In one of the most anticipated fights of the year, Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) and Canelo Álvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) thrilled fans from start to finish with high-intensity action just as promised, but it was Canelo that persevered and was crowned the new WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion with a unanimous decision win after 12-rounds.
Entertainment and sports figures including JAY Z, Beyonce, Mark Wahlberg, Nicey Nash, Mario Lopez, Paulina Rubio, Kate del Castillo, Michael B. Jordan, Sammy Hagar, UFC Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm, Kelly Rowland, Charles Barkley, Erick Aybar, Angie Martinez and former and current fighters Evander Holyfield, Andre Ward, Zab Judah, were all in attendance to catch the excitement live in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
“I have a lot of respect for Miguel,” said Canelo Álvarez following the fight. “He is a great champion and a great fighter. We knew going into this fight that it would be a difficult journey, but I feel that I was the faster and stronger fighter tonight. I wasn’t hurt by his punches. I want to thank my trainers, they are like my family and the best people I know and I couldn’t have done this without them.”
Álvarez continued, “I’m not afraid of any fighter. Gennady “GGG” Golovkin is a great fighter, and he is my friend. I have respect for him, but if we do fight, it’s going to be at my weight class. I’m the champion, and I don’t have to do what he wants.”
“I was fully prepared for what Cotto was going to do in the ring, whether that was take a defense stance or be the aggressor,” Álvarez said lastly.
“We are very proud of Canelo today,” said Eddy Reynoso, trainer for Canelo Álvarez. “As we all know, he started from the bottom and now he is the champion. I was never worried about him from the first round through to the 12th round. He has great defense strategy, but I was hoping that he would have finished Cotto sooner. I know that he was looking for the knock out and as a result didn’t throw as much as he should have to put Miguel on the canvas. We have a lot of respect for Miguel, he is a great fighter, and we have tremendous respect for Freddie Roach as a trainer.”
“I knew he was winning,” said Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, trainer and manager for Canelo Álvarez. “He went into this fight with a clear head and a full heart and that is what he needed to be successful tonight. I am proud of him, proud of his simplicity to admit that we were once no one and now he is the middleweight champion. I wish he would have put more pressure on Cotto from the beginning, but I knew he was enjoying himself. He showed how beautiful the sport can be when you fight in an intelligent way.”
“This fight will take Canelo to a whole new level now – this is a new era in our sport,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, at the post-fight press conference. “Canelo’s next fight will be in May for the weekends of Cinco de Mayo and in September for Mexican Independence Day.”
After the fight, Miguel Cotto said, “Wow…(then directed his attention to Freddie Roach and said) Are you okay? That’s all that matters.”
In Cotto’s locker room after the fight, Roc Nation Sports founder JAY-Z said of Cotto’s performance, “Great fight” and Juan Perez, president of Roc Nation Sports said to Cotto, “We are proud of you.”
Freddie Roach, Miguel Cotto’s trainer, said after the fight in Cotto’s locker room, “We thought it was much closer than the score cards showed. It was a very competitive fight. Miguel’s defense was unbelievable.”
