Cotto says he's focusing on Gomez and not looking ahead to bigger paydays

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Leave it to Bob Arum to take a dig at one of the welterweight champions.

Not Miguel Cotto, the pride of Arum's promotions stable and the WBA titleholder. And not IBF champ Kermit Cintron, who will fight the only man to beat him, Antonio Margarito, on the undercard Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall.

Arum threw a zinger at WBC champion Floyd Mayweather, probably the biggest name in boxing these days, when he said that Cotto "will never be on ‘Dancing With The Stars.' "

One thing Cotto doesn't do is dance, as his opponent Alfonso Gomez likely will find out in the Puerto Rican star's fourth title defense. Cotto is 31-0 with 25 knockouts, and he showed impressive versatility in his most recent win, a tight 12-round decision over clever veteran Shane Mosley in one of 2007's best bouts.

"I always come to fight, it is always the same," Cotto said. "It doesn't matter the opponent, I train hard, I work hard for the fight, and I give everything when I fight.

"That's the reason I train so hard; every fight is a tough one and I have to be ready for anything he can bring into the ring."

While Cotto brings in that perfect record and figures to have a huge following Saturday night, Gomez, of Mexico, is 18-3-2 with eight knockouts. He comes from the ranks of "The Contender" TV show, and he's unbeaten in his last seven fights, some as a super welterweight.

Gomez hinted this week that Cotto might be taking him lightly, which would be a first for the champion whose relentless style is his biggest attribute.

"I want him to come back to his corner and think of all the things he did in training camp and shouldn't have done," Gomez said, "and all the things he didn't do and should have. I'll come out of the ring giving Mexico another champion.

"Viva Mexico."

Naturally, Gomez's hero is Julio Cesar Chavez. If he brings the kind of intelligence, speed and intuitive approach that marked Chavez's career - not to mention the lightning knockout punch - Gomez could prosper.

But the 27-year-old Cotto, who is one day younger than Gomez, might be a bit much for Gomez to handle.

The winner could wind up in the ring next not with Mayweather, but with whoever comes away with the IBF belt. When Arum called the division the best in the sport, he was not exaggerating, and there are attractive matchups down the line.

A Cotto-Mayweather bout - given Cotto beating Gomez - would bring a huge payday to both fighters. It's not front and center on the boxing agenda, though, because Mayweather wouldn't want to face Cotto on the East Coast, and Cotto doesn't want to fight Mayweather in Las Vegas.

The undercard fight normally could be a main event. HBO was so interested in it that it will televise both bouts.

Cintron, also of Puerto Rico, is 29-1 with 27 knockouts. He has stopped five opponents since losing to Margarito two years ago, including taking the IBF title with a fifth-round knockout of Mark Suarez.

"I had a perfect training camp," the 28-year-old Cintron said. "I'll lay it all out on Saturday night, as will Margarito. I'm ready and I'll do all my talking in the ring."

Margarito, like Gomez from Mexico, lost his WBO title in a 12-round decision against Paul Williams last July 14, then knocked out Golden Johnson in the first round on the undercard of Cotto's victory over Mosley. He is 3-1 since stopping Cintron in the fifth round, 35-5 overall.

"I've been waiting for the time to fight and I thank Cintron for the opportunity," Margarito, 30, said. "I had an excellent training and I hope Kermit has done the same thing. We'll have a tough fight and I'm ready to go into the ring and win."