By Steve Kim
The long awaited announcement was finally made this Thursday afternoon that the showdown between WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto and matinee idol, Saul Alvarez, was consummated for November 21st at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, which will be distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View.
"I think it's a great match-up, Puerto Rico versus Mexico, it's a great rivalry," said Cotto's trainer, Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
"I think it's going to be the biggest fight of the year, I mean this is a really, really big fight and I can't wait to get Miguel ready for this fight."
Perhaps Roach is conveniently forgetting about a certain event that took place on May 2nd that he played a part in. But this much is clear, Cotto-Alvarez figures to be a better pure fight than Mayweather-Pacquiao was.
Can this be anything but a memorable battle?
"I don't think so," said Roach. "The thing is both guys come to fight and they both are very, very good. But my guy in particular, has a little more experience, a little sharper than he is. But the young man can punch and he's very game so it makes for a great fight."
When asked to size up 'Canelo', Roach said with a laugh - "He's worked out at my gym before - Wild Card West - and sometimes he didn't show up. Sometimes fighters do that. I don't think he's the best person in terms of knowing how to control the ring and so forth. I think we're much better at it than he is and that'll be the difference in the fight."
The noted trainer - who expects to start working with Cotto in September for this upcoming bout - says that the strategy will be to,"Box him first, then break him down and bang with him late."
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.