WBC strips boxer Miguel Cotto of middleweight belt

Lineal middleweight champion Miguel Cotto and challenger Canelo Alvarez made their grand arrivals Tuesday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Although Canelo Alvarez is the favorite heading into his title challenge against Miguel Cotto, there are several intriguing variables at play that essentially make this a pick ’em fight.

“The World Boxing Council worked tirelessly through a process that began over two years ago to secure the celebration of the highly anticipated fight between Miguel Cotto and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez,” the WBC said in a statement.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said in a piece on the boxing organization’s website that Cotto’s decision not to sign the agreement for the Las Vegas fight was sad and disappointing.

Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) agreed to pay the fee and can claim the vacant title if he wins, but Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs), still the lineal champion, tried to negotiate a lower fee. Accordingly, the WBC must rule on the matter prior to the fight.

Though the fight was technically a middleweight title bout, it is being fought at a catch weight of 155 pounds instead of the 160-pound limit.

The 35-year-old Cotto is older and felt to be past his prime by many, though he remains a top fighter and this is without question a fight most see as being competitive on paper, especially as Cotto has won three straight fights in dominant fashion over Delvin Rodriguez, Sergio Martinez, and Daniel Geale.

The WBC says that Cotto and Roc Nation Sports did not comply with the organization’s rules and regulations, which is why he is being stripped of his title. Miguel Cotto now surely knows he can not get a “decision win” on Saturday night he must stop the younger and stronger hero of Mexico (and the WBC) to come away with this one. “The WBC wishes the promotion great success and we are satisfied that this great fight for boxing will be enjoyed by millions of fans around the world”.