By Miguel Rivera

Trainer Freddie Roach has instructed WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto to stay away from the ropes when he faces Saul "Canelo" Alvarez on November 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Cotto is training at Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California. HBO Pay-Per-View is carrying the anticipated card.

Roach has few worries in the fight. He says Cotto, 34-years-old, holds the advantage in every category. 

But the Hall of Fame trainer warns that Canelo is at his most dangerous when he traps opponents against the ropes.

To avoid any potential issues during the fight, Roach is instructing Cotto stay in the middle of the ring during all of their sparring sessions and he wants him to continue to do that during the fight.

"My biggest concern is that Canelo gets him into the ropes because that's where [Canelo] is very dangerous, because has a good punch and he's strong. We have to be smart and stay away from the ropes and that's our plan for the fight," Roach said.

The fight, taking place at a catch-weight of 155-pounds, is the fourth contest where Roach and Cotto are partnered together. Cotto came to Roach after losing back to back fights to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Austin Trout in 2012.

"[When I first met Cotto] I remember his footwork, his lateral movements, the lateral angles, and that was a complete fighter and that was what I wanted him to be. When we met, he wanted it to be a complete fighter, not only to have a good punch because sometimes you can spend all night trying to land a big punch and it never happens and you end up losing the fight on points," Roach said.