Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito Rematch: September 17 in Las Vegas

The much-discussed, hotly-debated, highly-anticipated and savagely-criticized rematch between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito won't take place in July, but has instead been set up for September 17 in Las Vegas. The fight will land on the weekend of Mexican Independence Day, which always has major cards involving Mexican fighters, and is generally a major PPV weekend.

The fight is being pushed back as Margarito is still off-track from the injuries suffered in his November loss to Manny Pacquiao, which included but were not limited to a fractured orbital bone. Margarito (38-7, 27 KO) is 33 years old and only has so many major money fights left; if he's physically depleted at this point, this could in fact be the last of his truly major fights, barring perhaps a trilogy fight with Cotto if they wind up 1-1 after this one.

As for Cotto (36-2, 29 KO), he's 30 and most feel is on the downside of his celebrated career, too. Fighting heavy at 154 pounds, Cotto has taken a lot of punishment over the years, not the least of which came at the hands of Margarito. But then Margarito took plenty from Cotto, too.

Really this fight will be a question of what people thought about the first fight, and more specifically whether or not people believe Margarito cheated the first time around. It's a question of conscience, I guess, or stomach for Margarito. The last time I asked the question of whether or not folks would order this rematch on PPV, the results were overwhelmingly on the side of ordering.

And you can't blame Cotto for entertaining this idea. The payday is going to be big. According to BoxingScene.com's Rey Colon in a statement from Bob Arum, Cotto could earn about $6 million for this fight. He earned a $1 million purse for his March 12 fight with Ricardo Mayorga, for comparison.