Miguel Cotto – Standing-8

Cotto v. Kamegai

Snippets On Arguably The Hottest Topics In The Sweet Science

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Cinnamon Power

On Saturday night, Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1 32 KO) was disciplined and calculated in his unanimous decision win over Miguel Cotto (40-5 33 KO) to capture the WBC strap. He pressed forward for most of the fight and used his size advantage to walk down Cotto, stunning him on more than one occasion.

The difference in power was evident. Canelo was walking through most of Cotto’s bombs whereas Cotto was visibly bothered by what he was receiving.

It wasn’t a secret that for Cotto to be successful in this fight, he would have had to box brilliantly.

The scores, 119-109, 118-110, 117-111 would lead you to believe that he had trouble doing just that. On the contrary however, while there is no argument here that Canelo was a UD winner, Cotto surely did enough to win more than one or two rounds.

Standing-8 scored the fight 115-113 Alvarez. Yes there were several close rounds but Cotto’s movement, defense, and counter-punching should have been given the benefit in those rounds.

Talk is heating up for Canelo and Gennady Golovkin and it could be as early as May….on Cinco De Mayo weekend.

Rigon-Doh!!!!

Guillermo Rigondeaux (16-0 10 KO) is one of the top fighters in the game but his performance on Saturday night looked more like a sparring session. The “sparring partner” in this case was opponent Drian Francisco (28-4-2 22 KO).

Rigondeaux landed less than ten punches a round and looked a bit rough in his usually fluid movement. He took the fight on short notice and had not fought for almost a year so I guess there are excuses to be found.

Rigondeaux was never in jeopardy of losing the fight but for a fighter who has struggled to gain fan appeal due to his defensive style, this performance was an epic fail.

Why We Love Boxing

Boxing sometimes parallels the metaphors of life. On Saturday night, Francisco Vargas (23-0-1 17 KO) was slowly losing his fight with WBC super featherweight champion Takashi Miura (29-3-2 22 KO). The bruised and worn challenger refused to quit. As in life when your back is against the wall and the odds seem stacked against you, you either rise to the challenge or fail.

Miura had dropped Vargas in round four and had continuously battered him. Vargas was also giving as good as he was getting but seemed to be wearing down.

Miura again had Vargas in trouble at the end of the eighth and it seemed Vargas would be in big trouble in the ninth.

As the bell sounded to start the ninth, Vargas, with his right eye shut and protruding from his head, found a way with the odds against him. Vargas dropped Miura with a monster right.

Miura was hurt bad but got to his feet as Vargas landed a brutal combination causing referee Tony Weeks to jump in and stop the fight.

Although there had to be a loser, they were both winners, two warriors giving their all for the love of the game.

Southpaw Has A New Name And It’s “Z-U-R-D-O”

Gilberto Ramirez (33-0 24 KO) is a rising star in the super middleweight division and has secured a title shot after his unanimous decision win over Gevorg Khatchikian (23-2 11 KO). He is now the WBO’s mandatory challenger for Arthur Abraham’s strap after Abraham’s defeat of Martin Murray on Saturday (see below).

Hector Zapari and Zapari Boxing/Promotions have brought Ramirez up at an excellent pace slowly raising the level of competition with each fight. On the journey to his title shot, they have matched him with tough solid opponents who have challenged the young kid by putting him in uncomfortable situations forcing him to find a solution. He has passed every test and each fight he looks to be getting better and better.

Ramirez is 6’2 with a 75” reach but looks even bigger in the ring. So many things to like about Ramirez, how he destroys the body, throws nice combinations with unique punch selections, and is always in attack mode looking to end things. I still remember the uppercut from long range that he knocked out Junior Talipeau with, a thing of beauty.

As he moves forward, he would benefit from using his physical advantages a bit more. He tends to fight small and not use the jab consistently. With his dimensions, a paralyzing stick would be a massive weapon. In addition, although he has a solid beard, a tighter defense to guard against those overhand rights would serve him well.

Canelo’s win over Cotto has catapulted him to Mexico’s favorite darling but Ramirez may very well be giving him a run for his money very soon.

Always A Groomsman, Never The Groom

Murray can’t catch a break. He has won the intercontinentals, the silvers, the commonwealth’s, but just can’t seem to capture the World. Well, unless it was the interim title that is.

