Miguel Cotto vs Antonio Margarito set for July 26th

[TrEmEnDo InDo]

Antonio Margarito Interview

Antonio, is this your biggest fight? ANTONIO MARGARITO: I want to thank Bob for giving me this opportunity against Cotto and it is the biggest fight of my career. I am preparing myself very well for this fight and cannot wait to get up into the ring. Sometimes you think things are not going to come your way. I did not want to leave my title on the table. I wanted to defend it. Things did not go as well there as I had expected, but the opportunity is here right now, it’s been a long road and now I am here.

What type of fight do you think this will be?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: I am not sure what strategy Cotto will have for this fight. I know that I am the type of fighter that throws a lot of punches and puts a lot of pressure on my opponent and we’ll see how he comes out and how he reacts to it. But I can tell you right now that it is going to be a great fight..

We know you can fight, but do you feel you may need to box against Cotto and will you be able to?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: I think my strength is my power and my stamina and to be on top of him all the time. Boxing is going to have a lot to do with me winning the fight.

What about the bright lights/big event?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: When I was going to fight Sanchez a couple of times, they mentioned the same thing. They thought I would be nervous for those fights. For this fight, I only have to worry about one thing, Miguel Cotto. I have to worry about when I get in the ring. I don’t worry about the people and I don’t worry about the press. It will be just him and me in the ring.

Ever since I signed this fight against Cotto I was very aware that is was Mexican against Puerto Rican and that makes it a very important fight. A special fight. But right now I am just looking at him as another opponent. I am glad I am getting another opportunity and it will be another chapter of Mexico vs. Puerto Rico.

Do you think Mayweather will be watching?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: I am sure he’ll be watching. He will want to see how real fighters fight. I am sure there will be a lot of guys that haven’t wanted to fight either one of us that will be watching.

Have you watched video of Cotto?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: Of course I have watched a lot of video of Cotto, but I have also seen him fight live since we have been on the same card quite a few times. I am not worried about what his weaknesses are; I am worried about what I need to do. My confidence and my ability to win this fight will be because I have trained very well for this fight.

A prominent trainer said the difference between Mexican and Puerto Rican fighters is that Mexicans have more heart and are willing to die in the ring – can you comment on that?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: I know what he’s talking about. All of the Mexican’s when they get up into the ring are going to give it their all. They are going to do whatever it takes to win even if they have to die in the ring. But I’ll tell you one thing, I think Cotto can fit into that same category.

Will the Cintron victory help you in this fight?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: During that last fight I had been telling people all along that I wanted to become a champion again and as far as I am concerned that is what the fight against Cintron proved. Cotto is a totally differently thing and that is all I am focused on right now.

Do you think your height will be an advantage?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: The advantage depends on how he fights. If it is a close in fight, it won’t matter how much height or reach advantage that I have. But if he boxes and tries not to come to me I will have to use my reach and height to make him fight.

We have been on a couple of cards together and I have watched him fight. He has gotten better every year. He had a really good run at 140 and now 147 and he has turned into be a very good fighter.

What does the rivalry mean to the Mexican people?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: The fact that there has been great fights in the past and the way they fight each other. There has been so many great fights that everyone gets so excited about it and everyone wants to see it. I am looking forward to the fight. I am not looking it as being against Puerto Rico. I am just looking at it that it will be a great fight. Every opponent is different and you will see that when we get into the ring and you will see what I can do against him.

What is the difference between you now and when you fought Paul Williams?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: Every opponent is different and everyone fights each opponent differently. We can’t fight the same. We have to have a different strategy for each guy. Against Paul Williams I had a bad night and then I won the championship again and I’ll win it again on Saturday.

Do you think this would be the biggest fight of your career?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: Without a doubt, I think that winning this fight will move me to another level, as a Mexican fighter and as a Mexican idol. I think it will fulfill some promises in my career.

What do you think you could do different than Mosley or Judah?

