Margarito and Williams promise an action packed fight
By John Martinez, BoxingRealm.com: Earlier in the day, a conference call was held to promote the upcoming title fight for Antonio Margarito’s (34-4, 24 KO’s) WBO welterweight belt when he takes on the unbeaten challenger Paul Williams (32-0, 24 KO’s) at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA on July 14.
Both fighters talked to reporters about the famed sparring session that took place three years ago between the two and each guy gave conflicting accounts as to who got the best of whom. Williams laid claim to damaging Margarito to the body and eye while Margarito stated that Williams refused to continue the session. However, both men agreed that on July 14, they would leave everything in the ring and nothing to chance.
I for one am anxious for this fight because I believe it will have provide a prominent shakeup in the welterweight division and it will give the fans what they deserve, a real fight.
In Williams and Margarito, we know we will get an all action bout that has “fight of the year” written all over it instead of a cautious chess match. This fight will live up to the hype as each man solidified in their expressed comments.
I asked Margarito about his last outing against Joshua Clottey and what he thought about that fight.
“I think you know when you talk about Clottey, you talk about a real strong guy that took a lot of punishment. I wasn’t at my best. I had some problems with my ankles and with my hands. I think this fight with Williams will be different and I will be totally different for this fight.”
For Williams, he made it clear that he will not utilize his height and considerable reach advantage in order to capture the WBO title.
“ I don’t plan on keeping him at the end of my punches. I plan on knocking him out.”
He also stated that Margarito and he are similar in styles because they both “throw a lot of punches” so they’ll “both be open for a lot of shots.” However, he believes there is a distinction between the two- “ I see that he give it but I don’t think he can take it that good.”
I asked Margarito if he felt that he needed a dramatic victory in order to endear him to the casual boxing fan and to continue to press for big fights such as this one and he answered
“ I go in there looking for the win no matter what it takes and that’s what I do. I try to do the best I can give the best I can.”
When asked by another reporter regarding future fights with other named fighters, Margarito commented “ I know I have to beat Paul Williams and then possibly Cotto in order to get to the De La Hoyas.”
This fight will showcase a pair of hard hitting, forward charging combatants who have planned on a “ take no prisoners” kind of fight on July 14. If this is true, then not only will both fighters win by raising their profiles to the hardcore and casual boxing fan alike, it will give boxing as a whole what is needed, true grit, true fights. There can only be one fighter that gets their hand raised that night for the belt, but there will be many more fans that will win by witnessing an all out pride fight without having to plunk down dollars to view it on PPV. Hopefully a precedent is being set here, Pavlik/Miranda, Cotto/Judah, Castillo/Hatton, Margarito/Williams, and Marquez/Vazquez just to name a few. Boxing needs more of this, not more of the same old same old.
Margarito-Williams Press Conference Quotes
 06.06.07 - Photo: Jan Sanders/Goossen Tutor Promotions: WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito (left) and unbeaten, No. 1-ranked Paul Williams square off as promoter Dan Goossen looks on after Tuesday's press conference at Morton's Steakhouse at Burbank, Calif.
In a highly anticipated match and can't miss candidate for Fight of the Year, Margarito will defend his 147-pound crown against Williams in the main event of "Pride N' Punishment'' on Saturday, July 14, in the outdoor tennis stadium at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The Margarito-Williams 12-rounder, presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions, will be televised on HBO “World Championship Boxing.”
"The winner of this fight is the preeminent welterweight in the world -- and that includes (Miguel) Cotto or anyone else in the 147-pound division," Dan Goossen said..
Tickets for “Pride N’ Punishment” are available for as low as $25, with VIP floor seats priced at $300. Other tickets in the bowl are available at $50, $75 and $150 and are on sale at TicketMaster outlets and online at www.Ticketmaster.com, as well as The Home Depot Center Box Office (open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Group tickets are available online at www.aegtickets.com or by calling 1-877-AEG-TICKETS. The first bout will begin at 5:30 p.m. PT.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
ANTONIO MARGARITO
“A dog that barks doesn’t bite.”
