Canelo Alvarez isn't having a great week. First, it grew more likely he'd lose his coveted May 2 fight date to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, and now his dream fight with WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto could be in jeopardy.
Negotiations for this fight, which has been talked about since the summer of 2014, have stalled and rumor has it the delay is from Cotto being unhappy with his purse. Canelo has reportedly begun training for a May 2 fight, but his trainer Chepo Reynoso is talking as if Cotto is a mere possibility, not a certainty.
"We are already in California. We do not know anything about the negotiations with Cotto, but as for the preparation it has begun, slowly, but we've already started" Reynoso said.
"We're not doing too much. He's already jogging, doing some movements, nothing strong but in a few days we'll start the stronger stage."
Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya is now taking to social media to apply pressure to Cotto, tweeting out a harsh message that served as a thinly veiled shot.
"I get sick to my stomach that the top fighters today don't fight the best. Wouldn't be surprised if maywether fights cotto. #Canelo5Mayo," De La Hoya tweeted.
It seems that other issues have become sticking points, but the purse is the main hurdle.
Earlier this month Alvarez said "I love fighting in Las Vegas, where most of the Cinco de Mayo event dates are held. But another venue could be Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. We're looking at several options. But most importantly, this fight has to be a 50/50 split."
Cotto earned similar criticism from Sergio Martinez ahead of their June 2014 clash in which Cotto won his title. Martinez angered Cotto by lobbing verbal grenades about his negotiating needs, calling him a "girl," "diva" and other names.
"He has made demands that a diva would make. The red corner, coming in last into the ring, being introduced last into the ring and other things. If these aren't diva demands then tell me what you'd call them," Martinez said.
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