By Cliff Rold
The first bout between hard-hitting Welterweights Antonio Margarito (35-5, 25 KO) of Mexico and Kermit Cintron (29-1, 27 KO, IBF titlist) of Puerto Rico was highly anticipated amongst the hardcore faithful. From the opening bell on April 23, 2005, it was clear that the anticipation had been a bit mis-placed. Margarito ran Cintron over in five.
Now, a little less than three years later, the two are ready to lock horns again. The hardcore faithful feel the excitement of anticipation once more. Some of the particulars are different; in the first outing Margarito was defending the WBO’s 147 lb. belt. This time, he’s chasing IBF title and some perceive improvement in Cintron to go with his belt. Will the second time around in the ring be any different?
Let’s go to the report card.
Speed: Neither man has become faster than they were the first time around and neither has ever been Meldrick Taylor anyways. In terms of athletic speed, the 28-year old Cintron throws faster, snappier punches. Since pairing with trainer Emanuel Steward, Cintron’s use of the left jab has become more consistent. If that remains the case this Saturday (HBO, 10 PM EST/7 PM PST), then he may be able to take advantage of natures gifts and get the right hand home. Margarito can appear stiff and slow, but he has a way of using effective pressure to land the right punches at the right time. His late rounds comeback last August against Paul Williams, a fight he narrowly lost on the cards, was an example of that. Speed alone doesn’t beat him, and he times it well. Pre-Fight Grades: Cintron B; Margarito B-
Power: Just look at their records and find the answers in this category, right? Sort of. Yes, Cintron is the harder hitter and has the much higher knockout percentage. However, Margarito has faced a higher level of opposition and that makes a difference. Most of the men Cintron has stopped don’t hear the final bell with Margarito either. I’m not sure the reciprocal is true. That doesn’t push the single-shot advantage to Margarito but it does speak to his superior technique, technique that was the difference the first time around. Pre-Fight Grades: Cintron A; Margarito B
Defense: This is not here for humor. While recognizing that both of these fellas aren’t much for covering up, defense will be the break point in this one. More to the point, if Cintron’s perceived improvement does not play out as the real thing, he won’t either. There are troubling signs. Following the first Margarito disaster, Cintron has found himself in wars with the light-hitting David Estrada and tough journeyman Jesse Feliciano. Neither of those foes carried a big punch, but if they had we might not be at this rematch. Cintron must create distance, and use his right hand to block, if he is to avoid the left hook of Margarito. Margarito is deceptive on defense. He blocks decently and smothers what gets past his guard quite well. Against Paul Williams, and before that in a win against Joshua Clottey, those fighters were able to land when they kept him at range with the jab and in combination. For Cintron to have a chance, he must find a way to emulate that style. Does he have the gas tank for it? Pre-Fight Grades: Margarito B; Cintron C
Intangibles: Margarito is mentally and physically tough. He takes a good shot, and accepts that he must if he is to win. It’s his approach to the game. He’s a natural fighter. Cintron is a natural athlete who has learned to fight. Against Estrada, he looked the part more than he ever had before but, again, Estrada gave him less to fear. Feliciano on the other hand frustrated Cintron, and with little more than tenacity. There was a feeling in Margarito-Cintron I that Margarito broke Cintron mentally and Feliciano put some of those looks on Cintron’s face. It can’t be discounted that Cintron gutted through a severe hand injury in the Feliciano bout but the fact remains that he doesn’t look as comfortable getting hit as he does delivering. Margarito is at home regardless. Pre-Fight Grades: Margarito A; Cintron B
Overall Report Card: Margarito B; Cintron B
The Pick: There is no denying that Cintron has made some strides since the first Margarito fight. Comfortable in all adversity or not, he has persevered to win when he has had to. The confidence of holding a title belt can’t hurt either. At 30 years of age, and a pro since 1994, will Margarito’s tires have enough wear to create a vulnerability to Cintron’s power shots if Cintron stands taller in the pocket this time around?
Methinks not. The suspicion is that Cintron’s has looked better because he’s been matched well since 2005. The quality of opposition each had faced the first time around favored Margarito and the same is true over the last three years. Cintron hasn’t seen anyone since that is in Margarito’s league; Margarito has seen, in Clottey and Williams, men who are the equal and perhaps better of Cintron. Look for a familiar rematch this Saturday with Margarito sometime around the fifth.
“The Main”: Oh yes, there is also the Welterweight ‘main event’ to HBO’s show this weekend between Miguel Cotto (31-0, 25 KO, WBA title) and Contender alum Alfonso Gomez (18-3-2, 8 KO). The pre-fight report card says…C. As in this is a C-fight in an A TV slot. This should be an appearance for Cotto more than a competitive fight, a sensational knockout win that will hope to attract more mainstream sports fans to the truth that Cotto is Welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather’s biggest current challenge.
Back next with a look at Showtime’s Light Heavyweight showdowns.
Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com