Miguel Cotto vs. Sadam Ali – December 2 – WBO World Jr. Middleweight Championship
Four-division world champion Miguel Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs) hosted a media workout yesterday at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles ahead of the final fight of the future Hall of Famer’s career, which will be against Sadam “World Kid” Ali (25-1, 14 KOs) for Cotto’s WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship. The action will take place at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Cotto, a surefire first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, has held world titles in the super lightweight, welterweight, junior
middleweight and middleweight divisions. The native of Caguas, Puerto Rico has faced a who’s who of elite world champions including Demarcus “Chop Chop” Corley, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, Zab “Super” Judah, Sugar Shane Mosley, Antonio “El Tornado de Tijuana” Margarito, Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez and current Lineal and Ring Magazine Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez.
In his last outing, Cotto defeated the tough and determined Yoshihiro “Maestrito” Kamegai to win the
WBO World Junior Middleweight Title, which he will look to defend successfully before a packed crowd of
his loyal New York supporters as he closes the book on his legendary career.
MIGUEL COTTO, Four Division World Champion:
“Though it has been my last training camp, everything has gone well and been the same. The fact that it is my last fight has not changed anything. I have always dedicated myself fully and have worked hard, and that’s why I’m here now, finishing my career on my terms. I haven’t really felt nostalgia yet during the final days of my camp. I’m just grateful for what boxing has given me and for the life it has allowed me to give to my children.”
Ali, a 2008 U.S. Olympian fighting out of Brooklyn who has held multiple regional titles, will get his second
shot at a world championship after earning victories over top welterweight contenders including Francisco
“Chia” Santana, Luis Carlos “El Potro” Abregu and most recently former interim WBA World Super
Lightweight Champion Johan “El Terrible” Perez.
In previous interviews, contestant Sadam Ali had stated:
“I’ve been fighting since I was eight years old, and I’ve been in big arenas. Of course, it’s going to be a little bit more in this one. But this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I took the challenge against a legend. I dare to be great, like Oscar (De La Hoya) says. I fear nothing, and I don’thold back. This is the opportunity of a lifetime in Madison Square Garden. It’s going to be amazing. I feel like we’re going to put on a great show, and I’m excited, and I’m ready”.
Cotto vs. Ali, a 12-round fight for the Cotto’s WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions.
The event will take place Saturday, December 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The RingTV.com livestream will begin at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Cotto vs. Ali are priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50 and are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.goldenboytickets.com or www.MSG.com.