Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Miguel Cotto are being linked to a rematch in May, but will the second fight between the two boxing superstars happen on Cinco de Mayo weekend?
Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum believes Cotto deserves a rematch against Mayweather, but he is not expecting it to happen any time soon because of the reigning pound-for-pound king's lucrative deal with Showtime network.
Arum said in an interview with Sirius XM that the Mayweather vs Cotto rematch talks is "nonsense" because it is not a logical option for Showtime, who lost money in Mayweather's previous bout because of the unbeaten champion's guaranteed fight purse.
The famed promoter said that Cotto is expected to demand a lucrative guaranteed purse, while Mayweather will also ask for additional money on top of the $32 million he got from his previous fights that were carried by Showtime.
"Cotto will want at least $13 million to fight Mayweather, which is about $10 million more than a normal Mayweather opponent," Mayweather said. "In addition, since Floyd can get $32 million to fight a bus boy, he's going to want at least another $10 million to fight Cotto. So that means laying out another $20 million."
Mayweather, who has a perfect 47-0 record with 26 knockout victories, is being linked to a super showdown against Manny Pacquiao in May, but the long-awaited bout remains uncertain at this point.
Cotto, the reigning World Boxing Council middleweight champion, was previously linked to Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, but negotiations for the Cotto-Alvarez bout did not come to fruition. Alvarez eventually decided to face James Kirkland in his next fight tentatively scheduled on May 2.
Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya, who promotes Alvarez, believes that Mayweather will not agree to face Pacquiao on May 2, and will settle for a rematch with Cotto instead.
"I don't believe Mayweather-Pacquiao will happen May 2nd," De La Hoya told BoxingScene. "Well, I hope it does happen, maybe in September or maybe December but I don't believe it'll happen May 2nd. I don't believe Mayweather's going to fight Amir Khan. What I do believe is that Mayweather will be fighting Miguel Cotto."
Cotto, who won the WBC middleweight title when he stopped Sergio Martinez in their title fight in June last year, lost to Mayweather in their World Boxing Association super welterweight bout in May 2012.
Cotto's career went on a downward spiral after losing to Mayweather, but most analysts, including former world champion Shane Mosley, believe that Puerto Rican will be a tougher foe for Mayweather now compared to their first fight after the Puerto Rican improved under trainer Freddie Roach.
