Miguel Cotto v Yoshihiro Kamegai

[Spicoli]

To be honest I'll take this over a Kirkland ppv as Kamegai is just as fan friendly and far more fresh but how one win at 154 over war torn Soto Karass gets you a top ranking who knows. Looks like HBO picked it up and apparently for Canelos vacant trinket. Personally would like to see Cotto hang them up but understand a guy trying to make some coin first. Off Cotto year and a half layoff and some slight improvements Kamegai has shown, this is exactly the type of 'upset' that might sneak up on a guy at the end. No undercard as of yet.

[TitoFan]

At fight time it'll be almost a two-year layoff after the loss to Canelo. Supposedly the other guy's a banger, but other than that, I know very little of him. Yeah... Cotto should be heavily favored but you never know. I think I read somewhere that Cotto was at one point eyeing retirement in 2017, but given his huge inactivity period, he's now looking toward 2018 to retire.

[Ron Swanson]

To be honest I'll take this over a Kirkland ppv as Kamegai is just as fan friendly and far more fresh but how one win at 154 over war torn Soto Karass gets you a top ranking who knows. Looks like HBO picked it up and apparently for Canelos vacant trinket. Personally would like to see Cotto hang them up but understand a guy trying to make some coin first. Off Cotto year and a half layoff and some slight improvements Kamegai has shown, this is exactly the type of 'upset' that might sneak up on a guy at the end. No undercard as of yet.

He didn't get his ranking by earning it. He got it by Cotto being an earner and needing a beatable opponent. Just surprising to see someone other that a Top Rank fighter getting a shot at the Top Rank Vacancy belt. This will be what, Miguels 3rd WBO vacancy title? Pretty sure the other opponents weren't any good either. I don't know, I didn't follow Kelson Pinto after Cotto picked up the vacant WBO 140 title against him. And I surely didn't follow Michael Jennings after Miguel got his vacant WBO 147 title.

Will this make Cotto the first 3 division vacancy champion?

[TitoFan]

Quintana. You forgot Carlos Quintana. That was for another vacant championship. Jennings and Pinto only fought a handful of times between after Cotto ruined them. That's what happens when you fight Cotto for a vacant championship. He ruins you and you go on to only fight 1 or 2 more times. Quintana fought more than that, but he was never the same. Cotto ruined him also. Cotto found out early in his career that when you fight for a vacant title, somehow the opponent is lesser, weaker, more inferior than if you're fighting for an occupied title. It's a well-kept secret.

[Ron Swanson]

Quintana. You forgot Carlos Quintana. That was for another vacant championship. Jennings and Pinto only fought a handful of times between after Cotto ruined them. That's what happens when you fight Cotto for a vacant championship. He ruins you and you go on to only fight 1 or 2 more times. Quintana fought more than that, but he was never the same. Cotto ruined him also. Cotto found out early in his career that when you fight for a vacant title, somehow the opponent is lesser, weaker, more inferior than if you're fighting for an occupied title. It's a well-kept secret.

I didn't realize Quintana was a vacancy fight for, was it the WBA? My memory gets worse every year. I would say Quintana back then was a respectable opponent, worthy of calling it a championship fight.

[powerpuncher]

If it's PPV then it's awful. It's not even really main event quality on HBO. It's an alright fight though. Kamegui isn't great but he comes to fight.

[Alpha]

A bit of a step back for Cotto really. Kamegai doesn't have the power to hurt Cotto or the finesse but he will be on Cotto the entire fight. Kamegai is fun and should give the inactive Puerto Rican a few rough moments but I see him losing a wide decision.

[Master]

Quintana. You forgot Carlos Quintana. That was for another vacant championship. Jennings and Pinto only fought a handful of times between after Cotto ruined them. That's what happens when you fight Cotto for a vacant championship. He ruins you and you go on to only fight 1 or 2 more times. Quintana fought more than that, but he was never the same. Cotto ruined him also. Cotto found out early in his career that when you fight for a vacant title, somehow the opponent is lesser, weaker, more inferior than if you're fighting for an occupied title. It's a well-kept secret.

You are right Jennings lost to Cotto, had a couple of wins and then lost to Kell Brook and promptly retired in 2010. I though Jenning was going to be a world champion.

[Alpha]

I heard through the rumor mill that Cotto/ Lemieux could be next.

[Spicoli]

To be honest I'll take this over a Kirkland ppv as Kamegai is just as fan friendly and far more fresh but how one win at 154 over war torn Soto Karass gets you a top ranking who knows. Looks like HBO picked it up and apparently for Canelos vacant trinket. Personally would like to see Cotto hang them up but understand a guy trying to make some coin first. Off Cotto year and a half layoff and some slight improvements Kamegai has shown, this is exactly the type of 'upset' that might sneak up on a guy at the end. No undercard as of yet.