On Saturday, he lost out on the WBO super middleweight strap to Abraham by split decision, 115-112 112-115, 111-116. Murray started well but couldn’t sustain his effort throughout although he landed some telling shots which were few and far between. In addition, he was deducted a point in the eleventh for using his shoulder which seemed to eliminate any momentum in the final two frames.

So, Murray again loses out on a chance at a World title. He has three losses and one draw in his career, all in World title fights.

BREAKING……The Heavyweight Champ Is Fighting!! The Heavyweight Champ Is Fighting!!

“I can lick any sonofabitch in the house” quipped John L. Sullivan in the late 1800’s. He was a bad man, the heavyweight champion. There was a time when the world stopped when the heavyweight champ was fighting, times have changed.

A casual most likely would have known that Canelo v. Cotto was happening last Saturday but doubtful they would know about the week’s heavyweight tilt.

This Saturday WBA, IBO, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (64-3 53 KO) will face Tyson Fury (24-0 18 KO) for all the hardware sans the WBC.

Fury will actually have both a height and reach advantage which could make things interesting. He’s generally plodding in his approach and if memory serves he was floored by cruiserweight turned heavy, Steve Cunningham. Granted Fury won by stoppage but if Cunningham’s power stunned him, a Steelhammer will be big trouble.

Let’s just hope Fury’s best act against Klitschko wasn’t his impersonation of Batman.

Quick Peek At…Canelo v. Cotto

A classic Mexico vs. Puerto Rico slugfest. Former WBA/WBC World super welterweight titlist Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (45-1-1 32 KO) will knuckleup with “former” WBC world middleweight titlist Miguel Cotto (33-2-1 24 KO) this Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas at a catchweight of 155.

Cotto, the “former” holder of the strap because the WBC announced this week that they would strip Cotto of the belt. Cotto apparently was having difficulty “complying with the rules and regs”,,,,aka he allegedly didn’t pay a $300K sanctioning fee. The timing stinks but such is the politics of boxing.

What now? If Alvarez wins the fight, the belt is his along with the title of lineal champ. Cotto would retain lineal champ status with a win but would not be the WBC champ, that would go to WBC interim champ, Gennady Golovkin. What a surprise.

Tape Tales

Cotto- Age- 35 Height-5’7 Reach-67”

Alvarez- Age- 25 Height-5’9 Reach-70.5”

Last 3-

Cotto-(3-0)

6/6/15 W- TKO 4 Daniel Geale,

Against Geale, Cotto was calculated in his attack. He worked the body and landed hard shots from the opening bell stunning Geale early and ending things with a big left hook in the fourth.

6/7/14 W- TKO 9 Sergio Martinez (Corner Stoppage before the 10th),

Cotto knocked down his battle worn opponent three times in the first en route to a dominant performance. It was clear that Martinez was not fully recovered from his knee injuries/surgeries but regardless of that, Cotto looked explosive.

10/5/13 W- TKO 3 Delvin Rodriguez

A strong body attack to start the fight, an overhand right-left hook combination to stagger Rodriguez at the end of two, and a big left hook causing the referee to stop the fight in the third. This was Cotto’s first fight with Freddie Roach and the springboard for a partnership that has reenergized the only Puerto Rican fighter to have won four titles in as many weight classes.

Alvarez- (3-0)

5/9/15 W- KO3 James Kirkland,

The Mandingo Warrior chose to attack Alvarez the only way he knows how, straight forward. He was dropped in the first but to his credit, recovered and had moments in the second backing Alvarez into the ropes and swinging away. In the third round, Alvarez landed an uppercut dropping Kirkland and then finished him moments later with a brutal overhand right.

7/12/14 W- SD Erislandy Lara,

This decision was arguably inaccurate. The scores for Alvarez that is, like the 117-111. Standing-8 had this fight 8-4 Lara. See Standing-8 article titled “Officer I’d Like To Report A Robbery, Weighing In On The Lara-Alvarez Debacle” for complete analysis.

3/8/14 W-TKO 10 Alfredo Angulo

It’s “Perro” so you know you’re going to get a dogfight against a pitbull, albeit this one with no defense or speed. Alvarez used his superior speed and movement to batter Angulo from pillar to post swelling up his face (who doesn’t?) and stopping him in the 10th.

Common Opponents May Provide A Bit Of Clarity-

Floyd Mayweather-

Cotto was one of Mayweather’s most competitive fights and closer than the scorecards indicated. Cotto executed a decent defensive gameplan and utilized his jab while working the body and landing more punches on Mayweather that had been seen in some time. Mayweather clearly won the fight but Cotto was highly competitive. Against Alvarez, the Mayweather speed was way too much. Mayweather took a few rounds to study his opponent and then dominated him the rest of the fight.

