Cotto Insists There is No Ill Will With Top Rank

By Jake Donovan

Miguel Cotto will formally make his debut under Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports promotional banner when he next steps into the ring. That opportunity will come June 6, when he meets former middleweight titlist Daniel Geale at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

HBO will televise the bout.

The move to RNS came as a surprise to many in the industry, given Cotto’s cozy and rekindled relationship with longtime promoter Top Rank. The two were together from his pro debut in 2001 through his revenge-fueled rematch win over Antonio Margarito in Dec. ’11 before parting ways.

Cotto fought twice outside of the Top Rank banner—back-to-back losses to Floyd Mayweather and Austin Trout in 2012—before returning home on a fight-to-fight handshake agreement.

Two fights came of the deal; a comeback win over Delvin Rodriguez in Oct. ’13, and a career-resurrecting 10th round stoppage of Sergio Martinez, dethroning the World middleweight king and making history in the process. The win saw Cotto become the first ever fighter from Puerto Rico to capture titles in four weight classes.

Next up was believed to be a mouthwatering showdown with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, a fight that was discussed as early as last fall and all through the winter. Talks reached a point where Alvarez reportedly agreed to all terms but that the rest was on Cotto. In the end, the fight fell through, as did Cotto’s working relationship with Top Rank in announcing he was instead going to work with Roc Nation, in a deal that will likely carry through the rest of his historic career.

The announcement was naturally met with mixed emotions from the Top Rank side. In the end, all parties understand the business aspect of the sport, which Cotto insists is all there is to know about where things presently stand between the two.

“We never had a problem with Top Rank,” Cotto (39-4, 32KOs) insisted to the assembled media on hand Thursday afternoon in Brooklyn to formally announce his bout with Geale. “My contract expired on Dec. 31, 2011.

“We had some deals (discussed). It was the same thing I heard before. In the end, I will always do what’s best for me and for my family.

As for any animosity existing between the two sides? Not all, Cotto promises.

“If they want to see me, to say hi to me, they have my number,” Cotto quipped.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox