By Jake Donovan

The announcement of Miguel Cotto next facing Daniel Geale didn’t exactly overwhelm the boxing public, other than the fact that the June 6 clash will mark Cotto’s return to New York. Even more unsettling was the accompanying news that the middleweight championship bout will take place at a maximum catchweight of 157 lbs., three pounds below the division limit.

Cotto demanded—and was granted—a catchweight in place for last year’s challenge of the middleweight crown for his eventual 10th round stoppage of long-reigning lineal king Sergio Martinez. The maximum limit was 159 lbs., inconsequential in the grand scheme of things since Martinez—a career welterweight and junior middleweight before moving up for good in 2009—has only weighed heavier than that twice in his entire career, both times less than a pound above that mark.

A 157 lb. catchweight could very well prove challenging for the 34-year old Geale (31-3, 34KOs), who is a prototypical middleweight. The veteran boxer from Australia hasn’t come in that light in more than eight years, dating back to his time spent as a junior middleweight.

The lightest Geale has been for a middleweight title fight was 158 ¾ lbs., his weight for his career-best win, a 12-round decision over Felix Sturm in their Sept. ’12, unifying two belts with the mild upset on the road in Germany.

However, options aren’t exactly at a premium for the former titlist. His lone two appearances on cable giant HBO—both representing his lone two fights in the U.S.—each ended in defeat. A 12-round loss to Darren Barker in Aug. ’13 was a bitter pill to swallow, though ending his title reign all the same.

His 3rd round knockout loss to Gennady Golovkin last summer was far more conclusive. Geale has since rebounded with a points win over countryman Jarrod Fletcher last December, since biding his time in hopes for one more crack at the big time.

That opportunity came, and with Geale and his team accepting the conditions that came along with it.

“It wasn’t an issue at all,” promoter Gary Shaw insists of having to accept a catchweight for the bout, which will air live on HBO from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. “It was an opportunity for Daniel to fight one of the greatest fighters in the history of boxing.

“As long at it was a catchweight we were confident Daniel could make, it was no discussion.”

Cotto (39-4, 32KOs) makes the first defense of the middleweight championship.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox