Miguel Cotto Out to Prove He’s Not Done Yet

Over the past 15 years, fight fans have grown accustomed to Miguel Cotto’s dark tenor. But, during a recent press tour to promote his Nov. 21 bout with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, a smile cracked the menacing scowl usually found on the face of the Puerto Rican pugilist.

The grin intoned an idea that Cotto, 35, knows something no one else knows, that he has a surprise coming against Alvarez. The grin conveyed that this could be a different Cotto, rejuvenated version, rebuilt under the master craftsmanship of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.

“I listen to everything Freddie tells me, and I just have to follow the instructions Freddie gives me, follow our game plan, and fight my best, I’ll win,” Cotto said. “I do see this as a war. It’s why I prepared for a war. Every fight is different. I don’t worry about what the other guy is doing. I know what I have to do to win. I know I did the work needed to win and I will show that.”

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By the time he found his way to Roach, Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) looked just about done. He had lost back-to-back fights for the first time in his career and appeared destined for “name gatekeeper” status. Under the tutelage of Roach, however, Cotto has found areas of his game which had been dormant for years. Roach retooled his charge, reinstilling the trust and faith Cotto once had in his boxing ability.

Teamed with Roach, Cotto has won his last three fights, including a 10-round destruction of Sergio Martinez to wrest away the WBC middleweight championship in June 2014. Cotto followed up in June by devouring Daniel Geale in four rounds. Cotto was potent, moved well and looked 10 years younger.

“I think I have a guy that is dedicated and will do anything to win,” Roach said of Cotto. “I don't think [Alvarez] is the most dedicated guy in the world. That’s why I think Miguel will win. He’s in the best shape of his life. I’ll admit: I can see the early rounds being a little tough, but as the fight goes on, it favors us. I want us to have enough energy at the end to knock this guy out, and save that power for later.

“If Alvarez doesn’t come at us aggressively, that will be because he’s afraid of my guy’s power. [James Kirkland] was hand-picked for [Alvarez]. We didn’t look at that fight. We went back to his past fight, where he made a lot of mistakes. Miguel is very good at picking up those mistakes.”

Alvarez, 25, is bigger than Cotto and closer to being a legitimate middleweight, but the Puerto Rican star is the better tactician. Alvarez has a history of problems against fighters that can move well, and with Roach, Cotto has found a new set of wheels.

“Miguel has wanted this fight and I expect nothing less than to win by knockout,” Roach said. “Miguel has proven people wrong before. He will again.”

Cotto has received a needed nudge from Roach. Now, it seems as if he has regained his beam-right-through-your-soul glare. The mask of uncertainty vanquished, Cotto nods again, knowing within there is much more left.

Joseph Santoliquito is the president of the Boxing Writer's Association of America and a frequent contributor to Sherdog.com's mixed martial arts and boxing coverage. His archive can be found here.