Junior middleweight phenom Xander Zayas (15-0, 10 KOs) will have an extra source of motivation for his upcoming fight.
The 20-year-old standout will fight Ronald “Diablo” Cruz (18-2-1, 12 KOs) on Saturday, June 10 for the second annual Miguel Cotto Award, which is presented by Top Rank and Madison Square Garden Entertainment. The Miguel Cotto Award celebrates the remarkable career of the legendary four-division world champion and upholds the tradition of hosting a major fight card during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend. Cotto, who achieved notable wins against Muhammad Abdullaev, Paulie Malignaggi, Zab Judah, Joshua Clottey, Sergio Martinez and Daniel Geale during this festive weekend, will present the award at The Theater at Madison Square Garden following the June 10 bout.
Zayas-Cruz will be the co-feature to the junior welterweight showdown between WBO and Ring Magazine world champion Josh Taylor and former unified and lineal lightweight king Teofimo Lopez.
Taylor-Lopez and Zayas-Cruz will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Cotto said, “For me, it’s a great honor and a great pleasure that Madison Square Garden and Top Rank have an award with my name to continue the tradition of fight cards during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend. This award will motivate future generations to deliver their best in each fight.”
“Miguel Cotto has made an immeasurable mark on boxing at ‘The Mecca’ – Madison Square Garden,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, Marquee Events and Operations, Madison Square Garden Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to celebrate Cotto’s warrior legacy during the Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend with the presentation of the second annual award to the winner of the Xander Zayas v. Ronald Cruz fight on Saturday, June 10.”
Zayas said, “I’ve always said that in the world of boxing, Miguel Cotto is my favorite fighter. He is the reason I decided to become a fighter. It’s a total honor and a dream come true to have the opportunity to fight for an award that has his name. This confirms for me that we are on the right path, and it motivates me to keep working hard to continue accomplishing my dreams. I want to unite my Island and all of the Puerto Ricans in the United States in the same way that Miguel did. That is my biggest dream, and I will achieve it.”
An illustrious cast of boxing legends were inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame today at the Fernando Vargas Fighting Foundation in Las Vegas. The 8th Annual Induction Weekend happens August 7th & 8th, 2020 at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 2020 Induction Class includes:
Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas (26-5, 22 KO’s)
Las Vegas resident Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas is a multiple-time champion who won his first title when he fought and defeated Yory Boy Campas. Vargas would go on to battle “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya, Winky Wright, and Felix “Tito” Trinidad to name a few.
Clarence “Bones” Adams (44-7-4, 20 KOs)
Las Vegas boxing trainer and world champion, Clarence “Bones” Adams. Known for his all-action style, Adams captured the WBA super bantamweight world title March 4, 2000, at the Mandalay Bay with his big win over Nestor Garza. Throughout his career, Adams also had memorable fights with the likes of Kevin Kelley and back to back wars with world champion Paulie Ayala.
Andre “SOG” Ward (32-0, 16 KOs)
The last male fighter to capture US Gold in Olympic Boxing and arguably one of the greatest American boxers in the history of the sport, Andre “SOG” Ward can now add the title of Hall of Famer to his resume. Ward held multiple titles in two separate weight classes including the unified WBA, WBC, and Ring Magazine Lineal Light Heavyweight Title. Ward ended his professional career undefeated beating the likes of Sergey Kovalev, Mikkel Kessler, Chad Dawson, and Carl Froch.
James “Lights Out” Toney (77-10-3, 47 KOs)
Fighting nearly 100 professional bouts in his career while never being stopped, James “Lights Out” Toney will be inducted into the 2020 NVBHOF class. Toney who fought in Nevada fourteen times had numerous memorable wins beating big names such Evander Holyfield, Iran Barkley, Micheal Nunn, and Vissiliy Jirov and took on several others including Roy Jones Jr. and John Ruiz respectfully while being named Ring Magazine fighter of the year in 1991 and 2003.
Miguel Cotto (41-6, 33 KOs)
Puerto Rico’s first four-division world champion, Miguel Cotto’s tremendous work history in the squared circle is second to none and joins this year’s star-studded NVBHOF class. Cotto known for being a true boxer-puncher fought everyone including Canelo, Floyd Mayweather, Sergio Martinez, Chop-Chop Corley, Manny Pacquiao, Zab Judah, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley throughout his journey in the sport.
Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson (44-5-1, 28 KOs)
The first African American fighter to capture a World Flyweight Title, Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson is a familiar name in boxing community as Johnson won titles at flyweight and super flyweights defeating the likes of Fernando and Alejandro Montiel. Johnson captured his first title after stopping Francisco Tejedor in the 1st round of their championship fight in Anaheim, May 4th, 1996.
