Welterweight contender wants Cotto

While Floyd Mayweather counts the $20 million he made from knocking out Ricky Hatton last week and contemplates whether he wants to fight Miguel Cotto, another fighter has his sights set on getting Cotto into the ring.

Welterweight contender Josh Clottey would love a shot at Cotto, the WBA champion. But first, Clottey has to beat Shamone Alvarez on Thursday in the main event of a Top Rank card at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Alvarez (19-0) won't be an easy fight. The left-hander from Atlantic City is known as a hard puncher.

"Alvarez is good, but Clottey is better," said Vinny Scolpino, Clottey's trainer. "Look at who he has fought. It's a tough fight, sure, but we will win and move on to something bigger.

"That's what our game plan is."

Scolpino said if Cotto doesn't want to fight Clottey, they'll look elsewhere.

"We'll fight anyone," Scolpino said. "Cotto. (Antonio) Margarito. (Paul) Williams. (Kermit) Cintron. You name it."

Clottey, who is originally from Ghana but lives and trains in the Bronx, has stayed in New York for his training for the fight. Alvarez came to Las Vegas last week.

"Clottey is always in shape, and he comes to fight," Alvarez said. "But I am approaching this fight with all intentions of winning."

Thursday's card will be televised nationally on the Versus Network, with the first bell scheduled for 5 p.m.

• ALI-FRAZIER BOOK -- Boxing fans might be interested in reading "The Fight of the Century," a book that details the first Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight from March 8, 1971.

The 257-page book, written by Michael Arkush and published by Wiley Publishing (Wiley.com), details the events leading to that historic night at Madison Square Garden as well as the fight itself, which resulted in Frazier scoring a 15-round unanimous decision.

Arkush did not attend the fight, but he talked to many who were involved, and it provides yet another insight to what was a landmark night for the sport.

• STORK VISITS TAYLORS -- Jermain Taylor skipped Tuesday's news conference in New York to promote his Feb. 16 rematch with Kelly Pavlik at the MGM Grand Garden as he and his wife, Erica, became parents to a baby girl.

Taylor remained home in Little Rock, Ark., to welcome Laila Jayden Taylor into the world.

"I look at boxing totally different now," Taylor said. "I have a whole new love for boxing now."

Pavlik scored a seventh-round knockout of Taylor on Sept. 29 in Atlantic City.

"I made a lot of mistakes in that fight," Taylor said. "I'm not making any excuses, but I'll make up for it the next time."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2913.