TV|April 02, 2015 01:48 EDT
Miguel Cotto vs Jorge Sebastian Heiland Fight Rumors: Bout Possible if Alvarez Comes Next?
According to a report, Miguel Cotto is getting close to finalizing a deal that would have him fight Jorge Sebastian Heiland of Argentina on June 6. The hopes of making that fight, though, hinges on HBO's willingness to carry it.
The Latin Post report says that HBO will agree to pay the license fee for the fight only if Cotto and his camp will agree to face Saul "Canelo" Alvarez later in the year. Citing sources, the report adds that HBO wants to make sure that the Cotto-Alvarez fight is finalized fearing that the proposed Cotto-Heiland fight will not produce good numbers.
"HBO is not interested in the fight because they view it more like the fight Cotto had with Delvin Rodriguez," the source continued, "But they are willing to accept it if their conditions are met - that a fight with Canelo is signed. So they are going to try to make the fight," a source with knowledge of the situation said.
It's a very doable fight because Gaby Penagaricano is the adviser to Heiland. It's a fight that is almost certain," another source said. Cotto also has Penagaricano as his legal adviser.
Should the fight with Heiland push through, Cotto will be defending his World Boxing Council middleweight title either at the Barclays Center, or at Madison Square Garden.
Cotto last fought when he won the title against Sergio Martinez in June of last year. There were reports that a fight with Alvarez was in the works for early this year, but nothing was arranged. Alvarez is instead scheduled to fight James Kirkland on May 16 at the Minute Maid Park in Houston.
Alvarez's trainer Chepo Reynoso said they tried to make the fight with Cotto happen, but Cotto failed to come up with a decision before their stated deadline.
"It's a fight people are interested to see because it's an attractive fight. On our part, we put in our all to try and make this fight. We lasted more than two months trying to negotiate. Cotto procrastinated in the end, and the fight didn't happen," Reynoso said.