By Miguel Rivera

In an earlier story on BoxingScene.com, WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32KOs) made a strong statement with respect to a pending obligation to make a mandatory defense against Gennady Golovkin (32-0, 29KOs), who owns the WBC's interim title at the weight and the WBA/IBO versions.

Golovkin returned last week in Monte Carlo, where he stopped the WBC's silver champion Martin Murray in the eleventh round of action.

The World Boxing Council is allowing Cotto to make a voluntary defense, but then they expect him to face Golovkin.

"No organization owns my career. So I will do my part and what I want to do," said Cotto in response to reporters who questioned him on the growing pressure from the WBC to face Golovkin.

Cotto expects to return in June. He says the upcoming opponent is undecided, although names like Timothy Bradley and Brandon Rios have been mentioned.

Following Cotto's statement - Mauricio Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council, once again confirmed that his organization will allow Cotto to make a voluntary defense in June but then he (or the winner of the fight) has to face Golovkin.

“Miguel Cotto will have a voluntary defense. He will choose his opponent. But the winner will have to face Golovkin,” Sulaiman stressed.