After losing out with his man Manny Pacquiao in the 1st super-fight of the year, Miguel Cotto’s trainer Freddie Roach is determined not to be on the wrong end of the 2nd; November 21st’s hotly anticipated WBC middleweight clash with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, that will come from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and pits the two men together in a classic Mexico/Puerto Rico rivals encounter.
Speaking at the first official presser to launch the fight, Roach has promised that the advancing years of the champion will not be a factor provided the right adjustments are made, and the 7x trainer of the year has made it crystal clear that they have no plans to stand and slug it out with the bigger, younger Alvarez on the night.
“I’ve liked this fight from day one – the Puerto Rico-Mexico rivalry – and I’ve said, ‘Whatever it takes to make this fight, make it happen’,” Roach told the assembled media.
“People say when you get older, you have to work harder. That’s not true. You just have to be smarter.”
“He (Cotto) will be elusive, I promise you. You’ll see a whole different guy for this fight.”
Cotto, who will defend his title at an increasingly familiar catch-weight, this time 155lb, is coming off a dominant victory over Australia’s former middleweight champion Daniel Geale back in June, and is unfazed by the fact that in many peoples eyes he will enter the fight with ‘Canelo’ a slight underdog.
Also speaking at the presser, he said he believes in what Roach – who masterminded his title win over an unfit Sergio Martinez, has planned for him on the night.
“I don’t know with what kind of mind Canelo will come on the night of the fight, but I’m going to do my best with Freddie in the corner and no matter what kind of style I need to fight, I’m going to be the winner.
“When you put a Puerto Rican and Mexican in the ring, you’re going to see a great fight,” he added.
Co-promoter Oscar De La Hoya, presenting the event dually with Roc-Nation, who look after Cotto, said simply;
“No fighter takes a step backward. You’ll see nonstop action from the opening bell.”
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