By Ryan Burton
BoxingScene.com and other members of the media caught up with legendary promoter Bob Arum at the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino Saturday night where the 81-year-old Top Rank CEO was being inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
Arum spoke on a variety of topics including reuniting with former three-division world champion Miguel Cotto (37-4). The Puerto Rican began his career with Top Rank and has fought all but two of his career fights under their promotional banner.
"Miguel Cotto is a guy that we raised from the beginning. Understand this, he became a free agent and then he fought Mayweather and then this other fight (versus Austin Trout) and then when the time came he decided to come back to us," Arum explained while praising Cotto for his loyalty and honesty.
"One thing about Miguel Cotto is that he is a very honorable guy. He's a warrior and an honorable guy. He never broke a contract with us. He always performed 100% and he didn't leave to go elsewhere until his contract was over and he became a free agent so I have nothing but the best feelings for Miguel and I am happy that we are promoting him again," Arum told BoxingScene.com.
Mark Ortega of ringtv.com asked Arum if there were plans to have WBO/WBA super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux appear as the co-feature to Cotto's HBO televised October 5th fight against Delvin Rodriguez which takes place in Orlando, FL.
Rigondeaux defeated Nonito Donaire in April but HBO has been lukewarm about
televising his futures fights because of his defensive style. While Arum said that the Cuban won't be appearing on the October 5th card, he said that they will have an announcement on his next fight later this week.
Instead of Rigondeaux, undefeated lightweight Terrance Crawford will make his third appearance on the network as the chief support to Cotto-Rodriguez. His opponent should be finalized shortly.
"No, we have other plans for Rigondeaux that we will be announcing this coming week but it won't be in Orlando. Terrance Crawford has that spot," Arum stated.
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