Freddie Roach: Martinez vs Cotto fight will have 159-pound catchweight

Despite previous reports that the targeted June 7 fight between Sergio Martinez vs Miguel Cotto would not have a catchweight, Cotto's trainer Freddie Roach now says that the bout will have a maximum weight of 159 pounds, a whopping one pound below the normal middleweight limit, according to Michael Woods of ESPN New York:

Roach confirmed Sergio-Cotto will be at 159 pounds or less. Said Cotto would weigh about 155 for the fight

— Michael Woods (@Woodsy1069) February 6, 2014

Cotto (38-4, 31 KO) is moving up from 154 pounds to face Martinez (51-2-2, 28 KO), who has been middleweight champion since beating Kelly Pavlik in April 2010. Sergio hasn't fought since April 2013, when he won a disputed decision in Argentina over Martin Murray.

In eight fights with the middleweight limit, Martinez has weighed over 159 just twice, and both of those times it was 159½ on the scales. It should really be no problem for Sergio to make 159 pounds for this matchup if Roach's report is fact, and it's also not an unfamiliar tactic by Team Cotto. In 2011, Cotto negotiated Antonio Margarito down to 153 instead of 154 pounds for their rematch.