Miguel Cotto, Golden Boy Set Aside December 1 Date at Madison Square Garden

Golden Boy Promotions has booked December 1 at New York's Madison Square Garden for Miguel Cotto's return to the ring, Richard Schaefer says, and for the near future, the two sides will continue to work together, though Cotto is not signed to Golden Boy as a fighter.

Cotto (37-3, 30 KO) last fought on May 5, losing to Floyd Mayweather in a fight that was competitive and entertaining, and also was a huge hit on pay-per-view. There are several possible options for Cotto for the date, and Schaefer reportedly said earlier in the year he was open to having Cotto fight Canelo Alvarez in December.

Frankly, that should probably be counted out, as Canelo is fighting Josesito Lopez on September 15, and a two and a half month turnaround into facing by far the best opponent of his career would be cutting it pretty tight for Alvarez, unless he blows through Lopez in September.

There is a chance Cotto could face someone like Cornelius Bundrage, who holds the IBF junior middleweight title, or Austin Trout, who holds the "regular" WBA belt. It's probably not a great chance those fights happen, but I wouldn't call it impossible.

This could be more of an in-between fight for Cotto than another major bout right away. Between fights with Manny Pacquiao and Mayweather, Cotto fought Yuri Foreman, Ricardo Mayorga, and Antonio Margarito. With no burning personal rivalry I'm aware of, it could be something along the lines of Foreman or Mayorga in December.