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Trainer: Miguel Cotto couldn’t go five rounds with Gennady Golovkin

Fighters Network
23
Nov
Miguel Cotto “couldn’t go five rounds” against Gennady Golovkin.
That’s the response of Golovkin’s trainer to Freddie Roach’s statement that “I think Miguel Cotto will kick his ass” if the middleweights were to meet in the ring. Roach has trained Cotto, THE RING/WBC middleweight champ, for his last two bouts.
Golovkin’s trainer Abel Sanchez thinks Roach’s opinion is nonsense.
“Miguel Cotto couldn’t go five rounds, and Freddie Roach knows that and Miguel Cotto knows that,” said Sanchez. “Freddie gets on a rant like that and goes over the top to deflect the real questions so that he doesn’t have to give true answers. But Freddie knows the truth.”

Cotto (39-4, 32 knockouts) is in talks for a May 2 title defense on HBO Pay-Per-View against No. 1-rated junior middleweight Canelo Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KOs), a Mexican star.

But during a recent interview with RingTV.com, Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) placed Cotto on his wish list of opponents, along with Alvarez, RING super middleweight champion Andre Ward, No. 1-rated 168-pounder and IBF titlist Carl Froch or No. 10-rated super middleweight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

“If Cotto is willing to get in the ring with GGG, he will get knocked out,” said Tom Loeffler, of K2 Promotions, which handles Golovkin. “As [Golovkin’s trainer] Abel [Sanchez] has always said, nobody can last 12 rounds with GGG at middleweight, and that includes Cotto.”

Golovkin is coming off last month’s second-round stoppage of three-time title challenger Marco Antonio Rubio, representing his 18th straight knockout with the 12th defense of his WBA belt. A 32-year-old from Kazakhstan, Golovkin will return to action against Martin Murray on Feb. 21 in Monte Carlo.



“As we have always said, we will continue to get the best available opponents that are willing to get in the ring with GGG,” said Loeffler. “Cotto has proven to be a great warrior and we all have respect for him.”

Cotto, 34, was last in the ring for his 10th-round technical knockout of Sergio Martinez in June that earned both THE RING and WBC belts, while Alvarez, 24, is coming off a split decision victory over Erislandy Lara in July.

Roach expressed confidence that Cotto could conquer Golovkin should he get beyond Alvarez.

“There is some great competition for Miguel up at 160, but the fight that we hope will come up is Alvarez, which is a great fight. If Miguel wins that fight, then there’s ‘Triple G’ out there,” said Roach, during a Nov. 20 conference call with media members.

“I think Miguel Cotto will kick his ass. I just think that he can outbox that guy. Everyone is talking about Golovkin, saying that he’s got nobody to fightÔǪI don’t think that he’s unbeatable. He’s a good fighter right now but we love challenges and that’s a great challenge for us on 160.”

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