ANTONIO MARGARITO: I feel that I will be pressuring him a lot more. I have a lot more power and I can do a lot more things as far as power is concerned. And I know I have a bigger heart than both of those guys combined.

I have waited a long time for this type of fight and I know that I am hungrier than he is and I want it more than he does and I’m going to go get it.

BOB ARUM: In both countries they love the sport and it is a major attraction. When you have that many passionate fans as those in Mexico and Puerto Rico. And when you have two great fighters, you are going to get that type of a reaction. It’s the same as when we had Italians and Irish and the Jews fighting each other in New York. It went on for years. There were fierce rivalries and fans loved to watch those fights. It was natural. Now, a lot of people don’t have a rooting interest in one or the other fighter. When Leonard and Hearns fought it was Washington, DC against Detroit and when Hagler fought it was New England against Detroit. They were popular and they had a lot of fans. We don’t have matches now where fighters have big followings.

Now we have a top fighter from Puerto Rico, Cotto, and a top fighter from Mexico, Margarito, so that rivalry is rekindled so it adds tremendous buzz and spice to the match-up.

This fight is something special. Anyone that cares about boxing or anyone that follows boxing is going to want to see this world championship event. Both fighters are entertaining and give everything they have in the ring and it will make boxing proud. At the end of the day, that to me is more important than who wins or loses the fight. This is something that boxing can really be proud of. Two gentlemen conducting themselves out of the ring like superb gentlemen and I am really proud of both of these young men and I think they are the best of what boxing has to offer.

 

[TrEmEnDo InDo]

Margarito going hard----
http://www.univision.com/content/vid...questid=379101

Cotto, still in the Gym----
http://www.univision.com/content/video.jhtml?cid=1596379&channelName=Videos&_requestid=364307

 

[J_ENTERTAINMENT]

I cant pick a winner on this one. It's a battle of who's body punch is better. I do predict that if Cotto get's in trouble, look for him to throw a left hook to the balls (on the belt of even below) when he get's in trouble like in the Torres and Judah fight. Anybody got updated odds?

 

[naner12]

I think this fight is going to mostly come down to Cotto's speed. I think Cotto wins a clear but close decision.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

This shit is dope, check it out:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2EIOELU6

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Here is the Countdown on Youtbube:

 

[Thir$ty B]

I've changed my mind on this fight 100 times. I can really see Margarito knocking Cotto out. That's based more on Margarito's last couple of fights, not on Cotto's fights against Chop Chop and Torres. Margarito is really the only guy I can see beating Cotto. With that said though, I just can't pick against Cotto. He's in his prime and he's just too good with the combo of boxing skills and power. Cotto UD.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Miguel Cotto: "Antonio Margarito Will Be Number 33"


WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto plans to make challenger Antonio Margarito the 33rd victim on his record. With less than a week away, Cotto is weighing around a firm and ready 151-pounds and has touched down in Las Vegas for one one the most anticipated fights of the last few years. The event takes place at the MGM Grand on July 26 and televised on HBO pay-per-view.

"We are always ready to put the work in. The mindset is not to go for the knockout, but to win the fight in every round," Cotto told Primera Hora. "There were 32 previous opponents who said they would beat me and they all failed. Margarito is going to be number 33. It doesn't matter what Margarito says, Miguel Cotto will return to Puerto Rico with the title."

Fight is centered around the boxing rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico, which Cotto feels is good for the sport and hopes the fight with Margarito will further the history of the rivalry.

"That is something that is never is going to disappear. We are happy to be included in a rivalry as excellent as the one between Puerto Rico and Mexico, and it is now in our hands to carry this fight to the same level," Cotto said.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

CompuBox breakdown of Cotto vs Margarito. Pretty interesting if you're into this kind of stuff......

CompuBox Analysis: Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito


By CompuBox

The sudden retirement of Floyd Mayweather Jr. has had a profound effect on boxing in general and the welterweight division in particular. In wider terms, boxing pundits were asked to identify a new pound-for-pound king and Manny Pacquiao quickly filled that void with his spectacular ninth round destruction WBC lightweight champion David Diaz last month. This Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (32-0, 26 KO) will fight recently stripped IBF king Antonio Margarito (36-5, 26 KO) for the right to be called the division's pre-eminent figure. The 27-year-old Cotto is a 2-to-1 favorite to defeat the 30-year-old Mexican and become that man.

Given their respective styles, it is difficult to imagine anything other than a breathtaking display of fistic fireworks. Cotto is a left hooking aggressor who has shown he can box when necessary while the long-limbed Margarito boasts a whirlwind attack that has earned him the nickname of “The Tijuana Tornado.” In a year that has already seen half a dozen Fight of the Year candidates, Cotto-Margarito has the potential to top them all.

Since this bout will likely be a long grueling struggle for both, this analysis will examine the last two fights in which each was extended by world class opponents. Because Cotto is the defending champion, he will be given the honor.

The year 2007 was a defining year in Cotto's career because of his 11th round TKO of Zab Judah on June 7 and his close but unanimous decision of Shane Mosley on November 10, both of which took place before passionate crowds at Madison Square Garden.

Judah's five-inch reach advantage (72 inches to 67) dictated the pattern of the fight as Judah relied heavily on his jab to keep Cotto at long range and Cotto on his aggressiveness to get inside the New Yorker's longer arms. Judah's offense was 65-35 in favor of jabs while Cotto's ratio was 70-30 in favor of power shots and in the end Cotto did a much better job of imposing his style. Despite throwing 98 more jabs (300 to 202), Judah was out-landed 78-42 while Cotto dominated in power connects 214-90 (an average of 11 more per round) and throwing 322 more (29 per round). In all, Cotto was 292 of 683 (43 percent) to Judah's 132 of 459 (29 percent). Cotto maintained an active pace (his 62 punches per round was slightly above the divisional norm of 58.3) while also limiting Judah's offense (42 punches per round).

Cotto is renowned for his late round strength as he has registered 10 knockouts after round six (39 percent of his KO) and against Judah it was in full bloom.

In rounds eight through 10 Cotto out-landed Judah 100-32 overall (throwing 92 more punches in the process) and by a withering 85-24 in power shots (nearly 24 more per round) while throwing 115 more.

Against Mosley, however, Cotto had a much more difficult time statistically. Each man landed 248 punches, though Mosley had to throw 99 more (774-675) to get there. The strategic pattern was similar as Mosley used his speed and seven-inch reach advantage while Cotto attempted to work his power game. Mosley's offensive distribution was 57-43 in favor of jabs while Cotto's 57-43 ratio in favor of power shots indicated greater respect for Mosley's power than for Judah's. The first nine rounds were closely contested as Cotto held a 196-186 connect edge overall while Mosley actually had a 128-124 lead on power connects despite throwing 61 fewer (294-233).

By stubbornly hanging in with Cotto, Mosley managed to do in rounds 10-12 what previously had been thought impossible – be the physically and statistically stronger man down the stretch. In the final three rounds Mosley was 62 of 201 to Cotto's 52 of 156 overall while out-landing him 49-34 in power shots. Cotto also appeared to be the more weary and disorganized man, which may indicate to Margarito that Cotto is no longer the completely invincible master of the stretch drive.

Cotto navigated through this crisis by way of his underrated jab, for he out-landed the longer-armed Mosley 26-15 in the final three stanzas despite throwing 52 fewer (134-82). In fact, Cotto's jab had been effective throughout the bout as he out-did “Sugar Shane” in eight rounds to Mosley's two and two even while also registering double-digit connects four times, all in the first six rounds. Cotto was similarly dominant with the jab against Judah as he amassed an 8-1-1 lead over his faster and longer armed foe.

Another potential point of vulnerability for Cotto is his propensity to be hit with power punches, as Judah landed 57 percent and Mosley connected on 53 percent.