Shane Mosley

They got Mosley at much different times in his career. A close fight with Cotto in 2007 when Mosley was 36 and a lopsided loss to Alvarez when he was 40.

Austin Trout-

A southpaw fighter with movement was trouble for Cotto winning a lopsided decision, and although he lost by unanimous decision to Alvarez he was generally in the fight until a seventh round knock down. Interesting to note is that Trout was buckled badly by the shot but was able to make it to the twelfth round.

Alfonso Gomez-

Both Cotto and Alvarez walked through and stopped Gomez, Cotto in the fifth and Alvarez in the sixth.

Lovemore Ndou-

Lost to both fighters by UD. The loss to Alvarez in 2010 was lopsided but much closer against Cotto, albeit six years earlier in 2004.

What Does It All Mean?

Cotto is in deep for the first time since 2012. Take nothing away from Cotto, it’s just hard to gauge exactly where he really is this point in his career. Against Geale he was facing an opponent who is usually tough-as-nails but was gaunt/parched at the weigh-in and then as he entered the ring, an overhydrated mess with no zest, easy work for Cotto. Against Martinez, damaged goods of a fighter who was one fight away from retirement, easy work for Cotto. And Rodriguez, a tune-up fighter they wanted, a tune up fighter they got, easy work for Cotto.

Yes, Roach has made a difference but we get our first real look at a credible test on Saturday night. Cotto’s speed is what will keep him in the fight. He has the ability to stick and move and land those trademark left hooks to keep Alvarez honest. If he boxes more than brawls he can steal rounds and frustrate Alvarez similar to what Erislandy Lara did.

While Cotto doesn’t possess the southpaw tactical brilliance of Lara, he has improved his movement and combination punching under Roach’s tutelage. The thing is, Alvarez can be hit, his defense is average at best so Cotto will have openings if he can exploit them. Cotto historically works the body extremely well and if he can be successful against his bigger foe, he will possibly take some sting out of Alvarez’s big punches down the stretch.

No secret here, the young lion will look to throw punches with bad intentions and walk down his opponent. He will have both a height and reach advantage and is ten years younger. Alvarez will work behind the jab to set up his power shots. If he can cut off the ring and limit Cotto’s movement, he can inflict damage as he backs Cotto up forcing him to work off his back foot. Alvarez will need to be wary of the sneaky left hook that Cotto has thrown with great success in his career. Look for Alvarez to work the body early and often in an attempt to weaken the elder statesman. Kill the body and the head will fall.

And The Winner Is………..

The bet here is that Alvarez will respect the old hand and know that if he allows Cotto to box, move, and steal rounds he could be on the short end of a decision. That said, the feeling here is that youth will be served. Alvarez will walk Cotto down and work him to the body while making him feel every punch to the head. Cotto will have moments because, at times, Alvarez gets sloppy with his defense; however, because Cotto will be cognizant of what is coming back in return, those moments will pass quickly.

Alvarez will start quick and from the opening round will break down the game future hall of fame fighter stopping him just short of the championship rounds. Cotto will go out on his shield like the true warrior he is.

Get ready for the build up to Alvarez v, GGG.

Snippets On Arguably The Hottest Topics In The Sweet Science

Desert Stormed

Timothy Bradley (33-1-1 13 KO) wore down a poorly conditioned Brandon Rios (33-3-1 34 KO) and stopped him in the ninth on a series of body shots.

Bradley looked amazing, snapping straight right hands while exhibiting some of the best lateral movement he’s ever displayed. In addition, his defense was solid, hand speed elite and he utilized a side step-hook to the body combo beautifully on a few occasions.

Rios landed a few shots with more than one getting Bradley’s attention but did little else.

Bradley started to sit down on his punches in the seventh and in the ninth, buckled Rios to the canvas with a body shot. After Rios got up, Bradley attacked landing a hook to the body dropping Rios a second time. This time, Rios stayed down on a knee and waited to be counted out.

Bradley’s speed was way too much. Rios will always find difficulty with lighting quick opponents.

No surprise really. Yes Rios had looked good defeating Mike Alvarado in January but Alvarado by his own admission was grossly unprepared and shouldn’t have been in the ring.

