Canelo Alvarez Work Ethic Doubted by Freddie Roach Ahead of Miguel Cotto Fight

Longtime boxing trainer Freddie Roach has stated that his previous experiences with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez make him confident Miguel Cotto is outworking the Mexican superstar ahead of their middleweight title fight on November 21.

BoxNation passed along comments that Roach, who's training Cotto, made during an interview with Fight Hub TV. He doesn't believe Alvarez showcases the necessary work ethic ahead of bouts.

"I have a lot [of knowledge] of the inside on his training camps, and so forth," Roach said. "He's trained in my gym for three fights and I don't think he's the most dedicated guy in the world, and I think I have a guy that is dedicated and will do anything to win."

As a result, the World Boxing Hall of Famer believes Cotto will hold a clear conditioning advantage heading into the bout and that will be the difference in the end.

"I feel Miguel is in great shape for this fight. He's conditioned really well," Roach said. "Because I think the early rounds will be a bit tough, but as the fight goes on it favors us a bit. I want us to have enough energy at the end to knock this guy out, and save that power for a little bit later."

While it's no surprise Roach is talking up his fighter, the comments about Alvarez's dedication are intriguing given Roach's prior work behind the scenes at his camps.

The 25-year-old sensation holds 45-1-1 career record with 32 knockouts. That said, his only loss came when the level of competition increased significantly against Floyd Mayweather Jr. The question is whether he can take that next step toward superstardom.

A victory over Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) would help the process. The veteran Puerto Rican has won three straight fights inside the distance after back-to-back losses to Mayweather and Austin Trout. Alvarez represents a tougher challenge than his recent opponents, though.

Roach is right to express concern about the early rounds. Canelo is an aggressive fighter who is going to come out looking to attack from the opening bell to get Cotto on the defensive. If he's successful, it could end up being a short night.

That said, if Cotto is able to defend and survive that early barrage, then the conditioning will come into play. Perhaps at that point Roach's remarks will prove prophetic.