By Mark Vester
Antonio Margarito says that it's very important for him to become the first fighter to blemish the undefeated record of WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. Margarito collides with Cotto on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
I have been waiting for this chance for a long time," Margarito was quoted by writer Steve Carp. "I know I am more hungry than he is. I know I want it more than he does, and I'm going to get it. I'm not saying I am going to knock him out. I will tell you this -- it won't go 12 rounds. It's very, very important to give him his first defeat, because he is considered to be the best in his division, and to beat the best is very important."
Cotto does not have losing on his mind. He plans to leave the MGM Grand with his title and unbeaten record intact.
"When you train at the level and intensity of our camp these last 11 weeks, you don't think about losing," Cotto said. "You're putting so much effort into winning with all the training, you minimize that thought of losing. I go into every fight believing I will win. That's why I try to be at my very best each time I fight. I do not want to know what losing feels like."
There has been some debate over which fighter had the better level of opposition. Some experts point to Cotto and his tough fights with Shane Mosley and Zab Judah, but Margarito feels that he too fought some very tough fighters in the last few years, like Paul Williams and Kermit Cintron.
"Cotto has his reasons for fighting the people he fought, but I fought tough opponents, too," Margarito said. "I wish I had the opportunity to fight Mosley and Judah. But this is the fight I've wanted for some time, and I will be the first one to beat Cotto."
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