Junior flyweight titlist Angel "Tito" Acosta, a protégé of his promoter, former four-division world titleholder Miguel Cotto, will make his first title defense against Carlos Buitrago on June 16, Miguel Cotto Promotions has announced.

The fight will take place at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico Center in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, and will headline an Integrated Sports pay-per-view card. 

Junior flyweight titlist Angel "Tito" Acosta, center, a protégé of his promoter, former four-division world titleholder Miguel Cotto, right, will make the first defense of his title on June 16.

"Tito Acosta is that fighter you can't blink your eyes [when you watch]," Cotto said at a news conference this week announcing the bout. "He brings excitement to every fight and power to finish in any second. This fight against Carlos Buitrago will be fireworks from the opening bell."

Acosta (17-1, 17 KOs), 27, of Puerto Rico, suffered his only loss last May in Japan, when he dropped a unanimous decision challenging then-titlist Kosei Tanaka. But in his next fight, on Dec. 2 on the Cotto-Sadam Ali undercard at Madison Square Garden in New York, Acosta knocked out Juan Alejo in the 10th round of an exciting fight to win the 108-pound world title belt Tanaka vacated.

"Buitrago says that his dream is to become the world champion. To that I say, keep on dreaming," Acosta said. "I'm not underestimating him, but this will be my night, not his."

Buitrago (30-3-1, 17 KOs), 26, of Nicaragua, is 0-3-1 in world or interim strawweight title fights, most recently an eight-round knockout loss to Hiroto Kyoguchi for a world title in Japan on Dec. 31.

Now he is moving up in weight to challenge Acosta on his home turf.

"I will enter the ring in the best shape of my life with one objective in sight -- to fulfill my dream of becoming the world champion and give my country a historic win," Buitrago said. "The battle is on and I hope to come out victorious."

Article by:

  • Dan RafaelESPN Senior Writer