Cotto's Return Likely in March, But Not With Margarito

By Rey Colon

Miguel Cotto's first defense of the WBA's 154-pound championship should occur in the month of March but it won't be a rematch with Antonio Margarito, or a unification with WBC champion Manny Pacquiao - which once again leaves Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. as a possible name being kicked around.

Margarito has an automatic stay of 120 days from the beating he received last Saturday from Manny Pacquiao, which makes a March rematch with Cotto impossible. And he will possibly need several months of recovery from the required surgery for the broken right orbital bone.

There is also the issue on whether or not they can actually stage the rematch in New York. The New York State Athletic Commission may choose to honor the recent decision from California's athletic commission, who denied Margarito's application for a boxing license. Margarito was later approved for a license in Texas for the Pacquiao fight.

Chavez Jr. will face Alfonso Gomez on December 4 in California. It remains to be seen if Chavez can make the required weight of 154 for a Cotto fight.  

Rey Colon covers the Puerto Rican boxing scene for Sport Press