Despite sporting a 5-11 frame and a 73-inch reach, Margarito is among the world's most prolific and tenacious infighters. His 1,675 punches thrown against Joshua Clottey on December 2, 2006 in Atlantic City is CompuBox's all-time all divisions record, surpassing the 1,596 Zack Padilla threw against Ray Oliveira on December 15, 1993.

The raw numbers and statistical gaps amassed by Margarito in this fight were mind-boggling. Margarito averaged 139.6 punches per round, an astounding 101.5 more than Clottey's 38.1. His 842 thrown jabs were 750 more than Clottey's (an average of 62.5 more jabs per round) and his 833 power punch attempts were 468 more than the Ghanaian's. Despite injuring his wrist in round five, Margarito piled up a fight-high 197 punches and subsequently topped the 100-punch mark in all but one round. Margarito
exceeded 100 power punches in three rounds – five (105), six (106) and nine (110, including a fight-high 48 connects). Finally, Margarito kept up the pressure throughout as in round nine to 12 he was 115 of 533 overall to Clotty's 47 of 112 and accumulated a 97-39 gap in power connects.

When it came to landed punches, however, Clottey was far more competitive. Clottey out-landed Margarito in power shots in round two (24-18), three (20-15) and four (24-23) before injuring his left hand in round four. From round five onward a pain-inhibited Clottey averaged just 12 power connects but Margarito, who was also injured, averaged 26. Despite the humongous numerical gaps, Clottey was far more accurate as he landed 45 percent of his overall shots, 40 percent of his jabs and 47 percent of his power shots. This may indicate two things to Team Cotto: One, Margarito is easy to hit but two, he is not easy to discourage.

On July 14, 2007 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., Paul Williams won Margarito's WBO title in most surprising fashion in that “The Punisher” used his freakish 6-1 height and massive 82-inch reach to do to Margarito what Margarito did to everyone else.

Williams set the tempo from the start as he threw 114 punches to Margarito's 42 while out-landing him 21-4 and from then on Margarito could do little to stop the numerical landslide. Williams' 104.7 punches per round overall was more than 50 above Margarito's 54.3 but the most telling gap could be found in the jabs.

Williams unleashed 606 jabs (a little more than 50 per round) while Margarito, unused to fighting someone taller, couldn't fire his own. An interesting factoid: Williams threw 57 jabs in the first round while Margarito didn't uncoil his 57th jab until sometime in the 12th and finished with 61.

Even then, however, Margarito demonstrated his ability to rally late. In rounds one through six Williams held a 124-64 connect edge while throwing 353 more (599-246) overall and a 97-59 bulge in power shots. In rounds seven through 12 the gap closed as Williams out-connected Margarito 164-117 overall but only 108-106 in power shots – and Margarito actually threw 19 more (363-344). In the final six rounds Margarito averaged 68 punches per round to just 41 punches in the first half.

Predicition: This is a fight fan's fight of the highest order and in terms of action and drama it will not disappoint. The flow of the fight will depend entirely on how Cotto chooses to handle Margarito's all-out attack. Will he continue his recent trend of jabbing and countering or will he be the methodical meat grinder whose relentlessness exacts equal doses of mental and physical punishment? The guess here is that he will toss aside his boxing ways and go right at the willowy Margarito's rib cage. It wouldn't be surprising if Margarito builds a lead by the halfway point, but Cotto's second half rally will put him back in the thick of things by the final bell.

If anyone is going to score a knockout, it will be Cotto in the late rounds. But the pick here is Cotto by close but unanimous decision. The next question will be whether a certain Pretty Boy will emerge from his mansion and declare it is time to tackle some unfinished business. Then again, maybe not.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

ESPN: Will Cotto's moment come against Margarito?

LAS VEGAS -- For some fighters, there is "the moment" -- a definable, demonstrable point at which they explode into public consciousness and force themselves to be taken seriously as contenders or champions.

Lennox Lewis destroying Razor Ruddock inside two rounds was a moment, as was Samuel Peter almost beheading Jeremy Williams and David Tua needing just 19 seconds to render John Ruiz unconscious.

