlessly refresh at Starbucks. The stakes aren’t merely high for the Mexican and the Puerto Rican, in other words: They’re nigh insurmountable.

Fortunately for both Canelo and Cotto, neither of them cares a jot for the subjective hierarchies that consume an everdwindling number of impoverished wouldbe aficionados who instead came of age in the List Era . . .

We now interrupt this hopeless column to hear from Saturday’s promoter and participants:

“Miguel, you have had an illustrious career, you are one of the marquee names in Puerto Rican fight history, you have fought a number of great fighters, you are one of my favorite fighters – one of the fighters I most enjoy hearing myself talk about, a fighter I can say dynamic, crushing, extraordinary, phenomenal things about – you are a Puerto Rican and a champion, Miguel, how do you feel about our certainty you will lose to the HBO middleweight champion, a man who began his career 20 pounds heavier than you began yours, if ever you find within yourself a fraction the courage required to fight him?”

“Miguel Cotto does not care about HBO middleweight champion.”

“Canelo, when people like me think about Mexican fighters, we think of names like Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Salvador Sanchez, Pancho Villa, Finito Lopez, the Aztec emperor Cuauhtémoc, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos – I can go on but I won’t because what I want to know, and what I think we’ve convinced others they want us to know, is this: Do you have trouble sleeping at night when you think about agreeing in principle to fight the HBO middleweight champion within 15 days of your possible victory over Miguel Cotto?”

“No, no, para nada. Lo que los comentaristas de HBO dicen sobre su campeón no me importa. Vivo en México, y ni sé quienes son – ni quien eres tú.”

. . . when mankind’s understandable if wholly absurd desire to impose order on an unpredictable and violent world married itself to a simplified form of written expression, the list, that required no transitional sentences, no spiraling thoughts, and considerably less craft than its predecessor forms.

Saturday’s match is not likely to disappoint. Canelo is best when his adversary attacks him, and Cotto knows he is best when attacking intelligently, stepping forward in an offensive flow. What both Cotto and Coach Freddie know is that if the match becomes a contest of offensive improvisation, where each man’s conditioning allows him to engage the other intelligently and at a comfortable pace, Cotto will have more depths from which to fetch, more opponent tricks he’s solved, more tricks he’s introduced to opponents, all of it, than Canelo will have. It’s not experience’s quantity so much as its quality – the fencer’s jab Cotto used against Shane Mosley in 2007, as an example, is an offensive adaptation of which Canelo, in 47 prizefights, has yet to prove himself capable. All other likely developments favor Canelo. He is younger, bigger, more physical, and most importantly, possessed of a right uppercut onto which Cotto will almost certainly drop himself.

This match will fulfill violent expectations – with Cotto lasting slightly longer than his detractors expect but considerably shorter than his supporters hope. I’ll take Canelo, TKO-10.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry