Canelo Alvarez is expected to fight again before 2014 ends, but with Miguel Cotto ruled out this year, James Kirkland has been a popular name to throw around. According to reports, however, Kirkland is also being considered as an opponent for Erislandy Lara's return bout as well.
Kirkland mentioned as possible Miguel Cotto opponent?
Lara was last seen losing a controversial split decision to Alvarez on July 12, and he hopes to be back on the title path shortly.
Lara will be returning in November or early December. We're working on opponents, and he will be defending his title," Lara's manager Luis De Cubas said. "It's not the first time he got jobbed. Against Paul Williams, as well. So he feels one hundred percent that he won the fight, so he's good."
Lara remained the WBA light middleweight champion despite dropping the decision to Alvarez because that fight was held without the belt being on the line. De Cubas said Lara will not be changing his movement-heavy style following the loss either, blaming Alvarez's higher profile for the defeat rather than the way he fights.
"Lara feels he doesn't have to change his style because he's never lost," De Cubas said.
De Cubas continued. "I feel he's undefeated. And don't tell me the Dolphins have to beat Peyton Manning by seven points to win, not a field goal, because Manning will draw more eyeballs. Winning is winning and things should be fair for everyone in any sport."
Kirkland is one of the top knockout punchers in the sport, with a KO rate of 84 percent. His main issue has been inactivity-the last time fans saw Kirkland in the ring was a sixth-round TKO victory over Glen Tapia in December 2013.
If Kirkland opts to face Alvarez instead of Lara, Ishe Smith and Vanes Martirosyan were named as possible opponents as well.
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