Sadam Ali Beats Miguel Cotto via Unanimous Decision in Junito's Final Fight
Dec 3, 2017
Sadam Ali, right, punches Miguel Cotto during the fifth round of a WBO junior middleweight title boxing match Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
This was not the way Miguel Cotto's legendary career was supposed to end. The 37-year-old Puerto Rican was supposed to go out victorious after 16 years of trading punches with the very best his generation had to offer, but in the end, the night belonged to his challenger.
Sadam Ali (26-1, 14 KOs) showed great speed, determination and skill in defeating Cotto (41-6, 33 KOs) by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday night.
The biggest win of his career by far, Ali earned the WBO world super welterweight title by playing spoiler and has certainly opened up great opportunities for himself going forward.
ESPN's Dan Rafael provided the cards from the upset:
We go to the scorecards: 115-113, 115-113, 116-112 all for Sadam Ali, who win a junior middleweight title and sends Cotto into retirement on a loss. https://t.co/VtfF4XcQjZ
Boxing Monthly's Graham Houston felt it was a fitting result:
Really good, smart, gutsy display from Ali. Deserved the win. I hope Cotto sticks with the decision to retire. He doesn't need any more of the Marquess of Queensberry (as Budd Schulberg might have said).
Cotto said he hurt his left biceps in the seventh round, per the HBO broadcast. Cotto also confirmed that it would be his last fight, and thanked the fans for supporting him, per Bad Left Hook:
Cotto: “Thank you for supporting me at every moment. I’m so glad to call Madison Square Garden my home.”
Cotto, who won six titles in four different weight classes in his career, didn't make excuses for the outcome. He may have been on the wrong end of the scorecard, but his fans could hardly feel cheated. He treated them to yet another thrilling fight.
Ali looked confident and loose from the opening bell, showing quick hands and constantly bouncing around the ring. Cotto looked a bit awkward trying to corral Ali, and the latter made him pay in the second round with a crushing right to the jaw that clearly hurt Cotto.
Ali fell to the canvas not long after he staggered Cotto, but the referee rightly ruled it a slip.
Rappler.com's Ryan Songalia noted stopping right hands has been a problem for Cotto throughout his career:
Cotto has a lot of experience in these kinds of fights, and he isn't the kind of guy you can knock out with just one right hand. But just as he's been for much of his career, he's having trouble with stopping right hands.
Ali's hand speed proved troublesome for Cotto. The 29-year-old Brooklynite proved his worth again in the fourth, slipping in a left hook and then later another right that each time had Cotto pausing to regain his senses.
Despite the night being built up as a chance for Cotto to ride into the sunset with a win, BoxingScene.com's Cliff Rold was OK with the emerging narrative:
After four brilliant rounds, Ali curiously took his foot off the gas, allowing Cotto to climb back into the fight. Cotto controlled the pace in the fifth round and then landed a crisp straight right hand in the sixth that sent Ali stumbling into the ropes.
The sixth round shifted the momentum into Cotto's favor for the first time in the fight, but he didn't get to enjoy it for long. Ali stemmed the tide in the eighth round, finding the bounce in his legs again and not hesitating to let his hands go and trade punches with the fighter eight years his senior.
With Ali fighting on his own terms in the latter rounds, commentator Roy Jones Jr. noted that Cotto needed to earn the win in his farewell, rather than have it gifted to him, per Bad Left Hook:
Cotto should have to actually win the fight to be called the winner of the fight, according to expert commentator Roy Jones. In boxing you have to have an expert explain that.
Perhaps sensing that the judges might gift Cotto a couple of rounds, Ali went for broke in the final two frames. He attacked Cotto from multiple angles and used his speed to throw multi-punch combos that left the aging prizefighter with little chance to retaliate.
In the end, Ali's performance was undeniable. Now that he's a world titleholder, Ali will surely get some high-profile opportunities in the near future.
As for Cotto, he went out with his head held up high and appeared content with everything he's done in the ring. Had he dominated Ali, one could imagine him perhaps getting the itch to take on a Canelo Alvarez or Gennady Golovkin, which was the initial plan.
