by David P. Greisman

Ronnie Shields, the trainer whose stable includes 154-pounders Jermall Charlo and Erislandy Lara, believes that Miguel Cotto will defeat Canelo Alvarez when they fight on Nov. 21 for the lineal middleweight championship and the World Boxing Council title.

The win for Cotto will come not only because of who he is, but also because of who he’s become since switching trainers a couple of years ago, Shields said.

“I think it’s a great fight. Both guys are really good right now. I’m kind of leaning toward Miguel Cotto because I think he’s confident right now. He’s really improved under Freddie Roach. And I think he can do more than one thing,” Shields said. “He can box when he has to box, and when he has to just let his hands go and go for the knockout he can do that, too. He has power in both hands.”

Cotto has had several trainers in his corner over the years. But after a 2012 that saw him lose to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Austin Trout, he switched to Freddie Roach and hasn’t lost since.

“I think Freddie got him back to what his uncle [Evangelista Cotto] had him doing from the very beginning of his professional career,” Shields said. “You see Miguel going more to the body now. He’s always used his jab, but he’s going to the body and then with the combinations behind that. Miguel has always been a good body puncher, but he got away from it, and Freddie brought it back to him. That’s the arsenal that he needs to beat a guy like Canelo.”

But Shields also said he couldn’t take much away from Alvarez.

“Canelo is the kind of kid that he wants to win, he shows a will to win, and he’s going to be there. But I think the more experienced Cotto is going to win,” he said. “Canelo gets discouraged when things don’t go his way. I think Cotto is going to take full advantage of that.”

Pick up a copy of David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsamazon or internationally at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsworldwide . Send questions/comments via email at fightingwords1@gmail.com