Nearly three years after a proposed bout between Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez fell apart following an upset loss for Cotto, Saturday's superfight between the two is bigger than ever.
Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) will defend his middleweight championship against Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) in a 155-pound catchweight bout (9 p.m. ET, HBO PPV) from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. In arguably the most attractive bout on paper in the storied rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico, Cotto looks to continue his late-career renaissance against the bigger Alvarez, who is entering his prime. Here's a look at how they match up in 12 different categories.
ROUND 1: Power
Alvarez presents real danger for Cotto thanks to his heavy combinations and power in both hands. His violent knockout of James Kirkland in May was a worthy reminder. Cotto, meanwhile, appears to be rejuvenated offensively under the guidance of new trainer Freddie Roach. He also just might wield the most dangerous weapon in the fight in his signature left hook. But if something separates the two of them, give the nod to Alvarez as the naturally bigger and stronger fighter.
Advantage: Alvarez
ROUND 2: Experience
At 35, Cotto has done and seen it all over a 15-year professional career, becoming the first Puerto Rican to win titles in four weight classes. He has routinely taken on tough challenges and bounced back from difficult defeats by reinventing himself. Despite having three fewer pro fights than the 25-year-old Alvarez, Cotto is a former Olympian with a decorated amateur career. Alvarez has stepped up his level of competition significantly in recent years but still needs to prove whether he can elevate his game to a higher level when the challenge calls for it.
Advantage: Cotto
ROUND 3: Speed
As the more versatile and skilled boxer, Cotto's advantage in foot speed and elusiveness is clear in this matchup, despite his advancing age. The difference in hand speed, however, is much closer, with Alvarez underrated in how quickly he uncorks combinations or counters with right hands. Still, it's hard not to be seduced by how great Cotto has looked under Roach. He has recommitted to head-hunting with his devastating left hook and has proved he can still surprise opponents with how quickly he snaps the punch. The result has been a level of crispness not seen in years.
Advantage: Cotto
ROUND 4: Durability
It has been five years since an errant left hook from Cotto's older brother, Jose Miguel Cotto, momentarily staggered Alvarez into the ropes during the first round, forcing him to cover up and absorb the subsequent flurry of punches. Outside of that, Canelo's chin has proved nothing short of rock-solid. Cotto, on the other hand, has been stopped twice in devastating fashion and has shown greater signs of vulnerability despite having a sturdy chin.
Advantage: Alvarez
ROUND 5: Tenacity
Alvarez suffers at times from a bit of a split personality in the ring. He has been criticized for being too conservative against pure boxers with advantages in speed and craft, preferring to play chess while overthinking his next move. But when he enters a fight with dominant advantages in size and skills, he's a much more dangerous threat who's committed to walking down his opponents in search of a knockout. How willing Canelo is to doing the latter against the smaller Cotto could go a long way in determining whether he's victorious.
Advantage: Alvarez
ROUND 6: Stamina
Cotto has developed a bit of a reputation in his biggest fights for fading late -- a theme that was evident in all four of his defeats. Alvarez, meanwhile, has seen his own stamina called into question at various points, including his decision win over Austin Trout in 2012. It has forced him to be a bit too economical with his punch output, leaving the door open for his opponent to steal rounds. Alvarez has slowly repealed this stigma and, with a 10-year advantage in age over Cotto, fatigue is less likely to become an issue for him in this fight.
Advantage: Alvarez
ROUND 7: Versatility
Cotto's experience is key to his advantages in versatility. He began his career as an aggressive boxer-puncher who focused on going to the body at 140 pounds. After a pair of damaging knockout defeats at welterweight, Cotto moved up to 154 pounds and evolved into more of a classic boxer under Cuban trainer Pedro Diaz. Now, he has evolved into a dangerous mixture of both with Roach, giving Cotto more avenues than Canelo to win a fight. This is a case where his revolving door of different trainers over the years has proved to help him round out his own game.
Advantage: Cotto
ROUND 8: Defense
Mislabeled early in his career as a stereotypical Mexican warrior willing to take two in order to land one, Alvarez has worked hard to establish craft to his game. He's an effective counter puncher with a more responsible defense than he gets credit for. Yet he's offensive enough to leave plenty of openings, giving Cotto, the more balanced and classically trained boxer, an edge. Cotto may be more offensively inclined at middleweight, but he's well aware of the danger he faces against naturally bigger fighters and has used his quickness and technique to avoid counter shots.
Advantage: Cotto
ROUND 9: Technique
Despite teasing at different times that his run as an elite fighter may be coming to an end, the foundation of Cotto's ability to reinvent himself has been his boxing skills. He's an accurate puncher who works off his jab and relies on his footwork to set up punching angles. He's also an effective and dangerous body puncher. Cotto exceeded expectations by bloodying the nose of Floyd Mayweather in 2012 and winning some early rounds with steady pressure. But he did so by relying on his technique and refraining from getting wild and falling out of position.
Advantage: Cotto
ROUND 10: Current Form
As great as Cotto has looked in three fights with Roach, it's difficult to know exactly how good he is. Critics will tell you he won the middleweight championship against an injured Sergio Martinez and defended it against a weight-drained Daniel Geale in their catchweight bout. A deeper investigation of his junior middleweight run could even be cynically perceived as victories over fighters who were faded, injured or blown up from 147 pounds. Until Cotto can prove that wrong, Alvarez remains more of a sure thing. He's also entering his absolute prime and has appeared to bounce back mentally from his one-sided 2013 loss to Mayweather.
Advantage: Alvarez
ROUND 11: Corners
Alvarez has stayed loyal to the father/son team of Jose "Chepo" and Eddy Reynoso, who have served as manager and trainer, respectively, since he turned pro. The duo provides a feeling of family for Canelo. But neither one is on the same level as Roach, the seven-time trainer of the year who would have a strong argument to get the nod on credentials alone. Yet Roach's greatest achievement has been creating a backdrop of comfort and respect for Cotto, which numerous trainers before him have failed to do.
Advantage: Cotto
ROUND 12: Wild Card
Cotto's "home arena" has long been New York's Madison Square Garden, making him the clear visitor against Alvarez in Las Vegas, where three of Cotto's four defeats have taken place. Canelo will undoubtedly hold the crowd's favor. In a virtual 50/50 matchup between an aging legend and a can't-miss superstar on the rise, it's hard to overlook the 10-year age difference separating the evenly matched fighters. If Cotto's recent run is more a product of smoke and mirrors and wise matchmaking, Alvarez is the right fighter to make him pay.
Advantage: Alvarez