The 31 year-old is due back in action on October 25th in Monaco following his decisive victory over Max Bursak in the principality last month and is already being linked to facing one of the other world title holders out there.
With the prospect of Cotto agreeing to face Murray in Monte Carlo slim to none, the two-time world title challenger may well look to secure at the very least a final eliminator for his autumn return before focusing his attention on the possibility of landing a massive fight against the four-weight king in the USA next year.
Whatever transpires from now until then, Murray is fully confident he can relieve the predominant 154lber of the strap he took so impressively from Sergio Martinez and end Cotto’s record-breaking middleweight reign.
“When it comes down to it, I know I can beat Cotto,” Murry told World Boxing News.
“You have to say that he did do a great job in defeating Sergio Martinez, but I have more skill and the size to cause him big problems.
“I have the WBC silver belt, but he has on his hands the full title which I’ve always wanted. It’s a fight I want and that’s why I took this route as I am sure Cotto and I would serve up a great fight for the fans.”
Cotto, 33, gave no indication of his plans when recently belted by the WBC in an official ceremony in his homeland, and there are plenty of rumours swirling that the pound for pound star intends to drop back down to 154lbs.
Now that Floyd Mayweather has let slip that he will fight Marcos Maidana for the second time on September 13, there is few options left for Cotto as he mulls over a first defence at the higher weight. ‘Junito’ could conceivably still make welterweight and would face considerable size disadvantages against the majority of contenders if he did decide to remain at 160lbs.
The current mandatory challenger is Marco Antonio Rubio, who isn’t a huge middleweight and would give Cotto a Puerto Rico v Mexico angle if he did decide to stick it out. A fight with Murray would definitely be a big seller on both sides of the Atlantic, although it remains to be seen if the fight has a realstic chance of making it to the first bell.
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