By Scott Gilfoid: Former World Boxing Council welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir (44-11-6, 13 KOs) reportedly wants a fight with top fighters Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey or Miguel Cotto according to Sycuan Ringside Promotions. The 37 year-old Baldomir hasn’t seen action since his 10-round majority decision win over light middleweight Luciano Perez in November 2007. Though Baldomir states that he’s interested in fighting one of the top welterweights in the division, it’s very questionable whether he can make the 147 pound weight limit at this stage in his career.

The last time he fought at 147 was two years ago against Floyd Mayweather in November 2006, a bout in which Baldomir was soundly defeated and lost his WBC welterweight title to Mayweather. Shortly after that, Baldomir moved up in weight to 154 lbs, the light middleweight division, where he was against defeated in a one-sided fight, a 12-round unanimous decision, to Vernon Forrest for the vacant WBC light middleweight title in July 2007.

At the time, Baldomir had been said to have come down a little too quickly from his walking around weight of 200 lbs. Taking off that much weight in a rapid amount of time would no doubt partially account for Baldomir’s off performance in that fight, because he seemed to fight without the same energy that he had in many of his previous fights.

It’s unclear whether Margarito or Clottey would have an interest in fighting Baldomir at this time, since both of them are booked up for a fight in November with one another. However, Cotto might be interested in fighting the rugged fighter from Argentina. Cotto is badly in need of a relatively big named opponent, yet one without the knockout threat that someone like Kermit Cintron or Margarito would be bringing to the table. Baldomir isn’t a particularly hard puncher, and is known more for his constant pressure that he puts on his opponent.

He doesn’t have the nonstop punching technique like Margarito, which would make him a much easier opponent for Cotto to defeat without taking too much punishment. However, if Cotto stands directly in front of him and tries to trade with him, Baldomir has a busy enough work rate and more than enough power to give Cotto problems. After all, Cotto had problems with Zab Judah, who in turn was defeated by Baldomir in January 2006 by a 12-round unanimous decision. That victory pretty much put Baldomir on the boxing map, because before that fight, he wasn’t all that well known by many fans.

Cotto may even find himself in trouble against a fighter like Baldomir, because he really took a horrendous beating by Margarito and he might not be all there after sustaining such a terrible beating. If he’s not, Baldomir has more than enough left probably to give him a lot of problems and possibly take him out.

The question with Baldomir, however, is whether he can take the weight off in time for a bout in November or December. He hasn’t fought at welterweight in ages, and if he’s forced to take off too much weight, he’ll likely end up weak and weight drained for a fight against someone like Cotto. I suppose that’s a good thing for Cotto, because he wouldn’t have to sustain as much punishment, but it wouldn’t be a good indication for how much Baldomir has left as a fighter nor how much Cotto has left, either.