Not everyone has one obvious, identifiable moment. A select few have a veritable catalog from which to choose. What, for example, would be Floyd Mayweather's moment? His shockingly easy defeat of Genaro Hernandez to annex his first world title after just 17 fights? His almost embarrassingly easy blowout of Angel Manfredy in his first title defense? Or the way he dismantled Diego Corrales with consummate ease in 2001?

The moment reflects the man: For Lewis, Tua and Peter, it was explosive; for Mayweather, the moments were sublimely skillful, breathtaking displays of talent and speed.

Which perhaps explains why Miguel Cotto, who will defend his welterweight crown against Antonio Margarito on Saturday in Las Vegas, doesn't have a moment on his résumé. There hasn't been one particular fight, one spectacular knockout, one evening above all others that has served as an official announcement of Cotto's arrival. Instead, Cotto's career has been a steady, grinding progression, a relentless reflection of his fighting style.

Cotto is neither an explosive fighter nor a flashy one. Inside the ropes, he is a no-nonsense slugger, a throwback to an earlier era. He moves forward inexorably, chin tucked, steadily beating the resistance out of his opponent with a bombardment of punches to the head and particularly the body. Outside the ropes, he appears to neither solicit attention nor shrink from it, conveying only the confident but serious countenance of a man for whom fighting is a profession, his brows knotted into a seemingly permanent scowl, the corners of his mouth rarely turning up into anything resembling a smile.

In conversation, he is all business, eschewing expansiveness and boastfulness. Whereas a certain recent welterweight champion could be easily goaded into bleating about an alleged lack of respect, Cotto professes that he is unconcerned about his perception and legacy.

"If you give me the opportunity to put myself on the scale of boxers, I'm going to put Miguel Cotto at the highest level I can," he told reporters last week. "But my work is just to train and box. It is the work of the people who know about boxing, the writers, to put Miguel Cotto in the rank they think. … It's not my work to put myself on a list. I'm just here to fight, to do my work the best I can."

"You understand that as far as Miguel Cotto is concerned, he's just in the ring to win the fight," added his promoter, Bob Arum, as if further explication of Cotto's position was needed. "That's what a professional fighter who knows what he's doing, who's a great fighter, does."

The nearest the Puerto Rican comes to bragging -- or displaying any kind of emotion -- is when conversation turns to the improvements he has made in recent fights.

"The last two years for me were wonderful, because all the people who write about boxing, they saw another Miguel Cotto, not just the Miguel Cotto who can put pressure on opponents," he said. "A Miguel Cotto who can box and move. When you can do those kind of things, people can tell you you're a complete fighter, and those are the kind of fighters people want to see."

His is not an isolated opinion.

"He is a better all-around fighter, yes," agreed boxing historian Graham Houston, who occasionally writes for ESPN.com. "The jab has improved, and he switches to southpaw very nicely, and he has shown he can box as well as fight."

It is an evolution even his opponent acknowledges.

"We have been on a couple of cards together, and I have watched him fight," Margarito said. "He has gotten better every year. He had a really good run at 140 and now 147, and he has turned into a very good fighter."

Part of the reason for that improvement, assert Cotto and his handlers, has been the move to 147 pounds. Cotto describes making the 140-pound limit at which he had fought until the end of 2006 as "destroying" himself, and Arum argues it was responsible for some of the more wobbly moments in his fighter's career -- being rocked by DeMarcus Corley, of all people, and knocked down in a slugfest with Ricardo Torres.

"After Miguel's last fight at 140 pounds, Todd [DuBoef, Top Rank's president] took him to Los Angeles to Personal Velocity Training," Arum said. "And they did a complete evaluation, and they said to Todd that we had to be crazy to have Miguel fight at 140 pounds, because in order to make weight, he was burning muscle. And in the 24 hours between the weigh-in and when he got in the ring to put the weight back on, he didn't put the muscle back on. So he was getting tired, he was getting weak and he was getting hurt by punches. At 147, he's his natural weight, and that's changed him tremendously. Having him fight at 140 pounds was a tremendous disservice to Miguel, and the change has been dramatic since he moved to 147."

