Miguel Cotto Can't Find Opponent, Return Pushed To The Fall

By Miguel Rivera

According to Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, who handles former four division world champion Miguel Cotto, the Puerto Rican star will not be returning on the planned date of June 18 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

With about two months to go, Cotto has been unable to secure a worthy enough opponent for the HBO Pay-Per-View date.

Such opponents as Gabe Rosado, Diego Chaves and James Kirkland were mentioned in recent weeks. None of them were viewed as worthy options for a PPV event by HBO.

Certain high profile options were not available for the June date. There were even talks with Juan Manuel Marquez, but the Mexican veteran is not available in the summer and needs several months to prepare.

Cotto's close friend and adviser, Bryan Perez, informed Roach that a June date was no longer in play and a fall return would be the next step.

Cotto (40-5, 33 KO), 35-years-old, was in the ring last November when he lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.

"I talked to Bryan and he told me that Miguel will not fight again until the fall," Roach said to ESPN Deportes. "But they want me to go to Puerto Rico and work with him for a couple of weeks and we are working on dates now. They do not know the date of the fight in the fall, but there will be a mini camp weeks in Puerto Rico next month, to work with him on some things."