However, this result showed that it might be better for him to hang up the gloves, with a great, entertaining Hall of Fame-worthy career to show for his efforts.
Miguel Cotto vs. Sadam Ali: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info
Nov 30, 2017
Boxer Miguel Cotto poses for a portrait, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, in New York. Cotto faces Sadam Ali in a junior middleweight bout on Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Miguel Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs), one of the best fighters of his generation, is potentially ending his career on his own terms Saturday night.
The 37-year-old Puerto Rican, who has won six world titles in four different weight classes over a 16-year pro career, has set up a final bout against Sadam Ali (25-1, 14 KOs) for the WBO world super welterweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Boxing fans would be wise to clear time in their schedules to see him off, although it sometimes takes multiple farewells before a fighter finally hangs the gloves up.
Cotto vs. Ali Fight Info
When: Saturday, Dec. 2 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City
TV: HBO, BoxNation (UK, subscription required)
Live Stream: BoxNation (UK, subscription required)
Cotto has fought some of the biggest names in the sport during his career, faltering against the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather but taking down others such as Shane Mosley and Sergio Martinez. A fan favorite due to his willingness to take on boxing's best and his entertaining style, Cotto will go down as one of the more respected fighters of the past couple of decades.
CBSSports.com's Brian Campbell called him "the most honest fighter of his generation" for taking on so many challenges throughout career and handling them with transparency:
"Cotto will be remembered for the honest effort he gave in his biggest fights and the consistency of the entertainment in which he regularly provided. A noted family man outside the ring, he was as human and real of a fighter inside it as his generation had to offer and a refreshing boxer-businessman who went a long way in making sure, along with securing big paydays for himself, that the fans still received what they wanted most."
Ali, his opponent Saturday night, isn't anywhere near the level of those illustrious names, and that could be why Cotto ends up un-retiring at some point.
Cotto wanted to face the winner of the Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez bout, but a draw in that blockbuster matchup scrapped those plans. The desire to cap his career with against a high-profile opponent could draw him back to the ring, even as he approaches 40 years old.
Judging by the odds, Cotto's final bow doesn't figure to be the kind of kinetic, competitive contest fans have grown accustomed to seeing him in. According to OddsShark.com (as of Thursday, Nov. 29), Cotto is a -1000 favorite (bet $1,000 to win $100), Ali a +600 underdog. Cotto comes into the contest having won four of his last five bouts, the lone defeat coming against Alvarez in November 2015.
In his most recent bout in August, Cotto pummeled Yoshihiro Kamegai for 12 rounds on the way to a decision victory. The clean, powerful combinations Cotto was landing in that bout would have destroyed just about any other fighter, but Kamegai appears to have an indestructible chin.
Ali will have to be much more careful than Kamegai was if he is to have any chance in this bout. The 29-year-old from Brooklyn should feel comfortable fighting in his hometown, but Cotto presents a far greater challenge than any he has faced in his career.
This is the second world-title fight for Ali. He lost by ninth-round TKO to Jessie Vargas in a WBO world welterweight bout early last year, which is the only defeat of his career so far. Ali has won his last three contests since that defeat.
While Cotto has the star power, pedigree and proven skill set, Ali is confident he can upset the man eight years his senior.
"I'm really excited to be fighting at MSG against a legend," Ali said, per Bad Left Hook's Scott Christ. "I know what's in front on me, and I know what I'm stepping up to. I'm different, I'm a bit of a boxer, I can brawl if I need to, and I have my little tricks."
Sadam Ali (L) of the US fights against Luis Carlos Abregu of Argentina during their WBO Intercontinental Welterweight title bout at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on November 8, 2014. Ali defeated Abregu. AFP PHOTO/Jewel Samad (Ph
The opportunity in front of Ali is massive, but he's facing a fighter who has seemingly made up his mind on his career. While Cotto may come back if the right opportunity presents itself, there's no boxer lurking on the horizon. Cotto won't be taking Ali lightly or looking past him toward a bigger bout. Instead, he seems ready to put his career behind him and focus on family, not fighting.