Houston agrees Cotto looks "more durable" at 147, and the Puerto Rican likely will need that durability and his improved skills against Margarito.

In his first full year at welterweight, Cotto has defeated such top-drawer talent as former champions Zab Judah and Shane Mosley. Yet Margarito stands as the most meaningful and dangerous test of his career thus far.

Despite boasting 32 wins from 32 outings, despite the fact that only six of those 32 wins have gone the distance, despite a WBO belt at 140 pounds and the WBA strap at welterweight, Cotto still has his doubters. They claim his early scalps were too small or too old and that his later signature wins came against foes who were past their primes. They dismiss his style as robotic and metronomic, and they wonder aloud how he will fare when forced to fight at a more frenetic pace.

Most of all, though, they question whether his chin will hold up when cracked by a genuinely hard puncher.

To all those questions, Margarito is the perfect answer. Unlike Judah and Mosley, he still is considered to be at the top of his game. He is four inches taller than Cotto, with a longer reach. He is a pressure fighter with a granite chin who, at his best, appears to derive an almost singular joy from inflicting punishment on his opponent.

His most recent bout, a six-round demolition of Kermit Cintron in Atlantic City, was almost frightening in the quasi-masochistic way Margarito seemed to enjoy walking through Cintron's punches as he tore forward to land his own.

If there is a consensus on the matchup, it is that it will come down to a clash of Cotto's all-around skills and brutal body punching and Margarito's physical advantages and relentless aggression.

"I think [Cotto] wins by decision against Margarito," Houston predicted. "I think his jab is going to be important here. I think he can use the jab to break up Margarito's attacks. The body punches against a tall, rangy Margarito can be effective, too. Of course, he will be under intense pressure, and this is a very tough fight for Cotto, it goes without saying."

Margarito certainly makes no attempt to disguise the questions he plans to ask of Cotto when they meet in the ring at the MGM Grand on Saturday night.

"I am the type of fighter that throws a lot of punches and puts a lot of pressure on my opponent, and we'll see how he comes out and how he reacts to it," he said. "I think my strength is my power and my stamina and to be on top of him all the time."

Cotto, predictably, is less expansive in discussing his own strategy.

"I will use whatever I need to use to win this fight," he said. "I can't tell you what style I will have to use, and until I get in the ring, I don't know what style will win this fight -- move or box. But I will try and use everything."

It is a typical Cotto response. It is as if there is no point in discussing a strategy in advance, in speculating on how events might unfold, any more than there is in contemplating how the fight fits into the long-running ring rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico or whose fans will be ascendant in the arena.

"I don't have to talk to anyone about this rivalry," he said. "I only need to know about Margarito and myself. It does not matter to me what kind of person is going to be in the crowd that night. The only people inside the ring are going to be the referee, Margarito and me."

At that point, when the corner teams and officials have stepped outside the ropes, when the bell rings and the fight begins, Cotto will do what he always does: Tuck his chin, move forward and go to work.

And if all goes according to plan, then maybe, when it is over, Miguel Cotto finally will have his moment.

 

[Tony]

Picked Cotto by descion.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

If anyone is going to score the KO it will be Margarito. Compubox couldnt be more wrong in that one.

Cotto by Decision or Margarito by KO

I just hope Margarito doesn't get robbed. He's going to have to win 8 of 12 to get a close split....

 

[2-0-Sixx]

If anyone is going to score the KO it will be Margarito. Compubox couldnt be more wrong in that one.

That's what I'm thinking. I was pretty surprised to read that from them. Then again, I wouldn't be SHOCKED if he went down late due to body shots, it's just not likely.

 

[gabe559]

Damn a few more days... Cant wait for this shit!
I think Cottos speed and counter punching will be too much for the one dimensional margarito

cotto by ud!

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Paul Williams callin out the winner........



What do you think about your last fight against Quintana?

