By Miguel Rivera

A few days ago, former four division world champion Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) made it clear that he intends to retire from the sport of boxing once the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 2017.

Cotto has been out of the ring since November of 2015, when he lost a competitive twelve round decision to Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

He makes his long awaited ring return on August 26th at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. He faces Yoshihiro Kamegai for the vacant WBO junior middleweight world title in an HBO televised main event.

Cotto wants to have one final fight before the end of the year, and then plans to call it a career. Cotto, the only male Puerto Rican fighter in history to win four divisional titles, captured belts at junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight and middleweight.

In less than a week, the boxing world has waved goodbye to two major names in the sport.

On Thursday, former heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko decided to walk away from the sport and announced his retirement. And a day later, former four division champion Juan Manuel Marquez did the same. Over the last two years, Marquez was linked to a catch-weight showdown with Cotto but it never came together.

"I'm feel good in the preparation [for the upcoming fight]. I'm doing well in the remaining work days. I don't feel anxious for August 26 to arrive, but I'm taking things day by day," Cotto told Carlos Gonzalez.

"I've been enjoying everything since arriving in Los Angeles in 2013, so I have not lost any motivation when it comes to training. I remain positive, I will continue doing good and until the 31st of December I'll be good. There is a lot of satisfaction and work, but most of all is the satisfaction of knowing that I have achieved more than I could have ever imagined. What I was going to do in my career is already coming to an end. I have to dedicate myself, my body and soul to my home and from then on to crown a healthier environment."