Before that, Diego Chaves gave Rios a tough go and and Manny Pacquiao flat out dominated him. The signs of Rios’ decline have been present and the issues of his weight loss/gain only added to the problems.

Apparently, after barely not making weight then making it, Rios entered the ring on fight night in excess of 170. You could see the sluggishness impacting him each passing round as his rehydration plan backfired. After the fight Rios indicated he would retire.

Time for a public service announcement- alphabet soup, please get together and discuss the feasibility of same day weigh-ins or mandating limits for appropriate weight levels through rehydration.

Back to our regularly scheduled program-

Take nothing away from Bradley, he did what he was supposed to do. It was a very strong performance, just needs to be kept in perspective.

The partnership with Teddy Atlas is off to a rousing start.

The Return Of The King-Painting Masterpieces Fight After Fight

WBO Featherweight Champion Vasyl Lomachenko (5-1 3 KO) is six fights into his pro career and can already be included in the top pound for pound fighter discussions. Vasyl, meaning “king”, arguably the greatest amatuer ever is begining to breakthrough to another level in the pros.

On Saturday night in true “Hi-Tech” fashion, the Ukrainian dominated Romulo Koasicha (25-5 15 KO) before stopping him in the tenth on a flurry of punches culminating with a left to the midsection followed by a thunderous shot to the ribs. Game,Set, Match.

While Koasicha is not a championship caliber opponent, he is a solid pro and Loma made him look like a sparring partner.

Lomachenko’s footwork was sensational. He glides effortlessly to and from his opponent always in the position to counter or move out of harm’s way only slightly having to absorb anything in return. That’s not to say that he won’t be willing to take one to give one as he showed against Koasicha.

Lomachenko landed 64 % of his power punches according to Compubox.

“I was having fun in there if I wanted to knock him out earlier, I would have.” said Lomachenko

A matchup with Guillermo Rigondeaux would be amazing and we may see the best Lomachenko yet.

Lomachenko is a master technician in the ring and puts on a performances utilizing a skill set like no other fighter today. If you love the sweetness of the science, Lomachenko’s your man.

Monaco Masher

Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4 18 KO) stopped Jesus Alvarez Rodriguez (14-1 11 KO) in the fourth round in Monaco.

Who? Ya, I know, not really a household name facing the former WBO junior welterweight champion. Infact, out of fourteen fights, Alvarez-Rodriguez had only faced one fighter with a winning record.

In the fourth round, Provodnikov stunned Rodriguez with a big right. Sensing he was hurt, Provodnikov attacked with a barrage dropping Rodriguez. Provodnikov finished the job as Rodriguez got up, dazing him again with another right and then dropping him again with a left hook. The referee had seen enough.

This was Provodnikov’s first fight with ex-Bradley trainer, Joel Diaz since leaving Freddie Roach and we saw some glimpses of boxing from the slugger.

Ruslan turned boxer – puncher would be a scary thought, just sayin.

Ted Talk -Ideas Worth Screaming

“Are you ready for the fire? We are firemen. WE ARE FIREMEN! The heat doesn’t bother us. We live in the heat. We train in the heat. It tells us that we’re ready, we’re at home, we’re where we’re supposed to be. Flames don’t intimidate us. What do we do? We control the flame. We control them. We move the flames where we want to. And then we extinguish them.” -Teddy Atlas to Timothy Bradley

Christmas Early

Canelo v. Cotto under three weeks away, nuff said.

DANIEL GEALE NEW YORK MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS

Press Release
For Immediate Release

FORMER TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION DANIEL GEALE TO CHALLENGE WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION MIGUEL COTTO ON JUNE 6, 2015 AT BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN LIVE ON HBO®

PRESENTED BY ROC NATION SPORTS + MIGUEL COTTO PROMOTIONS

New York (May 19, 2015) Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s), the reigning WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion and the first native of Puerto Rico to become world champion in four different weight classes will defend his titles against former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) of Australia on June 6, 2015 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a 12-round fight that will be televised live on HBO. Geale hosted a New York City media workout this afternoon at Mendez Boxing Gym in preparation for his title challenge against Cotto. Here’s what Geale, and his American promoter Gary Shaw, had to say:

Daniel Geale – Former Two-Time World Champion

“Cotto has trouble in stages against guys that move and use their reach. He knows that’s what I’m going to be doing and he’s going to be trying to counter that with aggression and coming forward. I’m going to use my abilities and not get caught up in his game plan.”

