By Miguel Rivera
Freddie Roach, head trainer of former four division world champion Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33KOs), is hoping his fighter will land a rematch with WBO junior middleweight champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (48-1-1, 34KOs) early next year.
Their anticipated fight took place last November at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, at a catch-weight of 155-pounds. Canelo captured the WBC middleweight (vacated days earlier by Cotto) with a twelve round unanimous decision. After their pay-per-view generated 900,000 buys, there was certainly a lot of interest in a rematch by both sides.
Canelo, depending on his hand, wants to fight in January or February. Cotto, who's been inactive since that November loss, is also looking to get back in the ring in February.
Canelo had two fights since the win over Cotto. He knocked out Amir Khan (in May) and Liam Smith (in September). He was scheduled to take a third fight in December, but suffered a hand injury that forced him to withdraw.
Roach's top choice for the November return is Canelo. He believes Cotto was the clear winner of the November fight and got jobbed on the cards.
Some of the other names being kicked around for Cotto include Lamont Peterson and former two division world champion Timothy Bradley.
"I talk to Cotto, not every day but I have spoken with him, and he told me that he will return in February and that is what he's been planning. There have been some names, but I would like a rematch with Canelo. I think were a lot of doubts [about the outcome] in the first fight," said Roach to ESPN Deportes.
"That's the fight I want to see. I would rather see that fight over any other, because in the first fight there were a lot of doubts. For me, Cotto beat him, so it would be good to clarify everything."
