Freddie Roach touts the benefits of Miguel Cotto’s age

Miguel Cotto, 35, might be giving up 10 years to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for their Nov. 21 middleweight championship, but the experience gained in that time has value.

Cotto (40-4, 33 knockouts) conducted his media day Wednesday at Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, which is owned and operated by his trainer, Freddie Roach.

Roach has been in Cotto’s corner for the Puerto Rican’s last three fights -- all victories, including last year’s toppling of former champion Sergio Martinez.

While the common thinking is the 25-year-old Alvarez’s youth and power will decide the outcome -- he’s more than a 3/1 betting favorite in Nevada sportsbooks -- Roach is counting on Cotto’s deeper thinking to win the fight.

Roach in 2009 trained Manny Pacquiao for Cotto, and he has seen Cotto develop beyond the fighter who was formerly locked in on the idea of chasing a knockout.

“We brought back his foot movement and speed, but if Miguel does hurt you, he will finish you,” Roach said. “He’s in really good shape, and in a weight class he’s happy at.

“He’s a better fighter now, happier because he can eat, doesn’t have dead legs. ... We went about it a different way.

“Back then, he was always looking for the one-punch knockout. I told him how he lost to Manny and he accepted that pretty well. He’s not making that mistake anymore.”

Roach said he’s seen Mexico’s Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) “fatigue” in middle rounds “in most of his fights. ... He fades a little bit.”

The trainer assures that won’t happen with Cotto.

Roach predicted the “young versus old” bout will be the sport’s “fight of the year -- we’re not that old.

“We’ve worked on how much [Alvarez’s] youth will take a toll. It’s a very exciting fight,” Roach said.

“We’ll see a young explosive boxer. It’s an ideal match. But who’s going to slug and who’s going to box? It could turn out that both guys go out there offensive, and if that happens, I’m OK.”

Even if there's a vast difference in the resumes of Roach and Alvarez's trainers, Eddy and Chepo Reynoso, Roach didn't diminish their work.

"They made him a world champion, so they did a good job with him," Roach said. "It's up to the fighter -- who absorbs from the trainers the best. And who has the best game plan, me or them? I don't have just one, though. I brought in good boxers and big punchers, so we're ready."

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