"I have been doing this for 26 years of my life," Cotto said, per SportingNews.com's Steven Muehlhausen. "My kids are growing up. [I] want to be with them, spend more time with them. To be a family man, to be a husband and to be a father. I want to be more than a boxer in my life, and being an important part in my family's life is my goal."
Cotto has done plenty in his career to secure a ticket to the boxing Hall of Fame, and can be proud of the legacy he will leave behind if Saturday night is his swansong. The likable star will do everything he can to make sure he goes out on a high note.
Miguel Cotto Says He Wants to Fight Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin Winner
Sep 15, 2017
Aug 26, 2017; Carson, CA, USA; Miguel Cotto (center) fights Yoshihiro Kamegai (not pictured) during a WBO light middleweight boxing title fight at Stubhub Center. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Miguel Cotto has his eye on the winner of Saturday's middleweight showdown between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.
Per ESPN's Dan Rafael, Cotto said Thursday that challenging the winner would be "the best way to say goodbye to boxing."
Cotto, 36, has announced 2017 will be the last year of his storied career.
"Sixteen years is enough, and I have other things to do in life," Cottotold reportersin August. "I have to...quit boxing and retire [by] Dec. 31."
Cotto has already been in the ring with Alvarez, losingThe Ringand lineal middleweight titles by unanimous decision in November 2015.
After 21 months out of boxing, Cotto returned Aug. 26 with a unanimous-decision victory over Yoshihiro Kamegai to win the WBO light middleweight title.
As a professional, Cotto has amassed a 41-5 record and has held championships in four different weight classes. Rafael has himNo. 6in his junior middleweight rankings.
Miguel Cotto Beats Yoshihiro Kamegai to Win WBO Junior Middleweight Title
Aug 27, 2017
Miguel Cotto, of Puerto Rico, celebrates after defeating Daniel Geale, of Australia, during the fourth round of a boxing match Saturday, June 6, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Miguel Cotto made his return to the boxing ring Saturday night after nearly two years without a fight, and he looked the part of a veteran champion as he decimated Yoshihiro Kamegai en route to a resounding unanimous-decision victory Saturday night at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
BoxingScene.com's Francisco A. Salazar provided the cards:
Boxing fans tuning in to and sticking with the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Conor McGregor pay-per-view missed an entertaining bout. Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs) and Kamegai (27-4-2, 24 KOs) unloaded on each other for 12 rounds, with haymaker after haymaker finding the range.
This still from HBO Boxing encapsulates the fight:
Cotto was the superior boxer from the first second to the last, but he had to work to claim the vacant WBO world super welterweight title. Some day, scientists will have to study whatever indestructible alloy the Japanese boxer's chin is made of.
CompuBox showed Cotto hit some personal bests in the match:
The fight was the 36-year-old Puerto Rican's return from a 21-month layoff following his resounding decision loss to Canelo Alvarez in November 2015. It could be his second-to-last fight, as he plans to retire at the end of the year.
"Sixteen years is enough, and I have other things to do in life," Cotto told reporters, per the Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire. "I have to … quit boxing and retire [by] Dec. 31."
In a post-match interview, Cotto confirmed he will have one more fight in December, per the HBO broadcast.
Kamegai's power and speed were apparent early, establishing him as a worthwhile opponent. He found the target on several stinging power punches. Cotto matched Kamegai's activity and showed excellent timing on a counter left hook at the end of the first round.
UCNLive.com's Steve Kim appreciated Kamegai's intensity:
Seriously, Kamegai is making Cotto use his legs early, I like his pressure here.. #boxing
— Steve Kim - the Thomas Sowell of Boxing (@SteveKim323) August 27, 2017
The two managed to ratchet up the intensity in the second round, and Cotto bloodied Kamegai's nose and lip. Cotto normally is solid in defense, but he took some great shots even as he maintained the upper hand early on.
HBO Boxing showed the two trading punches at the end of the second round:
The all-out display from Kamegai, only two years Cotto's junior, appeared designed to test the lungs and heart of the soon-to-be retired opponent. He waded through devastating punches, forcing Cotto to keep up a furious pace.
