Cotto, Top Rank Wait on De La Hoya's decision!

Cotto, Top Rank Wait on De La Hoya's decision!

BoxingScene Database



By Rick Reeno

If everything plays out as expected, Oscar De La Hoya will announce his next opponent by the second week of January. Currently, there are two frontrunners to oppose De La Hoya on the tentative date of May 3 - WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and former two-division champion Ricky Hatton.

Bob Arum, head of Top Rank, tells BoxingScene.com that Cotto's next fight is still up in the air, as they await De La Hoya's decision on his next opponent. The current plan is for Cotto and Margarito to appear in seperate fights on a doubleheader in March/April, and then match the two fighters on an HBO pay-per-view in June/July. But if De La Hoya decides to fight Cotto in May, the two fight plan will be scrapped.

"After the New Year, we will talk to HBO. The plan is for Miguel to fight in late March or early April and then fight again in June or July. He should fight twice in that time period," Arum said. "The date in late March or early April would be a doubleheader with Antonio Margarito. Provided they win, Cotto would fight Margarito in June or July. Nothing is set until we hear from Oscar after the New Year. I have a good relationship with Golden Boy Promotions. I spoke with Richard (Schaefer) and told him that we can't wait forever. I'll speak with Richard again after the New Year. It's up to Oscar. Maybe he won't fight (in May). Maybe he'll pick someone else. Everything should sorted out after the New Year."

For some time, Cotto has been rumored to fight Joshua Clottey in his March/April return, but Arum tells BoxingScene that's far from the case. Clottey recently won an IBF eliminator over unbeaten Shamone Alvarez, which made him the mandatory to IBF welterweight champion Kermit Cintron. Clottey's manager has asked Top Rank to make the fight with Cintron. Cintron, has been pushing for a rematch with Antonio Margarito, another Top Rank fighter, but Arum says Cintron must first deal with Clottey.

"Cintron has to fight Clottey. Clottey won the eliminator over Shamone Alvarez to become the mandatory. Clottey wants the fight. Clottey's manager asked us to make the fight. That's our position and that's his position," Arum said.

As far Margarito, several names are being thrown around, but no opponent has been set.



Well it looks like Cotto is going for the $$$. I can't blame him. Thoughts?

 

It's either Mayweather or don't bother fighting. Although, a Paul Williams matchup might be interesting to watch, but Cotto wouldn't risk it.

 

If Oscar fights Cotto, he's cashing out, cause Cotto will end whats left of his career.

 

Yeah, fuck him. As a boxing fan, I couldnt give a shit about Top Rank and Golden Boy promotions getting together and making alot of money, I want to see Cotto in meaningful and compelling fights against the top welterweights actually,.. Williams, Margarito, Cintron, Fraud, etc,...as hardcore fans, why the fuck should we all be pleased about this?...

 

For once I agree with you. I much rather see Cotto-Floyd, or Cotto-Phony over this crap! The Golden Cross Dresser should go away and stop compelling guys to fight him.

And yes, if Cotto fights Oscar, he'll be fighting yet ANOTHER Floyd leftover... that'll be make four.

Reminds me of when DM used to make a rep by feasting off of all Roy's leftovers.

 

If anyone here were in Cotto's position you will also go for the $$$$. I know I would. Anyone here who thinks otherwise is bullshitting. Why would you fight for 5 million when you can make 20 million? If Cotto loses he's set for life anyway. Its all about the $$$$$ wen it comes down to it.

 

Empathising with Cotto certainly scratches the itch, it's scrumptious, imagine Cotto with all that money?... mmmm,..that's the life, I'm there.

 

As long as Cotto-De La Hoya serves a prelude to Cotto-Mayweather, why not? :cheer:

 

I don't agree. It may be the end of Cotto's unbeaten run. That's why I don't want this fight to happen before Cotto fights Mayweather.

 

Why not fight Mayweather right now?...ld:

 

That fight will never happen. There will always be a excuse on both sides.

 

:nono: uh, A Fraud leftover?...you should be ashamed of that split decision,.... it's more like a Mosely left-over,...so it's a step backwards.

 

And for the 4th Time Cotto will show how it's done, in Dramatic Fashion Cotto will KHTFO.::

 

I have a strong feeling that the DLH that will fight Cotto will be making his last stand and this will be a bad bad fight for him. DLH is bigger,just as fast and has the power to really hurt him.
Cotto is looking for money but if DLH beats him he will wonder was it worth it.