(Regarding a sparring session with Williams a few years ago) “I don’t understand what Williams is basing his facts on. He did not cut me. He said he knocked my down and cut me. Those are a bunch of lies.”
“Williams is not the first to say that he is going to beat me and take my title. I have heard that before, but no one has done that yet.”
“It has been a while since I have fought in California. I consider this to be my home town. Williams says that he is going to knock me out. He is not going to knock me out in my house. I am going to defend my title for the fans.
“I am not worried at all. I am not taking Williams lightly. He will not be the first undefeated fighter that I have defeated.”
“My team knows that I am training hard for this fight.”
“On July 14, the lies will come out, and we will hear another fighter with an excuse.”
“I don’t think this fight is going to go the distance. I have fought other fighters with more experience and who are tougher than Williams.”
“I am very angry about Williams’ lies. Why does he need to build his name on lies about me?”
“When Williams feels my punches, what is he going to say?”
“Williams says he is going to stay in the middle of the ring with me. Once he finds out how tough I hit, he might start to run. So, I will believe it when I see it.
“I was never cut by Williams. It is all lies. His camp is full of them. You will find out on July 14 who the real liar is.
“Williams has a lot of hype, but does not know how to use it. I won’t be surprised if he runs from me. He says he is going to come at me from the opening bell. I will tell you right now, that is not a wise choice.”
JAVIER CAPETILLO (Margarito’s Trainer)
“Williams has been saying a lot of lies. He spoke a lot about knocking down Margarito, but it was not like that. Margarito will knock him out. I believe him when he says that.”
SERGIO DIAZ (Margarito’s Manager)
“We brought Williams in a couple of years ago during training. He keeps saying that he cut Margarito. Never once was Margarito dropped or cut.”
“Margarito punches like a mule. Who are these five opponents Williams says he knocked out? None of those guys are Margarito.”
PAUL WILLIAMS
“The truth never changes. I never said I knocked Margarito down. I cut him and he knows that. If he was a real man, he would admit that. I cut him, hurt him to the body and they sent me home.”
“I am here to win. I am going to win. Margarito already knows the deal. He has already lost two rounds in sparring against me. I am going to mop the floor with him. You can take that to the bank.”
“This is my time to shine. I have been waiting a long time for this. I have put everything into this. I am not taking Margarito lightly. He has a lot to lose.”
“I am going to come out there blazing. I am going all in for this fight. I am going to mop the floor with Margarito. I am going to bring it to him full blast. I know for a fact that Margarito cannot take what I can dish out. I am taking it straight to him, full blast.”
“I am going to stay there and bust Margarito up.”
“I am going to take it one round at a time and have a good time in there.”
“I always train hard. I don’t take anybody lightly. One punch can change the whole fight. I take everyone seriously.”
“We are both going to come out blazing. I don’t think it will go the distance. I am going to go all out and not hold anything back. We are both going to put everything on the table.”
“I am looking to stop Margarito in the fifth round.”
“Everything is right on schedule as planned. I am totally prepared. There are no problems. I can adapt to anything. This is the dream.”
“The difference between this fight and all the rest is that they were all build ups. This fight is what it is all about.”
“There are 12,000 registered welterweights in the world, and I am No. 1. I know what it took to get here. I am very excited and anxious, but also very calm and confident.”
“I expect Margarito to come out very strong and sharp, but I am going to be right there with him. There is no way that this will not be a great fight.”
“Margarito is going to know right away that he is in for a tough, hard fight against a powerful, fast, determined boxer.”
“No way do I take Margarito lightly because, right now, Margarito is the man. I expect him to be at his very best.”
“This is just the start for me. It is all or nothing, and I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
GEORGE PETERSON (Williams’ Trainer/Manager)
“We have been trying to get to this point since August 2004. This is a dream come true.”
“Williams’ last five opponents said they were going to knock him out and they got knocked out. About a week ago, Margarito said he was going to knock Williams out. We hope to continue the trend by knocking him out as well.”
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