Despite talks of a possible showdown with Argentine middleweight champ Sergio Martinez, Puerto Rican pound-for-pound contender Miguel Cotto is still very much interested in fighting former light middleweight kingpin Saul Canelo Alvarez and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The 32-year-old Cotto remains enthusiastic about the possibility of facing one of Mexico's biggest boxing stars, Canelo Alvarez, in a surefire blockbuster showdown next year.
Cotto is fresh from a third round knockout win over light middleweight contender Delvin Rodriguez on Oct. 5 at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., while Alvarez absorbed the first defeat in his career against Mayweather on Sept. 14 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Cotto, a three-division world champion, denied reports that he's not interested in fighting Canelo because the Mexican has become less attractive to fight following his lopsided loss to Mayweather. Instead, the Puerto Rican brawler said that he always looks for greater challenges and Canelo certainly fits his requirements.
"I have always been willing to take on the big names. Canelo is one of them and I hope they can make this fight later on in my career. Canelo has what he has because he won his fights and he worked for it, and you can't look down on any opponent because of his defeats. I know the kind of quality that he has, what kind of fighter that he is. I will continue on my way and if we happen to cross paths later on - I'm ready," Cotto said in an interview with Boxing Scene.
Before his bout with Mayweather, Canelo became the best light middleweight in the world after beating Austin Trout via a 12-round unanimous decision in April. Ironically, Trout is the same boxer that defeated Miguel Cotto also via unanimous decision in December of last year.
Money Rematch
Aside from facing Canelo, Cotto also hoped for a rematch with Mayweather Jr, the universally recognized pound-for-pound champion.
Cotto fought and gave Mayweather some rough moments in their light middleweight slugfest last year, but the Puerto Rican just could not solve Money May's quickness inside the ring.
"A fight with Mayweather is not in my hands. I will keep working, focused on my career, and if we later meet again, I am quite happy to do so. The fight left people intrigued, wanting to see more, and here I am to provide the best," Cotto said in an interview with Rene Umanzor of RECORD via Fight Hype.