Las Vegas, Nev. (February 1)…It’s official. Boxing superstar Floyd “Money” Mayweather will return to the ring, step up in weight and challenge three-division World Champion Miguel Cotto for his WBA Super Welterweight World title in what will be a gargantuan showdown between two future Hall of Famers who bring excitement and fierce competition every time they step into the ring. Mayweather vs. Cotto will take place on Saturday, May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. and will be televised live on pay-per-view.
Mayweather, a seven-time world champion in five weight classes, is excited to be facing the heavier, much-tested Cotto, who is the pride of Puerto Rico and has the experience, heart and determination to give pound for pound king Mayweather the toughest fight of his career.
“Miguel Cotto is a world class fighter who can never be taken for granted and continues to prove he is one of the best in boxing,” said Mayweather, whose only other fight at super welterweight came in a World Boxing Council (WBC) world title win over Oscar de la Hoya in May 2007. “It will be a challenge for me to compete with him at this weight, but this is the type of test I thrive on and gives me the motivation to train even harder. I have no doubt in my mind that my title belt collection will increase once again and Cotto’s reign as champion will come to an end on May 5.”
Cotto, coming off of the second defense of his title, a spectacular tenth-round technical knockout win over Antonio Margarito in December 2011, is ready to face Mayweather and believes he is Mayweather’s most competitive career challenge to date.
“I am here to fight the biggest names in boxing,” said Cotto who true to his warrior spirit that has distinguished his entire career has accepted this challenge to face the undefeated Mayweather. “I’ve never ducked anyone or any challenge in front of me. I have accepted everything to give the fans what they like…great and exciting fights. That is what the sport of boxing is all about; making the fights that the fans want and deserve to see. On May 5, stay tuned, because I will convincingly beat Floyd Mayweather.”
In addition to agreeing to the terms of the bout which will take place on Cinco de Mayo, one of boxing’s biggest weekends, both fighters have agreed to Olympic-style drug testing for the fight.
“Floyd always asks us to find the best available competition for him to fight and we have found that in Miguel Cotto,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO, Mayweather Promotions. “This is a very risky fight for Floyd as Miguel is a solid 154-pound champion who has already proven to have great boxing abilities and to be a very competent and strong puncher. This is a big test for Floyd, but as always I believe, he is the superior fighter with unmatched skills. This will make the difference and lead to another Mayweather victory the night of May 5.”
“What we have here are two champions of amazing caliber set to meet in the ring on May 5 and give boxing and sports fan one of the most compelling match-ups in the sport’s history,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO, Golden Boy Promotions. “Floyd Mayweather has already achieved worldwide recognition as one of the best fighters ever and Miguel Cotto is one of the greatest fighters of this era. I commend both fighters for agreeing to the fight each other on one of the biggest weekends for boxing and also commend them for agreeing to participate in Olympic style drug testing, a precedent set by Floyd, which continues to uphold the integrity of the sport.”
The undefeated Mayweather, (41-0, 25 KO’s), a seven-time world champion in five weight divisions, remains boxing’s biggest attraction, wowing crowds and generating record pay-per-view numbers each time he steps into the ring. During his extraordinary career, he has amassed wins over world champions such as Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez and Shane Mosley. His last fight against then WBC Welterweight World Champion Victor Ortiz on September 17, 2011 not only showed his boxing skills, as he took the younger Ortiz to school in the first three rounds before knocking him out in the fourth stanza. He is also no stranger to appearing on the classic Mexican celebratory weekends such as Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day as his fight with Cotto will mark the fifth fight of his career to land on one of those weekends. Mayweather returns to face Cotto in an attempt to capture his eighth world championship.
Cotto (36-2, 29 KO’s), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, has held a world title every year since 2004 while winning 16 of the 18 world championship bouts in which he has fought. Puerto Rico’s most exciting fighter and one of its greatest of all time, Cotto held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Junior Welterweight crown from 2004-2006, successfully defending it six times before vacating it to capture the WBA Welterweight title at the end of 2006, a title he held for nearly as long. After losing the WBA title to Margarito in July 2008, Cotto won his second welterweight belt in February 2009, knocking out Michael Jennings in the fifth round to become the WBO Welterweight champion. He lost the title in his second defense in November 2009, but captured the WBA Super Welterweight title in June of 2010 at Yankee Stadium in New York by stopping then-undefeated defending champion Yuri Foreman. Cotto successfully defended that title by stopping Two-Division World Champion Ricardo Mayorga in the 12th round in March of 2011 and, in his last fight, finally avenged his loss to Margarito, once again retaining his title and giving him true peace of mind.
Mayweather vs. Cotto, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBA Super Welterweight World title, is presented by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. More information on Mayweather vs. Cotto, including ticket prices, pay- per- view information as well as press tour dates and cities, will be announced shortly.
TOP RANK INC. PRESENTS: JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. vs. MARCO ANTONIO RUBIO ON SATURDAY ON HBO
WORLD BOXING COUNCIL NEWS
February 1, 2012 – Mexico City.
From the office of WBC President Dr. José Sulaimán:
WBC STATISTICS
WBC Middleweight World Championship
February 4, 2012
Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas
This will be the 1,768th fight sanctioned by the WBC in its 49-year history.
