By Rick Reeno
Unbeaten junior middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan didn't take too kindly to some of the earlier comments from Kermit Cintron. Both Vanes and Cintron are in the running to fight WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto on December 4. Vanes may have taken over as the frontrunner after Cintron was advised that Cotto's trainer, Emanuel Steward, ruled him out.
Earlier, Cintron told BoxingScene that Vanes was undeserving of a showcase opportunity against Cotto.
"He has a big mouth. He's been on BoxingScene calling out all of the 154-pounders but hasn't really done too much to deserve the fight. I have nothing against him. No disrespect to him, but he doesn't deserve the fight. He's a lot safer than Emanuel Steward taking the fight with me. To take this opportunity from me, that's just bullsh*t. That's why a lot of people talk about boxing and say boxing is going downhill. Why not let the best fighters fight each other? F*ck that fighting safe sh*t. All of my career I've been fighting tough guys. I've won and I've lost," Cintron said.
Vanes was very quick to respond, and as usual he held nothing back. He reversed the scenario and questioned Cintron's argument of being the fighter who was more deserving of a shot at Cotto.
"I just read the comments by 'Kermit the Frog' saying I don't deserve a fight with Cotto. Who is he to say that? I promise everyone if I fight Cotto I won't jump out of the ring or if Cotto hits me with a right hand I won't claim it's a headbutt," Vanes told BoxingScene.com.
"Has there ever been a time where he hasn't bitched? Every fight he bitches at everything and every time he steps up, he starts to have a period. What has he done to deserve a fight with Cotto? At least I won my fight on HBO. He's coming off an embarrassing fight on HBO. Don't get me wrong, he might be a good guy at the Olympic swimming trials. He should stick to what he's good at."