The last fight I knew I had something to get up for and not get caught off guard ever again… of course it was more than something I had to prove in the ring. I had to show that I had could take on a fellow who just beat me and virtually destroy him once the bell rang. I proved he didn’t have my number. The media was saying I would have no answer for Quintana’s left and I had to prove them wrong. I had something to prove to everyone and it was tough having to wait four months for me to do it.

How great a feeling was having a superstar type of performance?

It went just as I expected. Actually, I thought he would be able to last more than 2 rounds with me. I at least went the distance when he took his best shot and he couldn’t take mine for 2 minutes.

Talk to me about Antonio Margarito and your victory against him?

Antonio Margarito was another one that I could get up from. I was helping Margarito prepare for the Daniel Santos fight when his team hired me out there for 4 weeks and after a week they decided that they would send me home because I was getting the best of him during each sparring session. His team denied it and continues to deny why they sent me home. But because I knew why it continued to bother me so I began to prepare to be the number #1 contender so that I can fight this guy and prove my point. They kept saying that he was the most feared fighter in the world but I had spanked him that week in training. So I knew that he was not in fact the best welterweight in the world and I wanted to show who was the best.

Is there anything that you would do differently now if you fought him again?

Yes, definitely. He’s a one dimensional fighter and I’m a boxer-puncher so there are a lot of things that I can do but I would never expose my strategy unless we should ever encounter each other in the ring again. I'm so much better today, especially mentality, and there isn't any welterweight in the world that can stand up to me.

What is Margarito’s advantage over Cotto?

I really don’t see that he does have an advantage over Cotto.

What do you think about Cotto?

I think that Cotto is a well rounded fighter that is tough and strong. Bother fighters are evenly matched. Whoever is in control that night will win the fight.

How would you fight Cotto?

If I were to fight Cotto, I would fight him like I would any of my opponents that I have taken on or will take on. I will train hard and prepare to come in the ring at my best and be ready for war. It's hard for welterweights to prepare for my size and power.

What is Cotto’s advantage over Margarito? I really don’t see an advantage. As I said earlier, whoever is in control will win. It’s an even match.

What weight do you feel most comfortable at? 147? 154? or 160?

It really doesn’t matter because I have fought at each one of those weight classes. But if I had to choose a weight it would be welterweight (147).

Give me your final thoughts on Saturday’s upcoming fight? How do you see the fight going? Who do you pick to win?

It’s going to be a good fight as long as it lasts. I don’t see it going the distance.

If Cotto wins?

Unless he fights Oscar, he has to come through me to determine the BEST welterweight in the world. Remember, if he wins, he beats the man I already beat.

A Margarito victory?

It's a no-brainer, the rematch is on. Can't take nothing away from Margarito, he didn't dump his belt in a trash can to avoid me. He fought like a man that night, and I've always said I would give him the rematch.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Lessons learned: Margarito intent on starting fast against Cotto

Antonio Margarito was able to call his performance against Paul Williams an off night -- until he watched a replay of the fight on videotape.

During that viewing, Margarito noticed a subtle change in his fighting approach. It had crept in without his noticing it -- hidden beneath the veneer of victory.

Margarito plans to hit the ground running against Cotto. "During the fight he [Williams] wasn't hurting me," Margarito said. "He was just throwing punches, and I let him throw punches because he wasn't hurting me. When I was watching the fight, I saw that he was just throwing more punches than me. That's where I lost the fight."

Margarito's head was not in the fight. Because Williams wasn't handing him his head, Margarito took a lackadaisical approach. It cost him. Williams won a decision and wrested away Margarito's welterweight crown.

"I wasn't into the fight for those first few rounds, and that cost me," Margarito said. "After I saw the tape I said, 'that's never going to happen to me again.'"

Margarito has stuck to that vow, demonstrating the kind of relentless aggressiveness that has overwhelmed his opponents since that loss to Williams three fights ago. Margarito's pledge will face its most severe test yet when he challenges Miguel Cotto for the WBA welterweight champion at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Cotto can be just as smothering as Margarito. But Cotto likes to start slowly and build to an all-encompassing fire.

