By Ian S. Palmer
Puerto Rican boxing star Miguel Cotto will return to the ring on Saturday December 1 to take on WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin Trout of New Mexico at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Cotto, who lost a unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May, is a former world champion with a record of 37-3 with 30 Kos. Trout is undefeated so far in his pro career and carries a record of 25-0 with him along with 14 Kos. This is a huge chance for Trout to prove that he belongs in the ring with the world’s best.
The 32-year-old Cotto will be attempting to win his fifth world title in his fourth weight division while the 27-year-old champion is hoping to defend the belt for the fourth time and to make a name for himself with a win over a future hall of famer. Both boxers certainly have quite a bit to gain with a win here as well as a lot to lose. Cotto is considered a hero in New York and will definitely have the crowd on his side at Madison Square Garden. He hasn’t lost a fight in New York yet in nine appearances since turning pro back in 2001.
Trout, who turned pro in 2005, will be entering the prime of his career just about now, but he hasn’t really beaten any big-name opponents as of yet. He won his title on the road when he beat Rigoberto Alvarez in Mexico by a decisive unanimous decision in February of 2011. He’s defended it three times against Delvin Rodriguez, Frank LoPorto, and David Lopez. Trout has good speed and boxing skills, but isn’t known as a heavy puncher.
The southpaw Cotto has faced some of the best boxers of the era in Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, and Antonio Margarito. However, he lost to all three of them. He managed to beat Margarito in a rematch last year in a highly-emotional fight when the bout was stopped after the ninth round. Margarito was found cheating when his gloves were discovered to be stuffed just before entering the ring against Shane Mosely in 2009. Many people assume that he also stuffed his gloves when he stopped Cotto in the 11th round in 2008, but nothing was ever proven.
However, Cotto has impressive wins over a slew of good boxers such as Justin Juuko, Lovemore N’dou, Randall Bailey, DeMarcus Corley, Ricardo Torres, Gianluca Branco, Paulie Malignaggi, Carlos Quintana, Zab Judah, Oktay Urkal, Shane Mosley, and Yuri Foreman, Joshua Clottey, Ricardo Mayorga, and Alfonso Gomez. Cotto has definitely never ducked anybody and his experience in big fights could prove to be invaluable against the relatively inexperienced Trout.
Cotto is one of the best boxers of his generation and has been tested numerous times. His only losses have been to the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world and a possible cheater in Margarito. He might not have the tools anymore to stop Trout, but should have enough to at least take his title on points.
