By Miguel Rivera

Former four division world champion Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33KOs), 35-years-old, is likely not going to fight this year, according to Roc Nation President Michael Yormark.

Cotto has been inactive since losing a twelve round unanimous decision last November to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Cotto was initially pegged to return in June, then it was pushed back to the fall and continued to get pushed back. He was slated to return on December 3rd at New York's Madison Square Garden. Yormark admits that December scenario is still possible but unlikely.

Last week, Cotto's return was locked in for 2017. Then Canelo, who was going to fight on December 10, suffered an injury during his win last Saturday over Liam Smith and he won't be able to fight until next year. That leaves the date open and also loosens up some money from HBO's budget that was set aside for Canelo.

Even with Canelo's withdrawal from his date, there is an army of fighters who are asking for HBO slots - including a potential middleweight fight between Gennady Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs.

"We're not sure [when Cotto will fight again]. We will make a final decision in the coming days," Yormark told ESPN Deportes.

"The problem, if you can call it that, is that we are near the end of the year. There are a lot of things that need to align and come together in the right direction. It may be better [for Cotto to fight] in 2017, but we have not yet decided that."

Some of the opponents mentioned that never panned out include Juan Manuel Marquez and James Kirkland, and recently the name that was being mentioned as a possible opponent was former junior welterweight champion Lamont Peterson.