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Now that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is back from his vacation, he's been busy at work trying to finalize various fights. Two of the most notable are Kelly Pavlik's middleweight title defense against Sergio Mora, which will take place on pay-per-view in July, and a welterweight unification match between Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey, which will take place on HBO on June 13 -- the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day parade in New York -- at Madison Square Garden.
Well, Cotto-Clottey moved one step closer to fruition on Friday.
I got a call in the afternoon from Vinny Scolpino, who manages Clottey (in addition to bantamweight titlist Joseph Agbeko and middleweight Ossie Duran), and he told me that their side was done.
I asked him if that meant their deal had been signed and he said it had been. Now, Arum has to tidy up with Cotto's side, but that should not be too difficult.
Scolpino said Clottey and he were happy to have the fight.
"Joshua has been looking for a big fight like this and he's really pumped up for it," Scolpino said. "I think it's going to be a great fight. Joshua will be ready."
Scolpino didn't disclose the financial terms of the deal but he did offer, "In this economy, we can't complain. We're happy with our deal. It was a fair deal."
Boxing fans should be happy with the fight and with HBO for putting up the money. Cotto-Clottey is an even-money match between two of the best in the division. The fact that it will be at MSG with a raucous crowd will make it even better.
It looks like Miguel Cotto has a dance partner for his annual Madison Square Garden Puerto Rican Day Parade gig. There are some particulars to iron out, but it appears Cotto, the 28-year-old Puerto Rican welterweight who boasts a 33-1 record, will take on perhaps the most underrated fighter in boxing today, Ghana’s Joshua Clottey (35-2, 20 KOs).
The New York based hitter comes off a September win (TD9) against Zab Judah, while Cotto looked in fine form taking on limited Brit Michael Jennings at MSG on Feb. 21.
The fight will take place at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, June 13. The parade, seen annually by about three million spectators, will unfurl on Sunday, the day after the scrap. Cotto has beaten Mohamad Abdulaev (2005), Paulie Malignaggi (2006), and Judah (2007) as masses of boricuas cheered his every feint.
His two losses came against Carlos Baldomir, in 1999, and Antonio Margarito, in a 2006 bout (UD12 loss) he was performing well in until he hurt his hand.
Top Rank promotes both fighters, which is typically helpful in negotiating. The deal should be finished early next week.
http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxin...y-almost-done/
Well, Cotto-Clottey moved one step closer to fruition on Friday.
I got a call in the afternoon from Vinny Scolpino, who manages Clottey (in addition to bantamweight titlist Joseph Agbeko and middleweight Ossie Duran), and he told me that their side was done.
I asked him if that meant their deal had been signed and he said it had been. Now, Arum has to tidy up with Cotto's side, but that should not be too difficult.
Scolpino said Clottey and he were happy to have the fight.
"Joshua has been looking for a big fight like this and he's really pumped up for it," Scolpino said. "I think it's going to be a great fight. Joshua will be ready."
Scolpino didn't disclose the financial terms of the deal but he did offer, "In this economy, we can't complain. We're happy with our deal. It was a fair deal."
Boxing fans should be happy with the fight and with HBO for putting up the money. Cotto-Clottey is an even-money match between two of the best in the division. The fact that it will be at MSG with a raucous crowd will make it even better.
It looks like Miguel Cotto has a dance partner for his annual Madison Square Garden Puerto Rican Day Parade gig. There are some particulars to iron out, but it appears Cotto, the 28-year-old Puerto Rican welterweight who boasts a 33-1 record, will take on perhaps the most underrated fighter in boxing today, Ghana’s Joshua Clottey (35-2, 20 KOs).
The New York based hitter comes off a September win (TD9) against Zab Judah, while Cotto looked in fine form taking on limited Brit Michael Jennings at MSG on Feb. 21.
The fight will take place at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, June 13. The parade, seen annually by about three million spectators, will unfurl on Sunday, the day after the scrap. Cotto has beaten Mohamad Abdulaev (2005), Paulie Malignaggi (2006), and Judah (2007) as masses of boricuas cheered his every feint.
His two losses came against Carlos Baldomir, in 1999, and Antonio Margarito, in a 2006 bout (UD12 loss) he was performing well in until he hurt his hand.
Top Rank promotes both fighters, which is typically helpful in negotiating. The deal should be finished early next week.
http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxin...y-almost-done/