Constellation Brands, the third largest beer company in the U.S., today announced that Corona Extra will serve as presenting sponsor and official beer of the upcoming Miguel Cotto versus Canelo Alvarez middleweight championship fight on Saturday, November 21st at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The fight, which will be broadcast on HBO Pay-Per-View, pits two of the world’s best pound-for-pound boxers against each other and promises to be one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches of the year.
Earlier this year, Puerto Rican icon Miguel Cotto (40-4) beat Daniel Geale by TKO on June 6 to retain his middleweight title. Meanwhile, Mexican superstar and former WBC and WBA super welterweight champion Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1) beat James Kirkland by KO in a May 9 fight (sponsored by Corona Extra) that many consider to be a candidate for “fight of the year”. The upcoming Cotto versus Canelo match continues boxing’s storied rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico and promises to be an action-packed, high-intensity fight.
“Corona Extra is proud to serve as presenting sponsor and official beer of this epic fight,” says John Alvarado, Vice President, Brand Marketing – Corona Extra. “Both Cotto and Canelo are proven champions who represent the very best in boxing. They are beloved by boxing fans in Puerto Rico and Mexico. It’s only fitting that the most preferred beer brand among Latinos, Corona Extra, serve as presenting sponsor of this fight.”
Corona Extra is the best-selling imported beer brand in the U.S., with well over 100 million cases sold in 2014. The brand has a long-standing association with boxing and is the number one top-of-mind brand associated with the sport. Sales trends for Corona Extra have accelerated over the past four years and Corona Extra continues to gain in popularity, largely driven by the growth of the Hispanic and multi-cultural population in the U.S., as well as the changing taste preferences and purchasing habits of Millennials, who prefer high-quality beer brands with more flavor.
