By Edward Chaykovsky

Next month in Las Vegas, WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto will defend his world title against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The winner has been ordered, by the World Boxing Council, to make a mandatory defense against WBA/IBO/IBF middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin, who is also the WBC's interim-champion.

Cotto-Canelo takes place on November 21 at a catch-weight of 155-pounds.

Both Cotto and Canelo have made it clear that a Golovkin fight will not take place unless the dangerous puncher comes down to a catch-weight. Canelo wants a catch-weight of 155-pounds and Cotto's demand is unknown, but he recently made Daniel Geale come down to 157.

Golovkin is standing firm that he won't fight either man at a catch-weight.

Regarding the catch-weight requirement on Golovkin, both fighters have made identical statements - telling reporters they are "not real middleweights." 

That statement by both fighters struck a nerve with Golovkin's trainer, Abel Sanchez.

He feels if Canelo is not a true middleweight, then he shouldn't be fighting for a middleweight belt. And if Cotto is not a true 160-pounder, then Sanchez believes he should vacate and allow other fighters in the division to compete for the belt.  

Vacating is what ultimately might happen. If the WBC comes down on the Cotto-Canelo winner to face Golovkin next, the winner is likely to vacate and then GGG will become the full champion.

"I think if you’re a middleweight, you’re a middleweight. If you’re not a middleweight then you shouldn’t be fighting for the middleweight title — whether [Cotto or Canelo] comes in at 155, 158 or 152. If you’re fighting for the middleweight title as they are on the 21st, then they are middleweights. If not then don’t be fighting for the middleweight title, don’t keep it hostage, give it up and let somebody else fight for it," Sanchez told On The Ropes Boxing Radio .

"I would hope that they live up to their word through the WBC to defend that belt against Golovkin, and if not then that’s okay with us, we’ll just go on to the next opponent."