He didn't get his ranking by earning it. He got it by Cotto being an earner and needing a beatable opponent. Just surprising to see someone other that a Top Rank fighter getting a shot at the Top Rank Vacancy belt. This will be what, Miguels 3rd WBO vacancy title? Pretty sure the other opponents weren't any good either. I don't know, I didn't follow Kelson Pinto after Cotto picked up the vacant WBO 140 title against him. And I surely didn't follow Michael Jennings after Miguel got his vacant WBO 147 title.

Will this make Cotto the first 3 division vacancy champion?

Yep everyone wants the perfect foil. Kamegai has the perfect mix of heart on his sleeve and not huge pop to make Cotto shine. I knocked Cotto for the Jennings and Pinto gimmes but in hindsight you have to see his immediate run of defenses legitimizing them. Youth has allows that convenience I suppose . Young dangerous when clipped Cotto was a special kind of fighter. He didn't really lose me until around the Mayorga set up for the vacant "Super World something belt" and wba 1st defense. At this stage you always hope to see a guy win huge and go out in style but this seems another reset event like Rodriquez. Barring a miracle rebirth off a win for Cotto he'll undoubtedly face stiffer comp and fall short now at 154. The division is a shark tank.

[Spicoli]

Quintana. You forgot Carlos Quintana. That was for another vacant championship. Jennings and Pinto only fought a handful of times between after Cotto ruined them. That's what happens when you fight Cotto for a vacant championship. He ruins you and you go on to only fight 1 or 2 more times. Quintana fought more than that, but he was never the same. Cotto ruined him also. Cotto found out early in his career that when you fight for a vacant title, somehow the opponent is lesser, weaker, more inferior than if you're fighting for an occupied title. It's a well-kept secret.

Maybe a credit to both Cotto and Quintana but I wouldn't say he ruined a Quintana. Went on to pretty much school and undefeated "no one will fight me" Paul Williams. Well at least once . I'm also wondering if Cotto gets enough credit for doing what he did with a fresher Mosley who didn't exactly repeatedly light up the stage afterwards.

[Alpha]

There's no need for Cotto to continue past 2017 if he doesn't want to. If he chooses to continue fighting I think he can have a nice little run. Kamegai followed by maybe a Trout rematch. Those 2 wins would put him back in the mix. Does he fancy the tricky Cuban Lara? I think that's the biggest fight at 154. Then Andrade. Could he get a Pac rematch? I doubt he wants anything to do with the other top Welters. The Lemieux fight seems higher risk but greater reward. Fights with Bradley, Khan or Marquez seem more appealing to Cotto I would guess.

[Spicoli]

There's no need for Cotto to continue past 2017 if he doesn't want to. If he chooses to continue fighting I think he can have a nice little run. Kamegai followed by maybe a Trout rematch. Those 2 wins would put him back in the mix. Does he fancy the tricky Cuban Lara? I think that's the biggest fight at 154. Then Andrade. Could he get a Pac rematch? I doubt he wants anything to do with the other top Welters. The Lemieux fight seems higher risk but greater reward. Fights with Bradley, Khan or Marquez seem more appealing to Cotto I would guess.

I don't get the Lemieux match as it's where Cotto has already refused to travel. Cotto has no reset off that, not to mention Lemieux has bricks to end anyone looking past him. Just a dumb move. Ironically Lemieux is also being mentioned for Canelo, again to legitimize a 160 run. I always wanted a Trout rematch and thought Cotto needs to right that but as it's played out Cotto didn't need him.

[Master]

There's no need for Cotto to continue past 2017 if he doesn't want to. If he chooses to continue fighting I think he can have a nice little run. Kamegai followed by maybe a Trout rematch. Those 2 wins would put him back in the mix. Does he fancy the tricky Cuban Lara? I think that's the biggest fight at 154. Then Andrade. Could he get a Pac rematch? I doubt he wants anything to do with the other top Welters. The Lemieux fight seems higher risk but greater reward. Fights with Bradley, Khan or Marquez seem more appealing to Cotto I would guess.

I don't get the Lemieux match as it's where Cotto has already refused to travel. Cotto has no reset off that, not to mention Lemieux has bricks to end anyone looking past him. Just a dumb move. Ironically Lemieux is also being mentioned for Canelo, again to legitimize a 160 run. I always wanted a Trout rematch and thought Cotto needs to right that but as it's played out Cotto didn't need him.

Cotto would get beat at Middleweight against Lemieux stay at the lower weights.

[Alpha]

It might be Golden Boy trying to raise Lemieux's stock. A win over a name like Cotto, especially an explosive KO gets people talking.