Kamegai set to face Cotto in title fight

JAPANESE boxer Yoshihiro Kamegai has the chance to grab the world junior middleweight title left behind by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, but blocking his path is former world champion Miguel Cotto.

Promoters announced on Wednesday that Kamegai will face Cotto on August 26 at Los Angeles for the vacant WBO junior middleweight crown.

Mexican star Alvarez, who defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr earlier this month, dropped the 154-pound title as he moves up to the middleweight ranks for a megafight on September 16 against unbeaten Gennady Golovkin for the Kazak star’s three world titles.

Vying to replace Alvarez at 154 pounds are Kamegai, in his first world title bout at the age of 34, and 36-year-old Puerto Rican Cotto.

“I’m very excited to be back and showcase a high level fight for the fans,” Cotto said. “Kamegai is a great, tough fighter, but I will be ready for him and to capture the world title.”

Cotto, 40-5 with 33 knockouts, has held world titles at super lightweight, welterweight, super-welterweight/junior middleweight and middleweight – the only Puerto Rican fighter to claim crowns in four different weight classes.