By Rick Reeno
BoxingScene caught up with one of the rising new names in the sport, the WBO junior welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. Cotto has been sweeping through the competition and has compiled a 21-0 record with 17 big wins by way of knockout. Cotto will meet his most dangerous opponent to date when he steps in the ring against Randall Bailey on the undercard of the Dec 11 Vitali Klitschko vs. Danny Williams heavyweight showdown.
Cotto answers a few questions regarding his upcoming bout and what the future may have in store for him.
BoxingScene: Miguel, you are one of the rising stars in this sport. Boxing seems to be recycling the same stars over and over because there aren't enough new stars out there to take their place. Does it put extra pressure on you to perform on a very high level due to the lack of new blood in the last few years?
Cotto: There is always pressure to perform at your best. I always want to make the crowd happy and put on a good show. Boxing needs new stars to move it forward and I'm happy with my contribution to that.
BoxingScene: Randall Bailey has been in the ring with some good fighters. He always comes ready to fight and likes to come forward. What is your take on Bailey?
Cotto: Bailey is a good fighter, strong....a tough guy. It will be a big test for me, but I'm ready for it and I plan to win.
BoxingScene: Bailey has only been stopped once in his career and that was back in 2002 when he fought Hurtado, will it mean more to you to get the knockout or is a decision just the same.
Cotto: This is a big event, being on the same card as the heavyweight champion. My plan is to be the winner. I want to give the fans watching the show a knockout. If the opportunity comes, I'm going to take it.
BoxingScene: When will you be ready for some of the big names like Hatton, Gatti, Tszyu or Mayweather?
Cotto: I feel I'm ready for them now. I want to fight the best in my weight class. I'm ready to show the world that I am one of the best fighters and the only way to do that is to fight the best. Tszyu or Gatti, any of the them...I'm ready now.
BoxingScene: Do you think Felix Trinidad stole some of your thunder when he returned? It seemed like people were warming up to you as the next big Puerto Rican star, the guy to be the next Trinidad. Now that he has returned, it seems like some of that attention which you were receiving from Trinidad fans may have shifted back towards his way.
Cotto: It feels good to be compared with some of the great fighters from Puerto Rico but there is only one Trinidad. I want to put my own mark on the sport. His return allows me to get some distance from all the comparisons and better establish my own name.
BoxingScene: Good luck on Saturday
Cotto: Thank you.