Actress Rosie Perez marveled at the Japanese boxer's ability to withstand these blows:
Kamegai did seem to relish the punishment, as if it helped him tap into a wellspring of energy. Cotto did better to protect himself in the middle rounds while maintaining his speed, precision and power.
Here's Cotto connecting at will in Round 5, per HBO Boxing:
The bout eventually slowed in the later rounds. Kamegai's willpower and chin were unbelievable, but he was never able to outbox or outpunch his Hall of Fame-worthy opponent.
Boxing scribe William Dettloff summed up Kamegai's ability to tolerate pain:
Cotto just climbed to the top rope and dropped a grand piano on Kamegai's head. Nothing.
Kamegai flashed at times in the late rounds as Cotto's stamina waned, but he was never quite skillful enough to take advantage. The match became all too repetitive by the end, with Cotto proving himself better throughout.
Cotto appears intent on retiring, but the fight Saturday showed he has more left in the tank than even he might've expected. Whichever boxer gets Cotto at the end of the calendar year will have his hands full. He still has some excellent boxing left in him.
Miguel Cotto vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info
Alex Ballentine
Aug 24, 2017
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 16: Miguel Cotto trains during a media workout on August 16, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Want to watch some high-level boxing without dropping a ton of money on Saturday? Miguel Cotto and Yoshihiro Kamegai have got you covered.
While Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather Jr. bring a fantasy fight to reality, multi-division champion Cotto will take on Japanese brawler Kamegai in a WBO Junior Middleweight title bout that could set up the end of Cotto's career.
Cotto has always been known for his ultra-aggressive style. Kamegai isn't tentative, either. It's the set up for a quality fight that will have boxing purists making a hard decision as to what they'll watch on Saturday night.
Here's a look at all the information you'll need to catch the fight and a prediction for who will come out on top.
At 36 years old, Cotto's glory days are behind him. Those glory days included fighting the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Shane Mosley and Zab Judah. His hard-charging style made him a multi-division champion in some of the prime weight classes of his generation.
Now, he's focused on putting in a few more quality fights before calling it a career.
The Puerto Rican has a firm date in mind for his retirement and it's right on the horizon.
"I think that 16 years is enough, and I have other things to do in my life," Cotto said, per Dan Rafael of ESPN. "You know, I'm taking care of my family better, and that is the biggest and only reason that I have to stop boxing and quit boxing and retire after Dec. 31st this year."
Just how much Cotto has left to give in the ring will be an interesting subplot against Kamegai. He hasn't been in the ring since losing to Canelo Alvarez in November 2015.
With the possibility of setting up a big fight against the likes of Alvarez as his retirement fight later in the year, an impressive win against Kamegai would set the stage nicely.
How Kamegai Got Here
While this amounts to a tune-up bout for Cotto, this is the biggest fight that Kamegai has been a part of. The 34-year-old doesn't have nearly the same experience as his opponent on Saturday, but he has been involved in a few slugfests, most notably a unanimous decision loss to Robert Guerrero.
One advantage the underdog will have is that he's been the more active fighter of late. While Cotto has taken nearly two years off between fights, Kamegai is coming off back-to-back fights with Jesus Soto Karass.
In those bouts, Kamagei fought to a draw and earned a stoppage victory.
He'll look to assert some volume and aggression on Cotto, which at the least should make it an interesting fight with plenty of exchanges.
Prediction
Whether Cotto can still compete with the likes of Alvarez and the elites in his division is unclear, but it would take quite a bit of skill erosion for Cotto to be in danger of losing to his opponent on Saturday.
Kamegai is unrefined and doesn't have the technical prowess to put Cotto in compromising situations. A firefight suits Cotto's style just fine, and Kamegai will find that out the hard way. It's a likely reason that Cotto chose to fight him in the first place.
"Kamegai is the best opponent for me right now in my career—he is a warrior in the ring. When we were looking through our options, he was one of the first names that popped up," Cotto said, per Scott Christ of Bad Left Hook. "I don't really worry about what or how my opponent trains - all that matters is how well our team prepares."
Translation?
