Cotto vs Trout: Austin Trout confident, prepared to get nasty if necessary

Austin Trout is confident that he has the skill set to beat Miguel Cotto when the two meet at Madison Square Garden on December 1, and is well aware of Cotto's reputation for turning things rough when he's had to over the years -- and he says that he's got no problem doing the same.

"I will use my height and reach. But I will use all of my talents. Cotto is a strong guy and if I have to get rough and dirty, I will. I'll be the complete package."

Cotto (37-3, 30 KO) has the experience edge in this fight without question -- not only has he simply been around longer, but he's been fighting at this level for a long time now, and though he's certainly not at his peak, reports of his being shot were proven exceptionally exaggerated in his last two outings, where he beat the hell out of Antonio Margarito and hung in with Floyd Mayweather.

Trout (25-0, 14 KO) is in a pretty great position here. He's fought his way into a major fight against a superstar fighter, and he has some things going for him. He's bigger than Cotto, he's got skills, and he's a lot fresher than Miguel. But a big factor is going to be how he handles this stage. This is a long way -- all due respect to what Trout has done -- from Rigoberto Alvarez, Delvin Rodriguez, David Lopez, and Frank LoPorto.

Trout will need everything he's shown and a little more against Miguel Cotto, and he's going to have to be truly prepared. Cotto's never been afraid to go low, toss an opponent off his shoulder, or otherwise make things untidy in there. He's cold blooded when he needs to be, and that has served him well.

In many ways, the matchup is a study in contrasts, and one I look forward to seeing playing out in the ring.