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.

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.

[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.

[Spicoli]

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.

But would Cotto allow himself to be a stepping stone suddenly. He's been on the gravy train with either tailor made styles, circumstances to make himself look devastating or losing to very top guys. Lemieux is all risk little reward to me. Be interesting to see if Lemieux makes the card as HBO as had a fondness for him.

[Spicoli]

Looks like Cotto has signed a 4 fight deal with Golden Boy? Seems like that's assuming a lot having not fought in a year and a half.

[Master]

This is the real boxing match this weekend and should be what we will be discussing. It is on box nation.

[Batman]

This is the real boxing match this weekend and should be what we will be discussing. It is on box nation.

I didn't think we were allowed to talk about this fight.

What do we know about Kamegai? I know he fought guererro a few years back but that's about it.