Miguel Cotto is set to defend his WBC middleweight title on June 6 vs. Daniel Geale, a former 160-pound title-holder himself. While Geale is a respected veteran, many in the boxing community are looking past this fight to a potential showdown with Canelo Alvarez in the fall.
The issue there is WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin, a knockout artist hellbent on unifying the division, and who has No. 1 contender status for Cotto's title. For Cotto to defend the belt vs. Alvarez, he needs Golovkin to sign a "step-aside" deal. If not, Cotto must either fight Golovkin first, or drop the belt to face Alvarez.
Golovkin is one of boxing's rising stars, but he hasn't been able to cement his status with a "signature win," as Oscar De La Hoya recently said. Big name opponents from multiple weight classes say he's not a significant enough draw, but the conundrum is how can Golovkin become one if he is unable to get an opportunity?
Cotto and Alvarez represent big opportunities, but which is Golovkin's best route? Here's the case for each.
The Case For Canelo Alvarez
Alvarez is probably the bigger name of the two at this point in time, although Cotto occupies a far loftier place in boxing history. Alvarez is the heir apparent to Oscar De La Hoya as the next Mexican superstar; in fact, he'll likely surpass De La Hoya among Mexicans because he's far less Americanized than the "Golden Boy."
Alvarez could also be a bigger threat to Golovkin inside the ring. He campaigns at 154 pounds, but sometimes has issues making the weight. Alvarez is naturally more suited to middleweight, and would be the best pure boxer Golovkin has faced in his professional career. He also might have more power than Cotto; even though the Puerto Rican star is known as a puncher, at middleweight Cotto is far from his 147-pound prime. Golovkin's fights rarely last long enough to test his chin in the championship rounds, and Alvarez could hurt him.
The Case For Miguel Cotto
Alvarez makes more sense physically, but Cotto brings more prestige to the table. He's the only Puerto Rican fighter in their rich boxing history to achieve championships in four weight divisions, and he knocked down the lineal champion four times to win his WBC belt. His victory over Sergio Martinez is often derided now because of Martinez's injuries, but leading into the fight Cotto was a fairly heavy underdog.
On the other hand Cotto presents a different kind of threat to Golovkin. Alvarez might be physically larger and stronger, but he does not possess the strategic movement that Cotto does. Since pairing up with trainer Freddie Roach Cotto's shown incredible bounce and quickness in the ring, so even though his hands aren't incredibly fast, he's always in position to punish.
Cotto is also a known body puncher, and he proved his power carried to 160 pounds. Golovkin is a ferocious puncher of course, but he's never been in the ring with someone that could return comparable fire. Perhaps Cotto's boxing IQ, positioning, and body punching might slow Golovkin down as the fight wears on?
Verdict: For Golovkin, the better fight is Cotto. He doesn't have much of his career left, he currently has a title belt, and he'd learn from Cotto about fighting elite boxers. Golovkin would also have an easier time imposing himself on Cotto physically, and would probably score a knockout over a future Hall of Famer. Alvarez is a name, but the Hall of Fame is far away from the 24-year-old.
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