Canelo Alvarez vs. Miguel Cotto a Superfight That Won't Disappoint Boxing Fans

Whatever you think about the guy, you have to hand it to Oscar De La Hoya. When he says the fighters he promotes, such as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, should want to go up against the very best, it isn’t just promoter speak. He means it.

How else could you explain De La Hoya putting his company's biggest cash cow inside a boxing ring with future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto, a man who has looked as dominant as ever during his last three fights?

That’s right, folks. HBO announced Thursday the long-rumored and hoped for clash between two of boxing’s best. Cotto vs. Alvarez will be November 21 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and telecast live on HBO pay-per-view:

Cotto-Canelo will likely be one of the year's best fights. It has everything one requires. All the ingredients are there.

Alvarez is a young, budding superstar. He’s consistently looked better against solid competition each and every time he’s stepped into a prize ring. While he bit off more than he could chew by taking on Floyd Mayweather in 2013, Alvarez has since notched impressive wins over Erislandy Lara, Alfredo Angulo and James Kirkland.

He has a legion of adoring fans, the star who made HBO a boxing machine behind him and a penchant for taking tough and entertaining fights. At age 25, the sky is the limit for the fighter who might just become boxing’s next big thing: an offensive-minded, highly skilled boxer with legitimate crossover appeal, a courageous fighter who accepts all-comers, one who is as charming to women as he is admired by men.

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Standing in Alvarez’s way is the formidable Cotto, 34, who has enjoyed quite the resurgence over the last couple of years. After handily losing twice by decision in 2012 to Mayweather and Austin Trout, Cotto emerged as an unlikely middleweight champion when, after a tune-up fight against Delvin Rodriguez, he absolutely demolished long-reigning lineal champion Sergio Martinez in 2014.

Next up was former 160-pound titleholder Daniel Geale, a tough, quick-fisted fighter who seemed apt to test Cotto’s middleweight credentials. Cotto completely outclassed the Australian, knocking him out in just four rounds.

Cotto has had a tremendous career. He’s looked great as a junior welterweight, unstoppable as a welterweight and unassailable as a junior middleweight. But Cotto has looked even better as a middleweight. And that's scary.

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Cotto-Canelo will be huge.

Both fighters are tremendous punchers with proclivities toward thunderous body shots. Alvarez, in particular, is somewhat of a magician as a combination puncher. He’s as inventive as he is steadfast in hurling multiple shots at his opponents from all angles. And Cotto is as ruthless as they come to the body. His well-timed jabs, crosses and hooks get him in range, and once there he wallops his prey with as vicious a left hook to the body as boxing has ever seen.

I mean, this fight is a really big deal.

Heck, even the superfluous details about the bout add to its drawing power. Cotto-Alvarez will continue the sport’s celebrated Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry. It will add to a list of legendary bouts that include Wilfredo Gomez vs. Salvador Sanchez, Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Hector Camacho and Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito.

And did you know Alvarez thrashed Cotto’s less talented big brother back in 2010? Cotto does.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: Whomever you were rooting for in the year’s first big superfight, Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, you didn’t quite get all that you hoped for. Oh sure, Mayweather boxed his way to a brilliant 12-round decision win, but he did so against a surprisingly docile version of Pacquiao, one who refused to ramp up his punch-output to standard Pacquiao levels.

For pure aesthetic value, Mayweather-Pacquiao was a bust.

There’s little chance of that kind of thing happening with Cotto-Canelo. The two men are as dedicated to ruthless violence as any fighters in the sport. They will trade punches. They will hurt each other. There will be blood.

Is it November 21 yet?

Canelo-Cotto isn’t just a good scrap between two excellent fighters. It’s not just a battle for the lineal middleweight championship. It’s not even just a fight between two of boxing’s biggest and best superstars.

Nope.

Canelo-Cotto is all of it, and it’s all wrapped up in a nice, pretty little HBO package with bow on top featuring the colors of the Mexican and Puerto Rican flags.

Canelo-Cotto will not be a disappointment.