Freddie Roach tips Miguel Cotto to beat Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez
Wednesday 26 August 2015 14:19, UK
Freddie Roach says WBC world middleweight champion Miguel Cotto will be "elusive" against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and has tipped the Puerto Rico fighter to emerge victorious from their November bout.
Cotto (40-4-KO33) will turn 35 before the fight at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas against the Mexican Alvarez, which reignites the boxing rivalry between the nations.
However, his trainer Roach says age will not be an issue and has promised fans that they will see a different fighter against Alvarez (45-1-1 KO32), who is 10 years his junior.
"People say when you get older, you have to work harder. That's not true. You just have to be smarter," Roach told the media at a Hollywood and Highland news conference.
"He will be elusive, I promise you. You'll see a whole different guy for this fight.
"I've liked this fight from day one - the Puerto Rico-Mexico rivalry - and I've said, 'Whatever it takes to make this fight, make it happen'."
Cotto has only been stopped by Antonio Margarito in 2008 and Manny Pacquiao the following year.
Since joining Roach, he has won all three of his fights, including stopping former world champion Daniel Geale in the fourth round on June 6.
"During my last three fights, you can see the difference between myself and where I was 10 years ago," Cotto said to the media before the press conference.
He added: "I don't know with what kind of mind Canelo will come on the night of the fight, but I'm going to do my best with Freddie in the corner and no matter what kind of style I need to fight, I'm going to be the winner.
"People know when you put a Mexican and a Puerto-Rican in the same ring, you are going to see a great fight. You are going to see the same on November 21."
Alvarez recorded a ninth-round technical knockout win over his next opponent's brother, Jose Miguel, in 2010 and said the upcoming bout will be "historic".
The 25-year-old is coming off an impressive third-round knockout of James Kirkland in May but dismissed the idea that he holds any advantages over his older competitor this time around.
"There are no advantages here," Alvarez said. "I don't think age will play an advantage at all. I think whoever is at their best on fight night will win the fight.
"Miguel Cotto has been looking very, very good. He's been very sharp and this is a 50-50 fight. He's in his best moments. That's what I like. That's how it should be in big fights.
"He's a great fighter. He's done a lot for this fight. To be in the ring with him and to beat him would a huge benefit for my career. The better man is going to win."
Both fighters have lost to pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr and Alvarez is determined to learn from that loss - his only career defeat so far.
"This is the most important fight of my career up to this point because of the rivalry and the (Cotto) name," said Alvarez. "I learned a lot from the Mayweather fight. Those experiences will and have helped me in the long run."
"I feel the honour and pride of fighting for my country - big responsibility. And the best thing I can do to honour that is prepare and win my fight."
While Cotto's manager Gaby Penagaricano said a re-match with Mayweather will always be considered should he decide to continue after September, Cotto insists he is not looking past Alvarez.
"All that's on my mind is November 21 and attaining victory in that," Cotto said. "[Mayweather] said he's going to retire after this fight. I can't look for something from someone who'll be out of boxing."
