WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto was slated to fight in December at Madison Square Garden, but recently announced via Twitter that fans won't see him in the ring again until 2015.
Fans I wanted to share with you all that my return to the ring will be in early 2015!!. Thank you for the amazing support. #WarCotto
— Miguel A. Cotto (@RealMiguelCotto) September 3, 2014
After dismantling Sergio Martinez in June to take the middleweight crown, his fourth title in as many weight classes, some hoped he would ride the wave of momentum into a big fight with either Canelo Alvarez or Gennady Golovkin.
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Both of those matchups were ruled out for December, with Andy Lee emerging as a likely opponent. Now, there will be no opponent, and his trainer Freddie Roach is the cause.
"We were trying to coordinate having [Roach] with him at all times during his camp for the planned December fight, but at the end, it was not possible due to his prior commitments with various fighters that will train in Asia during a good part of that period," Cotto's adviser Gaby Penagaricano told ESPN.
"We looked at various scenarios, but at the end, Miguel decided to wait until next year. He has no problem at all not fighting this year and is very happy with his decision."
Roach is currently occupied with preparing WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao for a November 22 bout in Macau, China against Chris Algieri.
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There is strong speculation that Top Rank wanted to stage a megafight on Cinco de Mayo weekend between Cotto and Alvarez, but those plans appear shaky now. Top Rank president Todd duBoef is saying that Cotto will fight again in February or March 2015, but Alvarez may be out of the question. The WBC has mandated that Cotto defend his title against the winner of the Gennady Golovkin vs. Marco Antonio Rubio fight set for October 18 in California.
Golovkin is a heavy favorite in that matchup, and ranks as the No. 1 middleweight in the world. If Cotto faces Golovkin, he will enter as an underdog, and win or lose won't have much turnaround time to prepare for Alvarez in early May.
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