CHORLEY, ENGLAND (February 11, 2009) — Heartbreaker Michael Jennings is abandoning his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day — so he can concentrate on breaking Miguel Cotto’s heart in New York.
But Jennings has vowed to return from the States with two-dozen red roses – and the WBO World Welterweight title.
Chorley’s finest flies to America on Saturday ahead of his Madison Square Garden clash with Cotto on February 21, which will be seen Live on Pay-Per-View in the U.S. .
And it means that he’ll be spending Valentine’s day apart from his partner Zoe.
However the 31-year-old says it will all be worthwhile when he inflicts defeat on power-punching Cotto, a former two-weight world champion.
“I like to wine and dine my missus on Valentine’s Day, but this year I’ll be spending it traveling to New York – and in a no nonsense gym in the Bronx where I’m headed as soon as we touch down,” said Jennings. “But after I win this fight it will make all the sacrifices worthwhile because beating Cotto means I’ve made it into the big leagues.
“And she has already told me that the best present I can bring her back isn’t expensive perfume or a diamond ring – but the world title. There will be some huge fights down the line for me by winning that belt.
“Training camp has gone really well, and I feel in the shape of my life. I don’t think I’ve ever been sharper, and unless Cotto is taking me 100% seriously then he’s in for a nasty surprise.
“Obviously I’ve got a lot of respect for him because of what he has achieved at the highest level. But I’m not going to New York for a pay day. I’m coming to win and to become a world champion. It’s what I’ve dreamed of for years.”
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Two-division world champion MIGUEL COTTO (32-1, 26 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, rumbles with top-rated contender Michael Jennings (34-1, 16 KOs), of Chorley, England for the vacant World Boxing Organization welterweight title. The Cotto-Jennings world welterweight championship fight will headline an exciting card at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, February 21, and will be broadcast live on pay-per-view, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Undefeated Top-Five contenders “Ireland’s” JOHN DUDDY and ANTHONY PETERSON will light it up in separate bouts at Madison Square Garden, headlining the pay-per-view undercard of the Cotto vs. Jennings world title fight. Duddy will go mano-a-mano with Matt “The Predator” Vanda and Peterson will rumble with Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry, in 10-round middleweight and lightweight bouts, respectively. The pay-per-view broadcast will then switch to the soldout Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, where KELLY “The Ghost” PAVLIK will defend his World Middleweight Championship against No. 1 contender Marco Antonio Rubio as the finale of this two-city / two-title pay-per-view extravaganza.
Produced and distributed by Top Rank, the Cotto vs. Jennings / Pavlik vs. Rubio four-bout pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $44.95. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. For Cotto vs. Jennings / Pavlik vs. Rubio fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com.