By Miguel Rivera

WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33KOs) of Puerto Rico has raised the temperature by firing back at statements that were made by his next opponent, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (45-1-1, 32KOs) of Mexico, and his trainers Eddy Reynoso and Jose "Chepo" Reynoso.

The HBO Pay-Per-View fight takes place on November 21 in the Events Center Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.

Cotto was annoyed by certain comments that were made about his recent opposition, claims that he was over the top with his demands during the negotiations, and other disparaging statements.

Cotto said Canelo and the Reynosos were very friendly during the four city promotional tour and never once made any comments in his direction or the direction of his trainer, Freddie Roach.

"Throughout the promotional tour Saul and Reynoso were very friendly and cordial," Cotto told El Vocero. "The man who takes advantage of the absence of his opponent, in order to open his mouth, is a coward."

"All you have to do is put on paper all of the achievements of Freddie Roach, the number of world champions with whom he has worked with, and what Miguel Cotto [has accomplished] before coming to Freddie. What Reynoso [has done] can be written on a small page."

"We're not here trying to deceive anyone. Freddie Roach is a coach who can easily be the 'Trainer of the Year' and he's done wonderful things in my career. The only things Canelo can say about Reynoso is that he had 42 fights [with him], that he was undefeated at one time, and when he went up against his first major challenge [with Floyd Mayweather] he looked like a rookie. And with that simple matter, then [we have to ask] what is their pedigree?"