Cotto: "This is Golovkin’s last great chance"
Four-weight world champion and the Pride of Puerto Rico, Miguel Cotto, says that Gennady Golovkin’s challenge against undisputed Super Middleweight Champion Saul Canelo Alvarez at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 17th, will be his last great chance for the ultimate glory.
At the World Boxing Council's weekly presser, at the Hacienda de Cortes in the Coyocan area of Mexico City, International Hall of Fame legend Miguel Cotto, whose illustrious career spanned 2001-2017, having fought modern greats including Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquaio, Zab Judah, Sugar Shane Mosley, Ricardo Mayorga and Canelo, is now successfully turning his hand to boxing promotion.
“I am a product of the amateur school of Puerto Rican boxing, from then on I had the opportunity to go to the Central American and Pan American Championships; it was the basis of my training, that is why I am a believer that it is the way out of the bad times we're living in,” Cotto said.
He then said the trilogy fight between Canelo and GGG will be a truly great one, that it's Gennady's last great chance for glory and there will be opportunities for both to capitalise upon. Attired in a black, Cotto is still in fantastic shape and as sharp as a tack.
He said of the September showdown, “It is the last chance for Golovkin, because of his age and because of what this fight represents for him. At the same time, we will have to see how Canelo arrives after the defeat he suffered [to Dmitry Bivol in May]. Because of these two factors it seems to me that it will be a great fight and I don't have a favourite.”
Roberto Diaz the Chief Matchmaker at Golden Boy Promotions, who was also at the podium, said that although Canelo is still only 31 years old and Gennady is older at 40, it’s still a fair and well-balanced contest.
Diaz said: “They know each other so well. The level of talent means their fights have been so exciting because they’re very, very close. I think this will be the final chapter and the finish. I don’t think either one wants controversy. I think both will go for the knockout to make a final statement, and I think that will make out of the three, the best one.”
Roberto says that without knowing the strategy, Gennady’s best chance for victory will be during the first six rounds, commenting: “The longer the fight goes, I think yes, Gennady will start to fade, so the sooner he gets going the better chance he has. “During his era of dominance Golovkin was unbeatable showing skill that I’d never seen personally, doing things you hadn’t seen before. His experience as an amateur, the strength and dedication.
“He is 40 years old, but he isn’t a fighter who gains a lot of weight between fights. He’s taken care of himself and he’s a true professional, which will allow him to go on a little bit longer than the younger fighters that don’t take care of their bodies. We’ll be talking about them for years, especially after this September fight, but I can see Canelo finalizing this chapter with a strong victory.”
However, Roberto doesn’t see Golovkin fighting at super middleweight for this challenge as a particular disadvantage for him. He explained; “Canelo has been fighting as a super middleweight a little longer, but he’s coming from a lower division, which is sometimes what we tend to forget. Saul is originally coming from welterweight. Golovkin is naturally and physically the bigger man and I think now with age, not having to drop those eight pounds his body is going to say welcome… thank you. This is what I needed.“
With all of his amateur fights, Gennady started relatively late as a professional. As a matchmaker, would Roberto have preferred GGG would to have embarked on his pro career earlier?
“It possibly could and sometimes they go too long in the amateurs and by the time they get to the pros, like with Lomachenko, seeing a lot more injuries at an early stage of his professional career. But if Golovkin had turned pro four years earlier, we could have seen him retire four years ago.
Who does Roberto think will win? He succinctly replies: “Canelo by knockout!”
