Can the World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion Miguel Cotto knock out Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in their planned showdown this November?

The Puerto Rican boxing pride delivered punishing punches against Daniel Geale at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 7. Cotto was able to drop the Australian fighter twice in the fourth round, and eventually stopped his opponent with 1:28 still on the clock.

Cotto's trainer, Freddie Roach, who obviously liked what he witnessed in the sensational Cotto-Geale match, is confident that the young Mexican superstar will suffer the same devastating loss via a knockout from his prized fighter, Boxing Scene reported, citing the coach's statement to El Mundo.

"I really like that fight. That's the fight I've always wanted for Miguel. I think it's a very good fight for us. I really like our chances in that fight and I think there's a good chance we knock this guy out," Roach told El Mundo.

It is certainly expected for Roach, who is also the training coach of Filipino boxing icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, to believe that his 34-year-old boxer can flatten the 24-year-old opponent, especially with Cotto's recent aggressive performance on the ring.

Aside from Geale, Cotto served intense and powerful blows against Sergio Martinez and Delvin Rodriguez. In June 2014, Cotto won over Martinez via 10th round knock out during their clash at the Madison Square Garden, ESPN reported. A year before that, the Puerto Rican also demolished Rodriguez via a knock out during the third round of their match in Orlando Florida, a separate report from ESPN stated.

Still, the young Canelo, who is a decade younger than Cotto, is a force to be reckoned with.

Like Cotto, he was able to prove his worth on the ring through his impressive and equally-sensational battles against Alfredo Angulo and James Kirkland, noted Boxing Scene.

Angulo bowed down to Alvarez in March 2014 in the 10th round via a knockout at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. Kirkland was also stopped through a knockout in the 3rd round during their fight this May at the Minute Maid Park in Houston.

For Max Kellerman of HBO, Canelo has the edge due to his age. "Canelo, I believe, will be favored to win. I believe he'll be correctly favored. He's the younger, fresher fighter," Kellerman said, as quoted by Boxing News 24.

A boxing expert at Black Sports Online also thinks that although "hands will be thrown" in the highly-anticipated Alvarez-Cotto fight in November, he will be "shocked" if Cotto will be able to bring the mighty Canelo down.

Related