Cotto knows that Kamegai is going to pose just enough danger to let him know where he stands before the final fight of his career without actually being a threat to win the fight. Expect Cotto to shake off some cobwebs early, but he'll slowly take command of the fight and leave no doubt by the end.
Prediction: Cotto via unanimous decision
Miguel Cotto vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai Title Fight Reportedly Agreed to
May 24, 2017
SANTA MONICA, CA - DECEMBER 10: Professional boxer Miguel Cotto attends the 2nd Annual Diamond Ball hosted by Rihanna and The Clara Lionel Foundation at The Barker Hanger on December 10, 2015 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for The Clara Lionel Foundation)
Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reported on Wednesday that Miguel Cotto and Yoshihiro Kamegai agreed to fight for the vacant WBO light middleweight title on Aug. 24 at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
The fight will be live on HBO.
Cotto, 36, hasn't fought since losing to Canelo Alvarez in Nov. 2015. He's 40-5 (33 knockouts) in his career, however, and remains one of the sport's bigger names.
"I'm very excited to be back and showcase a high level fight for the fans," Cotto said in a press release, per BoxingNews24.com. "Kamegai is a great, tough fighter, but I will be ready for him and to capture the world title. I can't wait to start training for this fight and get back in the ring on Aug. 26."
He'll be fighting under the Golden Boy Promotions umbrella after parting ways with Roc Nation Sports. According to Rafael, "The Cotto-Roc Nation Sports separation was amicable but came about because they simply could not agree on the money Cotto should be paid for the fight, a source with knowledge of the situation said."
Kamegai, 34, is 27-3-2 (24 knockouts) for his career.
"I fully understand who I am going to be in the ring against, but Cotto's record and history won't matter once we are toe-to-toe," Kamegai said. "I am looking forward to giving fans the kind of aggressive fight that they have seen from me before and having my arm raised in victory."
Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Miguel Cotto Should Be Made, but on Cotto's Terms
Feb 7, 2017
INGLEWOOD, CA - MAY 17: Juan Manuel Marquez throws a right hand at Mike Alvarado at The Forum on May 17, 2014 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
A pair of future first-ballot Hall of Fame fighters who are winding down their careers could once again be on a collision course for a 2017 bout.
Juan Manuel Marquez hasn’t fought since dominating Mike Alvarado for a unanimous-decision victory in May 2015. He’s 43 years old now and has repeatedly stated that he wants just one more fight before calling it quits.
In an interview with the Manila Times (h/t Edward Chaykovsky of Boxing Scene) Marquez’s promoter, Bob Arum, discussed the potential for a fifth fight between the Mexican and his longtime rival Manny Pacquiao.
It’s not going to happen.
"Marquez came to see us with his lawyer, and he told me that under no circumstances, no matter what money it is, he won’t fight Manny Pacquiao," Arum said, per the Manila Times. "He didn’t say a hundred million but under no circumstances, he is not going to fight."
"The fight will never happen, according to Marquez. He is not interested."
What does interest Marquez is a potential career-ending fight against Miguel Cotto.
The Puerto Rican icon was scheduled to face James Kirkland on February 25 in the Dallas area in a fight presented by HBO pay-per-view. There was very limited interest in that fight (if any at all), and it was scrapped last week when Kirkland broke his nose in training.
There aren’t many people shedding tears over the cancellation of a PPV event that became the poster child for everything wrong with boxing’s skewed economics.
LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 21: (L-R) Miguel Cotto throws a left to the face of Canelo Alvarez during their middleweight fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on November 21, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Nobody wanted the fight, which featured a pair of inactive fighters (neither has been in the ring in two years) and didn’t belong anywhere near a pay platform.
Luckily that one is out the window, and a fight that can justify asking fans to shell out extra cash could come together between Marquez and Cotto.
"With Pacquiao, we closed that chapter, and Cotto is a great fighter. He has a great legacy, the Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry that is always at the top of the mountain," Marquez recently said to Alvaro Morales (h/t Miguel Rivera of Boxing Scene).
"It would be an interesting fight, especially the rivalry. We can make a great fight, a great entry into that rivalry, but I have to start training. It has to be this year."