Julian “The Hawk” Jackson (55-6, 49 KOs)
Known as “The Hawk” Julian Jackson has held world titles in the jr. middleweight and middleweight divisions and has been considered one of the hardest punchers in the history of the sport. Fighting 18-times in Nevada, Jackson quickly became a local favorite but is most recognized for his knockout victories over “Terrible” Terry Norris and the UK “Bomber” Herol Graham.
Azumah “The Professor” Nelson (39-6-2, 28 KOs)
Arguably one of the greatest fighters to ever come out of Africa and undoubtedly Ghana’s top pound for pound fighter of all time, Azumah “The Professor” Nelson made his splash in the boxing world when he was called in as a late substitute, and gave the legendary world champion Salvador Sanchez all he could handle before being stopped in the 15th and final round of their 1982 world title fight. Nelson would go on to stun and stop Wilfredo Gomez, to take Gomez’s WBC featherweight title. Throughout his legendary career, Nelson would have wars with the likes of Jeff Fenech, Jesse James Leija, and Gabriel Ruelas.
Danny “Little Red” Lopez (42-6, 39 KOs)
A huge favorite in Southern California and regularly fighting at the Olympic Auditorium and, later, the Forum, “Little Red” Lopez packed dynamite in his gloves. Lopez won his first 21 fights in a row by knockout and during his career took on the likes of the great Bobby Chacon, Sean O’Grady and fought back to back matches with the legendary Salvador Sanchez. Lopez captured his first featherweight title in the fall of 1976 in front of over 100,000 screaming fans in Ghana, Africa, as he defeated WBC World Champion David Kotey.
Jose Luis Castillo (66-13-1, 57 KOs)
A true Mexican warrior Jose Luis Castillo climbed through the ropes of rings in his home country for the first ten years of his career. In September 2000, Castillo surprised Steve Johnston winning a majority decision to claim the WBC lightweight title. Castillo had memorable fights with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Juan Lazcano, and Joel Casamayor but will always be remembered with his wars with the great Diego “Chico” Corrales.
Photo: Golden Boy Promotions
LOS ANGELES (Aug. 16, 2017) Former four-division world champion Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) hosted a media workout today at the Wild Card Boxing Gym ahead of his 12-round fight against Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) for the WBO World Junior Middleweight title that will take place on Saturday, Aug. 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT
Here are photos from Cotto’s media workout:
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Photos: Tom Hogan/Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions
World renowned trainer Freddie Roach shared important details regarding the training camp of Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs), the only Puerto Rican boxer to ever win world titles in four divisions, as he prepares to go to war for the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight title against the Japanese slugger Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs). Cotto will attempt to obtain a sixth world title in four divisions and will appear on HBO for an astounding 23rd time. The event takes placeSaturday, August 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, California and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.
Roach, a Hall of Fame trainer who was supervising a recent sparring session at the Wild Card Boxing Club, shared Cotto’s training camp routine, which consists of:
- Strength and conditioning at 5:00 am with Gavin McMillan (exercises are done either at the gym, pool, nearby hills or at the track).
- Breakfast at around 8:30 am. (Cotto likes to cook all his meals himself; his diet is normal, avoiding fried food).
- Light snack at around 11:15 am.
- Sparring three days a week at 1:00 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
- Boxing routine on at 1:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
- Dinner at around 5:30 pm.
Roach also provided additional training camp details, including the strategy for taking advantage of the exciting and crowd-pleasing style of Kamegai.
“Kamegai [Yoshihiro] is very aggressive and I like that. I think it should make for a great fight because he’s coming forward all the time and always looking for a knockout. Guys who look for knockouts, get knocked out. So, we’re working on countering his attack, and it’s going really well so far,” Roach concluded.
“I feel great, everything is working perfectly in camp together with Freddie and Gavin on every workout session. Freddie has a great game plan and I just follow him and do my best every day at gym. We look forward to have a big win” Miguel Cotto said.
“For more than 16 years, Miguel Cotto has represented Puerto Rico. He has given fans incredible fights at a number of weight classes, and has won world titles in an astounding four divisions,” said Oscar De La Hoya. “Now, after nearly two years out of the ring, as he attempts to claim a sixth championship belt, we are fully expecting a tough war between him and Kamegai.”
Cotto vs. Kamegai, a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and sponsored by Tecate “BORN BOLD” and Casa Mexico Tequila. Rey Vargas vs. Ronny Rios is a 12-round world championship fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight Title, and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event will take place Saturday, August 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.
