Age Will Prevail Over Youth in Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez Fight

At first glance, the Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33KO) vs. Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32KO) middleweight championship clash Saturday night in Las Vegas appears to heavily favor Alvarez, the younger, bigger, stronger fighter and a rising star in the boxing world. But a resurgent Cotto, training under the watchful and wise eye of Freddie Roach since 2013, is certain to make this fight — one of the most hyped contests of the year — more intriguing than many prognosticators think.

Both fighters have similar strengths on offense. They both possess plenty of punching power and are known for delivering punishing body shots. Cotto’s feared left hook combined with his years of ring experience could lead to an upset of the popular and charismatic Alvarez, who, at age 25, is widely considered boxing’s next major star.

Cotto has won world titles in four different weight classes, but after being stripped of his WBC title earlier in the week for reportedly refusing to pay a sactioning fee, Cotto is fighting for pride this time around.  Granted, Cotto has become an easier target for opponents in the twilight of his career, but reports out of training camp suggest that Cotto, under Roach’s tutelage, could be poised to deliver the fight of his life. Cotto will need a return to his prime if, at 35-years of age, he is going to muster a performance that could carry him to victory over a fighter on the rise and insert his name into the discussion of all-time great pound-for-pound fighters in the history of the sport.

For Cotto to overcome a bigger, stronger opponent, he will have to withstand Canelo’s pressure and flurries early in the fight. If Cotto can utilize his foot speed and drag the fight into the latter rounds, he can take advantage of a tiring Alvarez, who has shown signs of getting leg-weary late in fights. Cotto must be smart and technically on cue to overcome his age and prevail over the younger man. He will need to be busy early, disciplined throughout and finish strong to pull off the upset. He is 3-0 with Roach in his corner, and Roach strongly believes Alvarez is tailor-made for Cotto, saying in pre-fight comments that his fighter will easily outbox Alvarez.

Regardless of who comes out on top Saturday, the safest bet of the day is that the victor is certain to issue a fresh challenge to Floyd Mayweather. Only time will tell if that will be enough to lure the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world out of retirement and back into the ring.