 

Cuz, with 20 Million in the bank of course its worth it:bears:

 

I know but to the boxing world getting beat by a part time fighter doesn't give you too much to boast about.

 

All Cotto has to do is fight cautious early, avoiding Oscar's left hook. By the fifth round, Dee La Hoya will be gassed and there for the taking. ld:

 

Is this a joke?

De La Hoya's not going to be that diminished a year after the Mayweather fight...and it's certainly not like he took much punishment in that fight.

So if DLH was good enough for Mayweather to fight in '07, he's good enough for Cotto to fight in '08.

 

Hex is right and we all know it. If we had a 20mil payday in front of us we would take it. And if you didn't, you are stupid.

And for the ones that say Cotto would lose to Oscar, you are crazy if you think that DLH stands up to the shots Mosely took. Cotto ko's Oscar in style.

 

Cotto will become the 2nd man to stop Oscar, and will hand Oscar the worst beating he's ever taken.


Cotto via late stoppage.

 

This fight sucks.I feel bad for Oscar ,he's become the fighter every other fighter that lacks his drawing power to make money off of......shits pathetic.I don't want to see this fight.

 

I agree with you BtG, I don't want to see it neither. But it isn't the other fighter's fault. Its Oscar's. He knows he's the payday and he likes to force himself into the situation. We all know he isn't anymore a factor in the WW division, but somebody keeps buying those ppv's:nono:

 

how brave for cotto to take on another one of floyd's leftovers!

i'd much rather see cotto vs. margarito.

 

Hatton is still busy crying. I don't think he'll be ready in time for May. I wish DLH would just retire already. There are no other fights that he should be in. I can't think of one.

 

I agree, that is a much more relavent fight. But how can you call Cotto out for his bravery? Its the same reason Floyd fought Oscar. For the Money. Joe King is right, Oscar needs to step away from the scene but he doesn't. You can't blame Cotto for fighting Oscar for 20 mil instead of Marg for possibly 5 mil. Floyd wanted the rematch with Oscar, for what? Straight cash homey. And you and I and everyone else would be liars saying we would leave that cash on the table.:nono:

 

:bears:

 

well, then all the floyd haters should shut the fuck up and face the reality.

mayweather fighting hatton and oscar made more business sense than fighting guys like margarito and williams.

people gave cotto credit for fighting judah who was coming off two consecutive losses while people shitted on floyd for fighting baldomir and judah.

 

I didn't:nono:

 

this we can definitely agree on. I didn't blast Floyd for fighting Baldomir, but I did blast his performance.

Floyd will always have haters, but then again so will Cotto, and so will Oscar, and so on. Consistency is very seldom seen between fans of different fighters.

We all know the fight that should be made is Floyd/Cotto. But yet neither camp talks about it.

 

A lot of that criticism was because Judah was being put in a ppv main event after a loss at the same time Top Rank was pulling the same thing with Morales-Pacquiao II despire Morales coming off the Raheem loss...and that was coupled with the fight still being masqueraded as a title fight (and Mayweather was trying to lead the argument...like he did on ESPN).

As a title fight, Mayweather-Judah was a joke because Judah was allowed to keep the IBF title...different situation with Cotto-Judah because Cotto was the champion, and Judah was a contender.

Judah was still considered by many a good opponent for Mayweather at the time, especially because it was really his first legit opponent at 147.

As for the Baldomir fight, I thought the criticism that was really out of place was what came before the fight was made...when he was somehow being criticized for ducking the guy who was an underdog to Arturo freakin' Gatti.

If Cotto-DLH is made at 147, I don't think it's a great fight and I would prefer to see him fight Mayweather/Margarito/Williams, but would rather see it than Cotto against Clottey/Cintron/Berto.

DLH is just a good contender at this point...and that's all he'd be viewed as if he did fight Cotto (as well as a huge money-making opportunity).

That was not the case against Mayweather, where he had a rather light jr. middleweight title...and was being pumped up (especially by a lot of Mayweather fans...who have long been his biggest detractors) as a "great" fighter...not to mention the fact it was built up as Mayweather's fight to prove his all-time greatness.

The meaning of the fights changes based on the circumstances.

But as a fighter, DLH won't be much different in 2008 as he was from 2007...and if he was good enough for Mayweather he's good enough for Cotto.

The fact is, DLH wasn't great at 154, he wasn't even great 147. He also wasn't great in 2007 and won't be in 2008.