Miguel Cotto Is Called out by Cornelius "K-9" Bundrage

WBA junior middleweight (154 lbs) world champion Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KO) is the third-biggest superstar in boxing behind the likes of Floyd Mayweather (42-0, 26 KO) and Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO).

This means many people will call him out in hopes of obtaining a payday. Most recently, IBF junior middleweight world champ Cornelius Bundrage (30-4, 18 KO) has called out Cotto according to Boxing Scene.

Bundrage recognized that Cotto was planning on facing Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (44-0-1, 31 KO) in a bid to become the first Puerto Rican to win a world title in a fourth weight class.

Bundrage made an interesting counterargument as to why Cotto shouldn't chase Chavez Jr. Here's what Bundrage said:

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"Cotto should fight me next. Guys like Chavez are a lot bigger than him at middleweight. I know Mexico and Puerto Rico makes a big fight but he should fight me. I am his size and I am an older fighter. At this stage of his career he needs to choose his opponents carefully. He shouldn't get in there with a real young guy. Plus if he beats me the Chavez fight is still there for him."

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My Two Cents

That's embarrassing. Bundrage has resorted to ripping his own self apart as a fighter to plow big-money fights into being. That's not becoming of a proud Detroit champion like himself.

He's almost 40, so I feel his desperation but he needs to fight more. He's fought once a year for longer than Mayweather has and he's no Mayweather.

Judging by his begging, he's nowhere close to making a million-dollar payday in his fights. I understand someone his age needs to pick his fights carefully, but fighting once a year won't cut it.

He needs to face a champion himself. Right now, Zaurbek Baysangurov (26-1, 20 KO) holds the interim WBO 154 lb title. Bundrage KO'd him in five rounds three years ago.

Bundrage should be able to go to the man's home of Russia and knock his block off again or lure Baysangurov into a unification match in Detroit.

Baysangurov was made full champion not too long ago. This means Bundrage will have the full WBO belt, not a silver or secondary belt of some sort.

That makes Bundrage one of three champs young hungry fighters with HBO dates (Kirkland, Molina, Lara, Williams) have to go to. The other two are Cotto and Saul Alvarez (39-0-1, 29 KO) AKA "Canelo."

Bundrage might not immediately get Cotto, but he'll get the exposure on cable television and chance to upset a few young men in more lucrative fights than the ones he's currently taking.

Cotto, Canelo, Cornelius has a nice ring to it. K-9 Better make it happen before it's too late.