Exclusive Interview: Miguel Cotto.

“If the opportunity arises, we try to finish it early.”-Miguel Cotto.

A lot of attention is focused on the main event of this weekend’s WBC heavyweight title fight between Vitali Klitschko and Danny Williams. However, the sparks should really start flying in the chief support bout of the evening when Miguel Cotto defends his WBO light welterweight championship

against former titleholder Randall Bailey. When the time of the likes of Klitschko have come and gone, Miguel Cotto will be one of the leading lights in the boxing world. Hailing from Puerto Rico, Cotto appears to maintain much of the great fighting tradition laid down by his compatriot Felix “Tito” Trinidad; the great power, punch economy and tenacity of a true champion. With his prodigious success rate, Cotto is steadily emerging as a superstar in his own right and one that the Puerto Rican fans can gladly entrust their devotion to for years to come. I got the opportunity to speak with Miguel with only one more full day to go until he steps in the ring at the Mandalay Bay to defend his championship for the first time. Read on to find out what he had to say about winning the title, his light welterweight peers and what he desires for his career in the New Year.

SaddoBoxing: Thank you for taking the time to talk with us Miguel, have you prepared any differently for your opponent Randall Bailey?

Miguel Cotto: No, we haven’t changed anything. Everything that we’ve done has worked for us over the last twenty-one fights. There’s really no reason to do anything different.

SB: Do you feel any additional pressure being that this is your first title defense?

MC: I don’t think so. I think you know, it’s another fight. We know we won the title the last fight out but you have to take them all the same, get ready for them and be ready to win.

SB: What is your prediction for the fight?

MC: I have never made any predictions for my fights. I try to win round by round and if the opportunity arises, we try to finish it early.

SB: How satisfying was the win over Kelson Pinto, a man who had beaten you in the amateurs?

MC: I didn’t think the satisfaction of beating Pinto was really it. Basically, winning the championship, I think that was the most important thing. Those two losses in the amateurs really were a long time ago and they really didn’t come into this fight. I think it was just the fact that I won the championship.

SB: Tell us something about what it meant to you to win a world title in front of your Puerto Rican fans.

MC: I’m very happy. You know, not a lot of fighters get the opportunity to win a title in front of their home crowd. That was one of the things that I really liked about winning the championship there, having to win in front of my fans.

SB: WBA champion Vivian Harris is in Las Vegas and says he would like to fight you, what are your thoughts about that?

MC: You know, I know he did that with Kostya Tszyu when Kostya Tszyu won last time. He came even up into the ring but you know it’s not up to him or me it’s up to our companies, the people that represent us to put the fight together and if they put it together I’d be happy to fight him.

SB: What is your opinion of the proposed Kostya Tszyu-Ricky Hatton fight?

MC: I think it’s, you know, whoever comes well prepared to win the fight is the one who’s going to win. I think it will be a great fight if they do meet.

SB: After Bailey, who is your ideal next opponent?

MC: That’s not my job you know, they tell me who to fight. Top Rank, they come to me and they tell me who I’m going to fight. I’m never going to pick opponents.

SB: Is there a particular fighter from the past that you most admired and tried to model yourself on?

MC: I never look at it that way you know. I think I’m my own man, I do what needs to be done in the ring and I try to just be my own self.

SB: How do you think you would fare against Floyd Mayweather Jr.?

MC: You know I don’t think of a particular fighter, I think of myself. If I’m ready to fight anyone well prepared.

SB: Have you set any particular goals for 2005?

MC: No specific goals. Just you know, fight the best out there, unify some titles, that’s all I want to continue doing.

SB: How far away do you think you are from fighting Kostya Tszyu for the undisputed championship?

MC: That’s not my job you know. Whoever they put in front of me, that is who I’m going to fight. It doesn’t matter when or where.

SB: What would you like to say to your many fans who will be supporting you in your upcoming fight?

MC: I want to thank everyone. I hope everyone watches the fight. I hope everyone enjoys the fight because it is going to be a great fight.

SB: Thank you for your time Miguel and we wish you the best of luck.

MC: Thank you.

Saddoboxing.com would like to thank Mr. Ricardo Jimenez for his assistance in making this interview possible and Curtis McCormick for his great help.

You can learn more about Miguel Cotto at his official website at www.miguelcotto.com

Jim Cawkwell can be reached at jimcawkwell@yahoo.co.uk