Two of the biggest names in the last generation in boxing are reportedly set to square off in an exhibition bout. The Puerto Rican periodical El Nuevo Dia reported Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez are finalizing an agreement to fight on June 12, per Michael Benson of talkSPORT.
Boxing exhibitions are suddenly the new rage after last fall’s showdown between Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. Even former UFC stars such as Anderson Silva and Ben Askren will be lacing up the gloves to go at it in the ring. Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez are also hopping on board.
Both Cotto and Marquez have been out of the sport for some time. Cotto (41-6) won titles in four weight classes before retiring following a loss to Sadam Ali in 2017. Marquez (56-7-1) has not fought since 2014 when he beat Mike Alvarado.
There were talks for a fight between the two back in 2016, though those talks were never finalized because of a dispute regarding weight. Former Marquez trainer Ignacio Beristain said in December of 2017 he regretted the fight not being finalized:
“[Cotto] was about to measure himself against Juan Manuel Márquez, but it was never achieved. I would have liked to be in that fight, it would have been a big fight and I really like to work in big fights,” Beristain said at the time, via Boxing Scene.
It turns out the fight between the two stars will be happening. Miguel Cotto is 40-years-old and Juan Manuel Marquez is turning 48 in August, so it will be interesting to see what both these veteran fighters have left in the tank. Whether the quality will match the hype after such long layoffs is another question entirely.
Juan Manuel Marquez has links to a comeback against Miguel Cotto over the summer, and this will no doubt have filtered through to long-time rival Manny Pacquiao. The Mexican is reportedly in talks to taceCotto in an exhibition battle seven years after announcing his retirement. Marquez vs. Cotto will be a battle of two former opponents of both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Beaten by both Marquez and Cotto have considerably different stories to tell on the boxing legends. Marquez was wronged on three occasions by the judges. Eventually, he got his revenge in a stunning turn of events at the MGM Grand in 2012. Wiping Pacquiao out as nobody had ever done before, Marquez was finally content with his career achievements.