Miguel Cotto vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr: Will Bob Arum Feed Cotto to Chavez?

Miguel Cotto (36-2, 29 KO) has a lot going for him in his rematch against Antonio Margarito (38-7, 27 KO). Cotto has had better success at junior middleweight (2-0, 2 KO) than Margarito (1-1, 0 KO).

Cotto also is coming off a victory whereas Margarito is coming off a loss as well as serious career-threatening injuries from that loss. Margarito's orbital bone was broken and later repaired in surgery.

Bob Arum, CEO of Margarito's and Cotto's promoter Top Rank Promotions, has suggested Cotto could face 25-year-old WBC middleweight (160 lbs) world champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (44-0-1, 31 KO).

Cotto only has to beat Margarito, who Cotto seems likely to defeat. Cotto will be targeting Margarito's eye and focus on taking advantage of Margarito's slowness and overall more damaged body.

Arum positioning a superstar like Cotto against Chavez Jr plays off the Puerto Rico vs Mexico rivalry those countries have, but it also helps legitimize Chavez Jr. by putting a big name under his belt.

Though Cotto would have to move up yet another weight division from 154 lbs to 160 lbs, a victory over him would fuel the Chavez Jr hype into a far more lucrative venture.

Currently, Chavez Jr is one of two rising Mexican stars blazing a trail into the American boxing consciousness. Saul Alvarez AKA Canelo (38-0-1, 28 KO) is the other one. 

Cotto is a man that is near the end of his career. Regardless of whether he beats Margarito or not, there's not much else that can be done with him.

Bob Arum could likely want to sacrifice Cotto to a rising star to help fuel the shooting star's flame even brighter to blaze a new boxing superstar's name across the sky.

The only question left is how much of a chance does Cotto have of pulling off the upset? Chavez Jr. is improving drastically with every fight, but how much can he really improve to outclass Cotto?

If this fight were to occur next year, Chavez Jr may have one more fight to improve. Chavez Jr won't improve enough in one fight to be able to go skill-for-skill against Cotto.

Chavez Jr. will have to out-muscle Cotto. Whether he'll be able to do that or not is questionable. If Cotto can conquer Margarito's reach advantage and height then Chavez Jr. won't present as much of a problem.

The only issue is speed. Chavez Jr. comes with a tough chin and powerful fists but comes quickly with these attributes for someone his size.

Margarito is tough, but he's slow and has heavy scar tissue and a ton of damage built up from over the years.

Chavez Jr. is fresh and new, despite his experiences, and can take whatever Cotto gives him if he keeps moving quickly forward to apply the pressure.

Cotto will have to be smart and use his ring-knowledge and wisdom to outbox the kid and not get in a slugfest. When in a slugfest, the younger, bigger, stronger man always wins. But when it's boxing, anything can happen.