Cotto-Marquez would clearly be an easier sell on PPV than Cotto-Kirkland was.
Both are established stars (even with the inactivity) with natural fanbases and the built-in best national rivalry in the sport. Add to that the fact that both men are heading toward the inevitable close of their careers and you could really have something.
The biggest question seems to be whether an acceptable weight can be agreed upon.
Rivera reported last week that Marquez was Cotto’s first choice for a comeback opponent before Kirkland landed the assignment. The problem was related to weight.
Marquez didn’t want to fight above the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.
Cotto preferred something closer to 150 pounds since he’s technically been a middleweight (though at a catchweight) for his last three fights.
The Mexican has won world titles at 126, 130, 135 and 140 pounds but has never weighed more than 144.5 pounds—in a loss to Timothy Bradley in 2013—and would have to make a big leap to compete at junior middleweight.
Referee Kenny Bayless (C) holds back Juan Manuel Marquez (R) as Manny Pacquiao (L) lies face down on the mat after being knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez on December 8, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP PHOTO / John Gurzinski
That seems like a lot of heavy lifting for a competitor who was his best at featherweight, has suffered through a recent spate of injuries and will turn 44 years old in August.
Though it might have to happen if he wants to make the fight, which, if Pacquiao is truly off the table, is probably the only really lucrative bout out there that would land on PPV and entice him to step back in the ring.
Cotto hasn’t fought at welterweight since 2009.
There isn't a lot of reason to expect that he'll go back at this point in his career.
He has more potential options (and a contract with Roc Nation that guarantees him a king’s ransom for his next fight) and is the man with all the chips in this case.
Cotto-Marquez should happen, but it’s going to have to happen on the Puerto Rican’s terms.
It's been a slow week in boxing, but that doesn't mean we have nothing to talk about. Canelo Alvarez's huge all-Mexican showdown with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has a landing site...
Juan Manuel Marquez's Coach, Nacho Beristain, Says Miguel Cotto Fight Possible
Jan 11, 2016
INGLEWOOD, CA - MAY 17: Juan Manuel Marquez (L) prepares to throw a right hand at Mike Alvarado at The Forum on May 17, 2014 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Juan Manuel Marquez could make an imminent return to action against Miguel Cotto despite his long-term absence from the ring, according to the Mexican's trainer, Nacho Beristain.
Marquez, 42, last fought in May 2014, beating Mike Alvarado by unanimous decision to take his professional record to 56-7-1.
Cotto (40-5) lost his lineal middleweight title to Saul Alvarez in his last fight in November, and Beristain believes Marquez could make a good fight with the Puerto Rican, despite his recent inactivity, per Fox Deportes (via Elisinio Castillo of BoxingScene.com):
[Marquez] has never closed the door [on fighting again] and he's made no decision to retire from boxing. I have not spoken with Juan Manuel for three months, but I know him and he's never had any problems with inactivity. He can still return straight to training.
I do not rule out [this version of Marquez] being capable of fighting against Cotto. If [Marquez] returns to the ring, I don't think it is unreasonable to do it with an opponent of that level. It would be a good fight, given their styles.
Cotto's trainer, Freddie Roach, recently said he would like to see his man drop back down to welterweight—the Alvarez clash was fought at a catchweight of 155 pounds—in order to face Marquez, per Boxing News' George Gigney.
Despite losing to Canelo by unanimous decision, the 35-year-old put in a decent performance, as can be seen below:
He most certainly still has plenty left in him, and a clash with four-weight champion Marquez has the potential to be a fantastic fight.
Cotto himself has won world titles at four different weight classes, but he has not fought at welterweight since his 12th-round knockout defeat to Manny Pacquiao in 2009.
Per Castillo, Marquez has never weighed in higher than 144.5 pounds in any of his welterweight fights, including his various clashes with Pacquiao.
They are both accomplished, exciting fighters who have no problem with being aggressive when necessary.
If, as Beristain insists, Marquez is ready to make a quick return to the ring to face Cotto, boxing fans could be in for a treat in 2016.
