Miguel Cotto’s trainer Freddie Roach, is standing firm on his prediction that the WBC middleweight champion will knock out enormously popular Mexican challenger, ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on Saturday night in Las Vegas, live on HBO PPV/Boxnation (UK).
Roach has been very vocal in his pre-fight prediction, as is always the case with the esteemed 7x trainer of the year, and is claiming that a fight plan based on aggressive bodywork will put an end to the younger Mexican, who he has called ‘not that great a fighter’ in the build-up, citing Alvarez’s tendency to fade and gas-out as a driving reason for his ‘mid-rounds’ KO prediction.
“It’s going to be a great fight, and we are looking for a knockout in this fight, and we will be the first person to knock out Alvarez, and I can’t wait to get this one on its way,” he said before going on to detail that experience, as well as calibre, will also be critical difference-maker between the two fighters on the night.
“I think [Miguel] is the best fighter he’s ever fought, and I think he’s handpicked opponents. Mayweather was a tough fighter but not a big puncher, and this is the first heavy puncher he’s going against.
“Miguel has looked great in his last three fights and his punching power is improving,” Roach continued. “And he’s using every bit of his body weight to do that. It’s something we have been working on and he’s punching very well.”
For Roach, stylistically at least, not too much has changed in the 5 years since a 19 year old Canelo was badly wobbled in the first round against Miguel’s older, and less accomplished brother, Jose, who scared the life out of the Mexican before hitting the deck and succumbing in 9 rounds himself back in 2010.
“I feel that this guy gets hit too much, and I think Miguel will knock him out somewhere along the way,” Roach said, dismissing the size and youth of Alvarez as the key differing factors.
“You know, I [also] think we’re much faster; I think Canelo is a little bit slower. He tends to box, and punch, lets you know when he’s going to throw, and he tucks and ducks and so forth.
“If we have to box this guy, we will box him. If he wants to slug with us, that’s no problem, we’re ready for that, also.
“I think Miguel is the more intelligent and the smarter fighter, and I think that’s who’s going to win the fight,” he added.
Twitter @undilutedpoison
