NEW YORK (Sept. 27, 2012) – Two days after a press conference in New York to formally announce “Showdown: Cotto vs. Trout,” Miguel Cotto and Austin Trout were in Puerto Rico on Wednesday to discuss their upcoming world title fight on Saturday, December 1, at Madison Square Garden.

Speaking outdoors at a public press conference at Anfiteatro Paseo De Las Artes Calle Padial in Caguas, Four-Time and Three-Division World Champion Cotto and defending WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Trout spoke enthusiastically about the impending fight with Cotto emphatically declaring his intention to win.

While addressing his adoring fans and media in his native country, Cotto guaranteed a victory: “Thank you all for coming today. We are very happy to see you all and (I thank you for) your great support. I can only say that I will train as hard as I can like I always do, and on December 1, I will become world champion again. I’ll guarantee you all that I will return to Puerto Rico as a champion.”

“Showdown: Cotto vs. Trout” is a 12 round battle between Four-Time and Three-Division World Champion Miguel Cotto and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin Trout taking place on December 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The event is promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, sponsored by Corona and televised on SHOWTIME.

Tickets priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.thegarden.com.

NEW YORK (September 24) – Though he proudly represents his native Puerto Rico every time he steps between the ropes, Miguel Cotto can easily call New York City his second home, as he is unbeaten in nine fights in the Big Apple since turning professional in 2001. On Saturday, December 1 the former Four-Time and Three-Division World Champion expects to have a full house cheering him on at the “Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden, as he looks to add another title belt to his collection when he takes on WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout in a fight that will be telecast live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

“I am really excited to come back to my second home,” said Cotto. “Fighting at The Garden is always special for me and a true pleasure. There is something unique in the atmosphere and it means a lot to me every time I fight there because the energy of the fans gives me extra motivation. Austin Trout will be a challenge for me, but I will win my fifth world championship on December 1.”

“Miguel Cotto needs no introduction,” said Trout. “He’s a true champion and one of the best fighters of the last 10 years, but I’m the present and future of the sport and this is just the showcase I need to prove to the world that I’m one of the best, pound-for-pound. I can’t wait to fight in such a legendary place like Madison Square Garden; it’s every fighter’s dream.”

“We are thrilled to have Miguel Cotto back at The Garden in a spectacular fight against undefeated and world champion Austin Trout,” Miguel Cotto Promotions Vice President Hector Soto stated. “This will be like a homecoming party; a national Puerto Rican holiday. This is a solid show featuring one of the biggest superstars in boxing, Miguel Cotto, supported by hot prospects from the island of Puerto Rico showing their developing talent and potential. I cannot wait!”

“There are few events in boxing like a Miguel Cotto fight at Madison Square Garden,” said Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya. “The atmosphere is electric and it feels like all of Puerto Rico has come out to support him. Nights like these lift up the sport and I can’t wait to be in New York on December 1 to witness this great fight live.”

“Austin Trout is the WBA Super Welterweight Champion of The World, Miguel Cotto is a future hall of famer and great fighter who deserves all the accolades he receives,” said Greg Cohen, CEO of Greg Cohen Promotions. “Miguel Cotto could fight anyone and the fact that he sought out a young, hungry and talented world champion in Austin Trout speaks volumes of his character and competitive spirit. This fight will represent the changing of the guard, very similar to when a young Sugar Ray Leonard beat Wilfred Benitez. Austin Trout is going to be the next American superstar. Some guys get lost in the moment while others embrace it. Austin will seize the moment. December 1 at Madison Square Garden, a star will be born!”

“We are proud to be working with Miguel Cotto Promotions on such a huge event,” said Stephen Espinzoa, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Miguel Cotto is an icon not only in the boxing world but also to New York sports fans. Bringing him back to this city to fight an undefeated champion in Austin Trout at Madison Square Garden is a perfect way to cap off what has been a landmark year for World Championship boxing on SHOWTIME.”

“We are excited to welcome the great Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto back to his home, Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of Boxing,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, MSG Sports. “Miguel is New York’s most popular fighter, and we’re thrilled that area boxing fans will be able to see him in our historic building – that will just have completed phase two of our transformation – once again.”

“Showdown: Cotto vs. Trout” is a 12 round battle between Four-Time and Three-Division World Champion Miguel Cotto and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin Trout taking place on December 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The event is promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, sponsored by Corona and will be telecast live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

Tickets priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale on Tuesday, September 25 at 1:00 p.m. ET. They can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.thegarden.com.

Hailing from Caguas, Puerto Rico, Cotto (37-3, 30 KO’s) has held a world title every year since 2004 while winning 16 of the 18 world championship bouts in which he has fought. Puerto Rico’s most exciting fighter and one of its greatest of all time, Cotto held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Junior Welterweight crown from 2004-2006, successfully defending it six times before vacating it in order to fight for and capture the WBA Welterweight title at the end of 2006, a title he held for nearly as long. After controversially losing the WBA title to Antonio Margarito in July 2008, Cotto won his second welterweight belt in February 2009, knocking out Michael Jennings in the fifth round to become the WBO Welterweight champion. He lost the title in his second defense in November 2009, but captured the WBA Super Welterweight title in June of 2010 at Yankee Stadium in New York by stopping then-undefeated defending champion Yuri Foreman. Cotto successfully defended that title by stopping Two-Division World Champion Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga in the 12th round in March of 2011 and then avenged his loss to Margarito in December of 2011, once again retaining his title and giving him true peace of mind. He has also added to his huge fan base by giving Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao their toughest fights to date. Next on his plate is Austin Trout, and if he defeats the New Mexico southpaw, it will be another world championship added to his Hall of Fame resume.