“The game plan is to go in and fight my fight. It’s not to get sucked in. It’s not to get caught up in what he [Cotto] is doing. It’s to do what I do best.”

“This is going to be a huge fight for me. Fighting a guy like Miguel who’s fought some of the greatest fighters is going to be a great test. We’re going in very confident.”

“I want this one badly. It’s something that we have wanted for a while and I’m extremely excited. I’ve got guys like Gary Shaw and my team at the Grange from Australia and they are working very hard behind the scenes. I’m just going to worry about my job and they do their job greatly. I just worry about getting myself in perfect condition.”

Gary Shaw – President of Gary Shaw Productions

“If Daniel wins, Cotto has a rematch clause, so if Cotto wants the immediate rematch then that’s what he gets. If not, according to WBC, it would be GGG again, but it doesn’t make a difference. Daniel will fight anybody, anywhere. We went to Germany and fought Strum on his territory. He’s coming to New York which is Cotto’s town. It just doesn’t make a difference when you have a great fighter.”

“It’s going to be a great show and the fans are going to get what they want. Tune in for a great fight on June 6. It’s going to be a great night of boxing.”

PHOTOS: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/z79x0xvv00sz9ry/AABaWoy8ok7_iOGswn3K0t85a?dl=0

PHOTO CREDIT: Ed Mulholland/Roc Nation Sports www.edmulholland.photoshelter.com

Cotto vs. Geale, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised live on HBO. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Venue Kings. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that will further serve spectators with an enhanced fan experience, including Roc Nation and Grammy nominated artist Big Sean taking to the ring for a special performance prior to the main event. The event will be hosted by notable emcee “The Voice of New York” Angie Martinez and will also feature hit master DJ Lobo who will serve alongside Martinez throughout the night. Tickets priced at $500, $350, $250, $200, $150, $120, $100, $80, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are available for purchase at http://www.barclayscenter.com, http://www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 6:00 PM, the first fight begins at 6:15 PM and the HBO telecast begins at 10:30 PM ET/PT.

For more information please visit http://www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RocNation.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

DANIEL GEALE ARRIVES IN THE US, TRAINING CAMP TO BE HELD IN NEW JERSEY

Press Release For Immediate Release

Photo by Team Geale

NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY (May 11, 2015)- Former world champion, Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) has arrived in the United States for his upcoming showdown with WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s). Geale will host the remainder of his training camp in North Bergen, NJ.

“I’ve arrived in the States with my trainer Shaw and I’m excited to get camp started in New Jersey,” said Daniel Geale. “Gary Shaw has provided me with a nice gym and I’m going to start my sparring sessions right away. This is a big fight, not only for my team and I, but for my countrymen as well. A new champion will be crowned on June 6th.”

For more information please visit http://www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RocNation.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION MIGUEL COTTO VS. DANIEL GEALE JUNE 6 IN BROOKLYN

ROC NATION SPORTS + MIGUEL COTTO PROMOTIONS PRESENT

WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION MIGUEL COTTO VS. DANIEL GEALE

ON JUNE 6, 2015 AT BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO®

-Tickets On Sale Wednesday, April 22 at 10:00 AM ET-

NEW YORK (April 16, 2015 – Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions are pleased to announce the next highly anticipated battle for Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s), the reigning WBC Middleweight and Ring Magazine World Champion and the first native of Puerto Rico to become world champion in four different weight classes. On June 6, 2015, Cotto will defend his titles against former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) of Australia in a fight that will be televised live on HBO from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Tickets are priced at $500, $350, $250, $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and go on sale Wednesday, April 22 at 10:00 AM ET. Tickets will be available at http://www.barclayscenter.com, http://www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center beginning Thursday, April 23 at 12:00 PM ET. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

“I am happy and excited to be back in New York and fighting at Barclays Center,” said Cotto. “This is another chapter in my career and I’m committed to train as hard as always and bring a big victory. I’m looking forward to seeing all the Puerto Rican fans on June 6 and to being part of another exciting boxing night in Brooklyn.”

“I would like to thank HBO for their continued support, Gary Shaw of GSP, Bill Treacy of Grange Old School Boxing and Dino Duva at Roc Nation Sports for their collective professionalism in making this fight happen,” said Geale. “Last but not least, thanks to Miguel Cotto for the opportunity to become a world champion once again. I have total respect for Miguel and his achievements, but I can win this fight and that is exactly what I intend to do come June 6 in Brooklyn at Barclays Center.”

