Plans are no longer in place for a showdown between Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez.

The previously scheduled exhibition match has moved from extended postponement to outright cancellation, Promociones Miguel Cotto executive director Bryan Perez confirmed with BoxingScene.com. The bout was once due to take place June 12 and then put on hold for later in the year but with no plans to explore a new date.

“It is no longer on our agenda,” Hector Soto, vice president of Promociones Miguel Cotto confirmed with Primera Hota, who first reported the news Thursday afternoon. “It’s not happening anymore; it’s over.”

Of all the pairings between past legends, boxing fans seemed most excited over this particular matchup. Cotto and Marquez are both still in relatively good shape and less than ten years removed from their respective pro careers.

Cotto (41-6, 33KOs) has not fought since a December 2017 title-losing effort to Sadam Ali at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The former four-division titlist—who turns 41 in October—is currently eligible for International Boxing Hall of Fame consideration, though missing out in 2020, his first year on the ballot.

The transition to retirement was painless for Cotto, who had already begun his own promotional company by that point. Such will remain his focus, as any plans for a showdown with Marquez was always intended as a one-time ring return.

Marquez (56-7-1, 40KOs) was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2019. COVID restrictions canceled the induction ceremony scheduled for last June and with a dual class enshrinement intended for this past June also shut down. The legendary 47-year-old from Mexico City ended his career with a decision win over Mike Alvarado in May 2014, seven months after coming up just short versus Tim Bradley in their WBO welterweight title fight.

The October 2013 bout marked the last ever title fight for Marquez, a former four-division champion, who won belts at featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight. It came ten months after the signature win of his career, a sixth-round knockout of Manny Pacquiao in their memorable fourth meeting in December 2012 which was widely recognized as the best fight of the year and decade.

Marquez’s final pro fight in May 2014 came three weeks before Cotto made history for Puerto Rico. A tenth-round stoppage of lineal middleweight king Sergio Martinez in June 2014 saw Cotto become the island’s first-ever male boxer to win titles in four weight divisions. One successful defense of the middleweight crown followed before losing a twelve-round decision to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in November 2015.

Just two more fights followed for Cotto before officially calling it a career and concentrating full-time on running his promotional company. It appears that will remain his primary focus, as one last night in the ring is no longer in play.

“Miguel continues to train,” notes Soto. “But no longer with plans to fight.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox