By Vitali Shaposhnikov: TMT Promotions have gained a ton of respect due to their aggressive marketing and signing of great new as well as seasoned talent. 50 Cent along with Floyd Mayweather Jr. are making a statement in the sport of boxing, and are now a direct competition to the bog boy in the promotional game, such as Golden Boy Promotions and top Rank.
TMT was able to sign such names as Andre Dirrell, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Andre Berto, Billy Dib, Celestino Caballero, and Zab Judah. I am sure that by now, their roster has expanded significantly, and will keep growing as time goes by.
One fighter declined an offer to be a part of the TMT team, deciding to stay a free agent in hopes of making his own decisions and more money by choosing his own career shaping moves. That fighter who declined an offer from TMT happens to be none other than Miguel Cotto.
“Unfortunately for Jackson and Mayweather, Cotto decided to stay as a free agent, a position he feels will benefit him more as he approaches the tail end of a superb career in the professional ranks,” read an article on TheBoxingObserver.
(http://www.theboxingobserver.com/miguel-cotto-turns-down-tmt-promotions-advances-50-cent-left-without-a-star-name-for-new-outfit/)
I think that most fighters that have tasted both being a free agent and a puppet of a promotional company will choose to make their own moves. Of course money does the talking, but for boxing superstars like Cotto, a great paycheck will always be a part of any fight related equation.
I was not surprised that Cotto declined, but at the same time curios whether other bigger names might follow suit. It is great got TMT that they jumped on this opportunity, and are vigorously trying to add some blockbuster names to their stable. Maybe, just maybe, TMT will turn out to be the next big thing is boxing promotions, and will lead to a fight that we are all tired of waiting for.