“We’re excited and proud to bring Miguel Cotto back to New York along with Miguel Cotto Promotions, now as a part of the Roc Nation Sports family,” said David Itskowitch, COO Boxing of Roc Nation Sports. “Brooklyn and boxing have a long history, and Puerto Rican heritage is closely integrated with both. What a way for New York to kick off the week of the Puerto Rican Day Parade festivities…with Miguel Cotto’s long-awaited return to the ring. The night of June 6 will be one to remember for fans in attendance at Barclays Center and those watching at home on HBO.”

“We are excited to have Miguel Cotto back in New York and at Barclays Center for the first time,” said Hector Soto, Miguel Cotto Promotions. “This is a Puerto Rican tradition – Miguel Cotto is New York and New York is boxing. We can’t wait until the night of June 6 to present a great and entertaining boxing show together with our partners at Roc Nation Sports.”

“Daniel Geale is a true warrior and will leave everything in the ring against Miguel Cotto like he always does,” said Gary Shaw, Gary Shaw Productions. “He’s never in a dull fight and the fans will get their money’s worth as both fighters like to let their hands go. I want to thank Grange Old School Boxing for having confidence in me. This will be a tough fight for Geale, however I’m convinced that he will beat Cotto and I’m hopeful that Miguel didn’t make any other plans for September other than a rematch with Daniel.”

“We are delighted that Miguel Cotto has chosen Barclays Center and Brooklyn to continue his storied career in New York City,” said Brett Yormark, Barclays Center CEO. “Cotto’s Puerto Rican heritage combined with Australia’s own Daniel Geale is going to create a tremendous global audience for this June 6 fight. This announcement further cements Barclays Center as the leading boxing venue in this country.”

“Last June, Miguel Cotto became a middleweight champion, joining a select handful of elite fighters to have won major titles in four weight classes or more, and becoming the first Puerto Rican champion to do so ,” said Peter Nelson, vice president, programming, HBO Sports. “For Cotto’s first title defense, he faces former two-time world champion Daniel Geale at Barclays Center, the iconic Brooklyn landmark whose mystique elevates every event fortunate enough to call it home. As Cotto continues the next phase of his historic career, we are thrilled to present this middleweight championship fight live on HBO.”

Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s) is the reigning WBC and Ring Magazine middleweight world champion and the first native of Puerto Rico to become world champion in four different weight classes. He is the former WBO junior welterweight world champion, the former WBA welterweight world champion, the former WBO welterweight world champion and the former WBA super welterweight world champion. He also represented Puerto Rico in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Cotto has had 22 world championship fights, compiling a record of 18-4 with 15 knockouts in those bouts. In Puerto Rico, he is hailed as a national hero and the successor of Felix Trinidad as the island’s most revered boxer. Cotto is one of the biggest gate attractions in boxing and one of the largest pay-per-view draws among active fighters. Most recently, in June 2014, Cotto made history in his first fight as a middleweight by dominating Argentine southpaw and defending WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Sergio Martinez (51-2-2, 28 KO’s). He is trained by legendary Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and has fought some of the biggest names in the sport including Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Cotto owns his own boxing promotional company in Puerto Rico, Miguel Cotto Promotions, and presides over his charity La Fundación El Ángel de Miguel Cotto, a non-profit organization dedicated to combatting childhood obesity. In March 2015, Cotto and Roc Nation Sports announced that they had entered into a partnership that includes a co-promotional agreement with Miguel Cotto Promotions to promote Cotto’s fights.

Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) is the former IBF and WBA middleweight world champion and the current holder of the PABA and WBO Interim Asia Pacific middleweight titles. A boxing hero in his native Australia and hailed as Tasmania’s 2012 Athlete of the Year, Geale is Ring Magazine’s fourth rated middleweight in the world and the WBC’s number six rated contender. As an amateur, he competed for Australia in the 2000 Olympic Games and was a gold medalist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. Geale made his professional debut in Australia in 2004, eventually compiling twenty-one consecutive victories and winning the IBO middleweight title in 2007 against previously undefeated Daniel Dawson (29-0, 20 KO’s). In May 2009, Geale suffered his first defeat, losing his title to Anthony Mundine (35-3, 23 KO’s) in a hotly-contested battle. The Australian rebounded in May 2011 to win the IBF middleweight title with a split decision victory over Sebastian Sylvester (34-3, 16 KO’s) in Germany. After two successful title defenses, including a unanimous-decision victory over Ghanaian Osumanu Adama (20-2, 15 KO’s), Geale stunned Germany’s Felix Sturm (37-2-2, 16 KO’s) to win the WBA middleweight title, unifying the titles in 2012. A year later on August 17, 2013, Geale lost his IBF middleweight title to Darren Barker (25-1, 16 KO’s) via a split-decision in Atlantic City. He bounced back six months later with a sixth round technical knockout victory over Garth Wood (12-3-1, 8 KO’s). On July 26, 2014, in an event televised by HBO World Championship Boxing, Geale faced off against undefeated WBA Middleweight World Champion Gennady Golovkin (29-0, 26 KO’) in New York City, but came up short in trying to reclaim his former title. In his most recent fight, Geale captured the vacant PABA and WBO Interim Asia Pacific middleweight titles, winning a twelve-round unanimous decision victory over fellow Australian Jarrod Fletcher (18-2, 10 KO’s).

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For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

About Roc Nation Sports

Roc Nation Sports, a sub-division of Roc Nation, launched in spring 2013. Founder Shawn “JAY Z” Carter’s love of sports lead to the natural formation of Roc Nations Sports, helping athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been helping artists in the music industry for years. Roc Nation Sports focuses on elevating athletes’ career on a global scale both on and off the field. Roc Nation Sports conceptualizes and executes marketing and endorsement deals, community outreach, charitable tie-ins, media relations and brand strategy. Roc Nation Sports launched its boxing division, a full service promotional company which represents world champions Miguel Cotto and Andre Ward, in August 2014. Roc Nation Sports’ roster includes premiere athletes such as Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins, Kevin Durant, Geno Smith, Victor Cruz, CC Sabathia, James Young, Dez Bryant, Ndamukong Suh, Rusney Castillo, Yoenis Cespedes, Jaelen Strong, Todd Gurley, Wilson Chandler, Erick Aybar and Frances Tiafoe.

About Miguel Cotto Promotions

Miguel Cotto Promotions is the leading promotional company in Puerto Rico founded by the five-time and four-division world champion Miguel Cotto and entrepreneur Hector Soto in 2005. Miguel Cotto Promotions has the vision of developing the best talent in Puerto Rico and Latin America, while searching for the best partnerships in the business to present the best quality shows in the industry. In 2015, Miguel Cotto Promotions launched their most recent project named “Boxeo Al Maximo” in partnership with Univision Puerto Rico network, capturing great ratings results on the new Saturday night fights’ platform.

About Gary Shaw Productions

Based out of New Jersey, Gary Shaw Productions was founded in 2002 by President and Chief Executive Officer, Gary Shaw, a former NJ regulator. Having promoted boxing shows in China, Australia, Mexico and the U.K., GSP is known as an international enterprise, whose main objective is to bring excitement to boxing with competitive fights. Partaking in some of the biggest events in boxing history, which include Felix Trinidad vs. Fernando Vargas, Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko, Winky Wright vs. Felix Trinidad, Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo, Shane Mosley vs. Winky Wright and Marquez vs Vasquez I, II & III, GSP has solidified its self as one of the top promotional companies in the sport.

About Barclays Center

Barclays Center opened on September 28, 2012, and is a major sports and entertainment venue in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. One of the most intimate seating configurations ever designed into a modern multi-purpose arena, Barclays Center offers 17,732 seats for basketball, 15,795 for hockey, and up to 19,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, four bars/lounges, four clubs, and 40/40 CLUB & Restaurant by American Express.

Barclays Center hosts an extensive variety of events, including premier concerts, major professional boxing cards, top college basketball, family shows, the Brooklyn Nets and soon the New York Islanders.

Barclays Center has redefined the arena customer service and culinary experience. Its more than 2,000 employees are trained by Disney Institute, the business advisory arm of The Walt Disney Company, and its BrooklynTaste™ food program features selections from 55 well-known restaurants and vendors in the borough.

Barclays Center engages the customer with state-of-the-art technology to enhance the fan experience. As the first arena in the world to utilize Cisco StadiumVision mobile multicast streaming technology, Barclays Center allows fans to watch live video and instant replays from their mobile phones while connected to the arena’s free Wi-Fi.

Located atop one of the largest transportation hubs in New York City, Barclays Center is accessible by 11 subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road, and 11 bus lines.

For more information on Barclays Center, please visit http://www.barclayscenter.com

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