By Allan Fox: Miguel Cotto (37-4, 30 KO’s) plans on returning to the ring in late 2013 to fight just once this year. Cotto, 5’7”, reportedly is considering a move up to the middleweight division to see how does at that weight. He’s been fighting at 154 since 2010, but he’s interested in picking up a fourth world title.
If he moves up to 160 he has a good chance of picking up a strap if he targets IBF champion Daniel Geale or WBO champion Peter Quillin, both of which are vulnerable champions.
Cotto said to RingTV “We have to do the best we can do, and if that includes moving up to middleweight, then that is what we will do.”
At this point any change for Cotto would be a good one because he’s lost his last two fights to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Austin Trout, and it would be insane for Cotto to stay at 154 because there’s just nothing there for him.
It’s not worth it for Cotto to target the weak link in the junior middleweight division in WBO champion Zaurbek Baysangurov. Cotto could easily pick up his title if he could wrangle a fight with him, but it’s hardly worth it because there are no big names for him to fight in this division other than Saul Alvarez.
Cotto gains much more by moving up to middleweight to take on Geale, Quillin or maybe even Sergio Martinez, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. or Gennady Golovkin. Cotto wouldn’t take nearly as much heat losing to one of those guys than he would if he stays at 154 and keeps getting beaten by guys at this weight class.
If Cotto can pick up a fourth world title, it would be a big deal and something that would help his legacy.
Cotto says he wants to fight only three more times before retiring from boxing. He plans on wrapping up his career in 2014 by fighting twice.
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