Sources close to the situation have informed us that if the long-awaited mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao comes to fruition, then fans can expect to see WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto defending his title against former welterweight champion Timothy Bradley on pay-per-view. We're told that the bout will likely take place at Madison Square Garden on June 13, the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day parade in New York.
Because negotiations for Mayweather vs. Pacquiao have been progressing at a snails pace, Showtime Sports Executive Vice President and General Manager Stephen Espinoza recently revealed that both Cotto and former jr. welterweight champion Amir Khan are aleady being considered as a backup plan for Mayweather's return to the ring on May 2. That, however, is only if talks collapse. Thus far, according to sources in both camps, everyone involved is still optimistic that a deal can be reached.
Up until mid-January, Cotto was negotiating a potential clash with former jr. middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. For whatever reason, however, Canelo's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, grew impatient with the progress of their negotiations and decided to pull the plug. Instead, De La Hoya decided to match Alvarez against jr. middleweight contender James Kirkland, who's been inactive since scoring a 6th round TKO over the previously undefeated Glen Tapia back in December of 2013. Meanwhile, Cotto has continued to wait patiently and silently for the outcome of the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao negotiation before announcing his next move.
Assuming all goes well and Mayweather vs. Pacquiao does indeed get made, I'm sure very few fans will have too many complaints about Cotto facing Bradley in a fight that will likely take place at a catchweight of 155 or 156 pound. As for the other fighter who's been mentioned as a backup plan, not just for Mayweather, but Pacquiao as well, Amir Khan, I wouldn't be surprised to see him making his return to the ring this May in a rematch with former welterweight champion Marcos Maidana. Quite frankly, I'm perfectly fine with both of those fights if it means we'll finally get to see Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao standing in the same ring come May 2.
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