Saturday’s HBO Pay-Per-View® telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT. The main event features Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto taking on Mexican Sensation Canelo Alvarez in a 12-round middleweight championship mega-fight.
Official Weights from Las Vegas
Miguel Cotto: 153.5 lbs.
Canelo Alvarez: 155 lbs.
Miguel Cotto’s trainer Freddie Roach wants the Puerto Rican ace to rematch and knockout pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.
The Hall of Fame trainer believes he has the right strategy to overcome boxing’s number one fighter and wants four-weight champion Cotto to face him again should he be victorious in his middleweight blockbuster this weekend against Canelo Alvarez, live on BoxNation.
35-year-old Cotto was outpointed by Mayweather when they met in May 2012 but had not yet joined forces with the much respected Roach, someone who Cotto believes would have helped him knockout the now retired superstar.
“I would love for Miguel to win this fight [against Canelo] by knockout, call out Mayweather and then end his career,” said Roach.
“Miguel always tells me that if he had me in his corner when he fought Mayweather he would have knocked him out. He tells me that story all the time.
“I think Miguel could pull off the strategy I have to beat Mayweather. I think that would be a good fight for him. I think I could put Miguel in a very aggressive mode,” he said.
Any hopes of facing Mayweather however could be dashed this Saturday night when Cotto steps into the ring against Mexican foe Canelo.
The former unified light-middleweight champion goes in as the bookies favourite in the fight but trainer Roach says his man is in top shape and ready to expose the Latino boxing idol.
“Miguel has had a great training camp for this fight. We’re 100% ready for this fight, the biggest fight of the year. I’ve never seen Miguel better than this,” said Roach.
“We are going to box a lot in this fight. We’re not just going out there looking for a knockout. I don’t want him doing that. I want him using his foot speed and his angles. He’s a more complete fighter now than ever.
“Canelo’s defence is terrible. He follows you wherever you go. He’s like a robot. If you use angles on him, he will be lost. He cannot make adjustments well,” he said.
Flame-haired Canelo though is well aware of the threat he is up against but will be looking to continue the momentum from his last fight that saw him knockout James Kirkland inside three rounds.
“I’ve had a great preparation. I’ve worked very hard. I am patiently waiting for Saturday night to have my hand raised in victory once again. It’s going to be a difficult fight – I know that – but that is why I prepared properly, and I am ready to give a great fight,” said Canelo.
British fighter Lee Haskins is also set to feature on the undercard as he takes on Randy Caballero for the IBF bantamweight world title.
The Bristol boxer will get his chance to shine under the bright lights of Las Vegas and can’t wait to step into the ring.
“Fighting in Las Vegas, fighting in a fight of this magnitude, I never thought in my dreams I would be on an undercard like this, that’s what’s giving me the extra push. It feels absolutely amazing just to be here,” said Haskins.
“The magnitude of the fight, seeing everybody here, just up in the middle of the Vegas square, it’s incredible.
“I’m sure he’s done a lot of sparing and he’s just as ready as myself. I’m just looking forward to having a great fight,” he said.
Cotto v Canelo is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, TalkTalk 415, online or app) this Saturday night. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.