TOP RANK INC. PRESENTS:
JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. vs. MARCO ANTONIO RUBIO
JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. (MEXICO)
WBC middleweight world champion
Age, date of birth: 25 (February 16, 1986)
Residence, birthplace: Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Record: 44-0-1, 1 NC, 31 KOs
Height: 6’1”
Stance: Righthanded
Total rounds: 211
World title fights: 2 (2-0, 1 KO)
Manager: Billy Keane
Trainer: Freddie Roach
Promoters: Top Rank Inc., Zanfer Promotions
MARCO ANTONIO RUBIO (MEXICO)
Ranked WBC No. 1 at middleweight
Age, date of birth: 31 (June 16, 1980)
Residence: Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico
Birthplace: Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
Record: 53-5-1, 47 KOs
Height: 6’1”
Stance: Righthanded
Total rounds: 263
World title fights: 1 (0-1)
Managers: Hector Sanchez, Julio Gudino
Trainer: Jorge “Mapimi” Rodriguez
Promoter: Oswaldo Kuchle
WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Dick Tiger (Nigeria) 1963
2. Joey Giardello (US) 1963 – 1965
3. Dick Tiger (Nigeria) * 1965 – 1966
4. Emile Griffith (V.I.) 1966 – 1967
5. Nino Benvenuti (Italy) 1967
6. Emile Griffith (V.I.) * 1967 – 1968
7. Nino Benvenuti (Italy) * 1968 – 1970
8. Carlos Monzon (Argentina) 1970 – 1974
9. Rodrigo Valdez (Colombia) 1974 – 1976
10. Carlos Monzon (Argentina) * 1976 – 1977
11. Rodrigo Valdez (Colombia) * 1977 – 1978
12. Hugo Corro (Argentina) 1978 – 1979
13. Vito Antuofermo (Italy) 1979 – 1980
14. Alan Minter (GB) 1980
15. Marvin Hagler (US) 1980 – 1987
16. Ray Leonard (US) 1987
17. Thomas Hearns (US) 1987 – 1988
18. Iran Barkley (US) 1988 – 1989
19. Roberto Duran (Panama) 1989
20. Julian Jackson (V.I.) 1990 – 1993
21. Gerald McClellan (US) 1993 – 1995
22. Julian Jackson (V.I.) * 1995
23. Quincy Taylor (US) 1995 – 1996
24. Keith Holmes (US) 1996 – 1998
25. Hassine Cherifi (France) 1998 – 1999
26. Keith Holmes (US) * 1999 – 2001
27. Bernard Hopkins (US) 2001 – 2005
28. Jermain Taylor (US) 2005 -2007
29. Kelly Pavlik (US) 2007 – 2010
30. Sebastian Zbik (Germany) Interim 2009
31. Sergio Martinez (Argentina) 2010
32. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (Mexico) 2011
*Regained title
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC:
25 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, seven of whom have regained the title: Dick Tiger (Nigeria), Emile Griffith (Virgin Islands), Nino Benvenuti (Italy), Carlos Monzon (Argentina), Rodrigo Valdez (Colombia), Julian Jackson (Virgin Islands), Keith Kolmes (US).
110 WBC middleweight world title fights have been held in WBC history.
67 WBC middleweight world title fights have taken place in the United States in WBC history.
44 WBC world title fights have been held in Texas in WBC history.
This will be third WBC middleweight world title bout in Texas in WBC history:
June 26, 2010 Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. W12 John Duddy – San Antonio
Nov. 19, 2011 Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. TKO5 Peter Manfredo Jr. – Houston
WBC Statistics by Luis Medina.
IBA CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONS, VICTOR BARRAGAN VS JONTE WILLIS AND…AUTOGRAPH SIGNING WITH FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONS KEN NORTON AND…
Las Vegas – Crown Boxing presents IBA Cruiserweight Championship boxing match and former Heavyweight Champions Ken Norton and Leon Spinks, along with boxing legend Earnie Shavers autograph signing at LVH-Las Vegas Hotel & Casino on Saturday, February 4, 2012.
Crown Boxing, Inc. brings IBA Cruiserweight Champion Victor Barragan to defend his title against Jonte Willis, plus three Featherweight bouts and two sensational professional MMA fights. “We are excited to bring this full card of professional fighting,” said Ken Ciancimino, Executive Vice President. “We’ve had the latest and greatest at LVH (formerly known as Las Vegas Hilton). Thirty–four years ago Leon Spinks fought Muhammad Ali here. Keeping boxing alive here at LVH only makes sense.”
Ken Norton’s professional ring career began at the age of 23, and it was six years later that he finally got his shot at the title. Going up against Ali in 1973 for the North American Boxing Federation title, Norton seized the opportunity and won in what boxing experts call one of the most memorable fights of all time. This victory was followed the same year with another bout against Ali, and this time Ken lost a split decision. The two heavyweights met a final time in 1976, for the title. Norton lost this bout in a highly disputed split decision. Ken was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.
Leon Spinks is a former World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion of the world. While still an amateur, he also became a member of the United States Marine Corps. Spinks defeated 36 year old Muhammad Ali for the undisputed heavyweight championship in what was regarded as one of the bigger upsets in boxing, but later was stripped of the WBC title for fighting Ali in a rematch fight which he lost via 15-round unanimous decision.
Earnie Shaver, known as the Black Destroyer is listed #10 on The Ring’s ranking of the 100 greatest punchers of all-time. In 2003, Shavers compiled an impressive record at the start of his career, winning 44 of his first 47 fights by knockout, mostly against unremarkable opposition. His KO streak included 27 knockouts in a row, and over 20 victories were in the first round alone. Shavers fought Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden on September 29, 1977.
Tickets to the IBA Cruiserweight Championship are $25 – $100 plus tax and service charge and can be purchased at the LVH box office or by visiting www.thelvh.com or calling (702) 732-5755 or 1-800-222-5361. Autograph signings will be held in front of Tempo Lounge starting at 1 p.m. Photos, fight posters and gloves are available for purchase at the signing. Cash only.