Paul Malignaggi, who went the distance with Cotto in a brutal 12-round junior welterweight bout, described the feeling in those late rounds as almost suffocating.

Margarito, employing his sprinter mentality, hopes to stop Cotto before he can get to the runaway-locomotive stage of the fight.

"I think it's going to come down to whose rhythm we are going to dance to," Margarito said. "I need to start my pace fast and see if he can keep up."

It's not easy for a boxer who has reached the championship ranks to remake his style. But that is what the 30-year-old Margarito has done since his loss to Williams.

"I've been doing it because now it has become my mentality," Margarito said. "From the start I'm going to throw punches and throw punches and go as hard as I can."

There's a stark contrast in punch statistics between the Williams fight and Margarito's most recent fight, a rematch against IBF champion Kermit Cintron, according to figures compiled by CompuBox. In the fight against Williams, Margarito averaged 54.3 punches per round and threw a total of 61 jabs. In the last six rounds he picked up the pace some, averaging 68 punches a round. In the five rounds against Cintron, Margarito averaged 113 punches a round and threw 133 punches in Round 2.

Javier Capetillo, Margarito's trainer, said he employs a lot of work on the mitts during training to help Margarito maintain a consistently fast pace.

"For three minutes we have him throw punches, punches, punches, nonstop," Capetillo said.

They practice the exercise at least 16 times a day, building the kind of stamina and endurance they hope will keep Margarito from tiring during a fight. Capetillo said Margarito has sparred between 280 and 300 rounds for the fight against Cotto.

During a fight, Capetillo closely watches Margarito for signs that he is slowing his pace.

"If I see him standing still when the round is over, I will remind him that this is not what we're here for," Capetillo said. "I will tell him that he needs to get back on his rhythm and keep punching."

Cotto, for his part, isn't quite as sure of what he has to do to win the fight. He does know, however, that he'll be flexible enough -- and resourceful enough -- to make adjustments to Margarito's style on the fly.

"I will use whatever I need to use to win this fight," Cotto said. "I can't tell you what style I will have to use until I get in the ring. I don't know what style will win this fight -- move or box. But I will try to use everything and I always feel better when I do that."

Margarito believes that his punching power is greater than Cotto's and is confident his plan to open fast and pour on the punches will carry him to victory.

"I believe I'm a natural welterweight because I've been fighting at this weight longer than him," Margarito said. "He's just coming up, so I believe that I punch harder."

Margarito isn't concerned that he could run out of steam or punch himself out. If Cotto gives him a crack to get inside, Margarito will set up camp there and make it up close and personal.

"I know how hard I worked, and I know I have 12 good, hard rounds in me," Margarito said. "I'm not going to pace myself. I'm going to go hard and see if he can keep up with me."

 

[2-0-Sixx]

man, I'm pumped for this fight. Here are some pics:

was not aware cotto was capable of smiling

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Public & Media is all over Cotto. This is not the fight for him to shine. It wont mean much to the public since Margarito isn't a "big name". I applaud Cotto for taking the fight though. Everyone keeps talking about Cotto's body shots. I would be very surprised to see Margarito dropped by a body shot, he's no Gomez...

I depart LAX at 10:55pm tomorrow non stop to Vegas.
Oh damn!!!!!!

 

[2-0-Sixx]

I applaud Cotto for taking the fight though.

Yep, don't forget Margarito gave up his IBF belt to take the fight too.

I depart LAX at 10:55pm tomorrow non stop to Vegas.
Oh damn!!!!!!

Lucky son of a bitch!!

 

[MOREBASS]

Damn, have a good time 714 ! Its gonna be a war !


I applaud both of these guys for taking this fight, especially Cotto, since as stated, Tony Margarito is not a very big name to casual boxing fans...so the risk of losing, far outweighs the rewards from a financial standpoint.

And props to Tony for taking this fight, knowing that this is the hardest fight against the best fighter possible !

I'm so juiced for this fight !