By Igor Lazorin, tass
A few days ago, BoxingScene.com's Steve Kim first reported that a fight between former champions Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33KOs) and Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4, 18KOs) was discussed by Roc Nation Sports and Banner Promotions. The fight was being targeted for June 18th at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. The fight would happen around the welterweight limit of 147-pounds.
Cotto was last in the ring losing a twelve round unanimous decision to current WBC middleweight champion Saul "Canelo' Alvarez on November 21st at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Provodnikov was also in the ring in November, when he knocked out Jesus Rodriguez in four rounds in Monaco.
Vadim Kornilov, the manager of Provodnikov, said - "We are negotiating" when he was asked about the possibility of a fight with Cotto.
The big issue with making this fight is the ongoing lawsuit between their respective promoters. Roc Nation Sports (Cotto) and Banner Promotions (Provondikov) are involved in an ongoing legal case over junior middleweight Demetrius Andrade.
There has recently been talk of Cotto potentially facing Juan Manuel Marquez, but the Mexican veteran has yet to make a firm decision regarding his ring return and says he wouldn't be able to take a fight with Cotto until at least November - after having a May tuneup. There was also the issue of weight, with Marquez wanting the welterweight limit of 147 and a rehydration clause that prevents Cotto from weighing no more than 152-153-pounds on the morning of the fight.
The name of Diego Chaves has also been mentioned as a possible opponent for Cotto as well by the Argentine press. Chaves has been out of the ring since a December 2014 twelve round draw with Tim Bradley. A fight with IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook, set for last fall, was canceled when the champion withdrew with an injury.