27-year-old Austin “No Doubt” Trout (25-0, 14 KO’s) has been boxing since the age of 10, but the 2004 United States amateur champion didn’t begin making noise in the sport until he began mowing through opponent after opponent while maintaining an undefeated professional record. By the tail end of 2009, he was 20-0 and the WBA international, WBA Fedelatin, and WBC Continental Americas super welterweight champion, but fights were hard to come by. In February of 2011 though, Trout emerged and captured a world championship by defeating Rigoberto “El Español” Alvarez, Canelo’s older brother, for the WBA Interim Super Welterweight World Championship. He has since been elevated to full champions and defended his belt successfully three times against David “Destroyer” Lopez, Frank “The Italian Stallion” LoPorto and Delvin Rodriguez, setting up the fight of his life on December 1 against Miguel Cotto.

For more information, visit www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, and www.thegarden.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RealMiguelCotto, www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/NoDoubtTrout, www.twitter.com/MSGSportsNYC, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #CottoTrout or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBA Super Welterweight champion Austin Trout will take on former three division champion Miguel Cotto on December 1st at Madison Square Garden.

“I officially announce that my fight on Dec. 1st at MSG will be with the undefeated WBA (junior middleweight titlist) Austin Trout,” Cotto wrote.

“I’m trying to put this legacy together and this is what I needed. I am ecstatic right now,” Trout told ESPN.com. “I get to check off a few things on my bucket list with this fight. I get to fight in the Garden, I get to fight a superstar in the Garden, and I get to fight on HBO, if that’s where this fight is.”

Both HBO and Showtime are negotiation to televise the fight.

“We are teaming up with Golden Boy for aspects of the promotion, but Miguel doesn’t have any promotional ties to any company and that’s the way it’s going to remain,” said Cotto’s attorney Gabriel Penagaricano.

“We explored the Pacquiao fight,” Penagaricano said. “We discussed it for several days but there was no agreement. The weight was an issue and we didn’t agree on all relevant aspects of the deal, so at the end, there was no agreement. After that didn’t work out, we had a had a short list of candidates and Miguel picked Trout.

“He’s undefeated, he’s a good challenge, he’s a world champion and that was attractive to Miguel. The world title aspect and the undefeated record were most attractive in making the selection.”

Trout found out that he had gotten the fight by phone from his promoter, Greg Cohen, on Friday and said he did not believe him at first.

“He told me and I said, ‘Get out of here,’ ” Trout said. “There had been talks before so I didn’t believe him. Greg said, ‘So how does “Trout-Cotto” sound to you?’ I said, ‘Great,’ but I didn’t think he was serious. He said, ‘This is happening.’ It’s a miracle for Cotto to take this kind of fight. I’m gonna take full advantage of this opportunity. I feel like going to train right now.”

“I don’t want to step on Cotto because the only night he can get the Garden is Dec. 1,” Arum said. “So that means we then take Dec. 8. Hopefully, Miguel winds up on HBO and we’ll go on pay-per-view the next week. That’s the idea.”

“I’ve done that before, going to other people’s house,” he said. “I went to Mexico twice for title fights and I will take that experience with me. I’m ready for it. I’ve been through the Mexican fans. The Puerto Rican fans are passionate as well, but I’ve had my seasoning.

“I am definitely a fan,” he said. “I watched him coming up with Top Rank. I’ve been watching him for a while. I will prepare for the Cotto that gave Mayweather his fight next to (the first fight he had with Jose Luis Castillo). I know the jab will be important. I’ll step around him. I saw how Pacquiao did it to him and I think I have better footwork than Pacquiao.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com., an intriguing world unification doubleheader is in the works for a potential August 25th date on HBO featuring WBO Middleweight champion Dmitriy Pirog and IBF champion Daniel Geale as well as WBA Super Welterweight champion Austin Trout taking on WBO champ Sergiy Dzinziruk.

“It’s very close. We’re 99 percent done,” Said Artie Pelullo, who promotes Pirog and is the co-promoter of Dzinzuruk. “I’m very excited about the opportunity for Pirog to be on HBO and for Dzinziruk to be back on HBO. These four fighters are among the best in their respective weight classes, and it’s been a long time coming that they are on HBO.”

“These are two very interesting, pick ’em fights,” said Garry Shaw, who promotes Geale, co-promotes Trout with Greg Cohen and co-promotes Dzinziruk with Pelullo, who also promotes Pirog. “We’ll come out with someone important at 154 and definitely someone important at 160. So I really like this card. I really believe there will be two people who come out of these fights who will be important to boxing in these two weight divisions.”