The press conference today at Madison Square Garden exhibited the essence of this fight in no uncertain terms. Here is what the players involved had to say:
Bob Arum: ?We?re going to do the research. I believe Miguel Cotto has sold more tickets in this building than Ali, Frazier, Duran, everyone.?
Sergio Diaz (Margarito co-manager): ?This will be a great war. This is personal between both. They both want to make a statement. Antonio is prepared. We had the best camp ever. So no one should miss this fight.?
Robert Garcia (Margarito trainer): ?Let?s just go out and give the fans a great fight. And that?s what it will be.?
Pedro Diaz (Cotto trainer): ?You?re going to see a great fight on December 3rd ? with a different ending.?
Antonio Margarito: ?Here comes the criminal. Open the door for the criminal. Good afternoon everybody. I?ve been called a criminal by the man next to me. I am not a criminal? I am not a man who beats up on his own family. He says I?m not a great person ? I don?t know why he say that. I don?t care if he hits my eye, he doesn?t have to show mercy on me because he hits like a girl. A super flyweight hits harder than him. He can take it personal all he wants, because I am taking it personal too. I am telling him and everyone else that he will never beat me. He?s not going to beat me ever. I had a great training camp. I feel better than the first time. ?
The aggressive attitude presented by Margarito had an effect on Cotto who seemed to zone out for a few seconds to gather his thoughts and reactions to what he had just absorbed. Then he rose from his chair and took the podium, looking over at Margarito, while announcing that he would speak in Spanish, so as to deliver his message more directly to Margarito.
Miguel Cotto: ?If you don?t know what a criminal is, look it up in the dictionary. It is someone who has a weapon. We spoke on Face Off about the wraps. I showed you the pictures of the wraps from the first fight. You are an embarrassment to boxing. I can?t wait to get into the ring with you. Saturday night you are going to see what a little girl is gonna do to you.?
Both warriors exchanged words in Spanish, apparently taunting each other. Margarito laughed and smiled, showing a supreme confidence. Cotto sat down in his chair, wearing a deathly serious expression on his face , and then he crossed his arms.
After they posed for the cameras for a minute ? there was no face to face staredown ? Cotto departed the theater without giving one-on-one interviews. Margarito did stay for about 20 minutes and answered questions, mostly from Spanish media.
I asked a woman reporter who spoke to both Cotto and Margarito this week, and asked her who she believed seemed more confident. She said Margarito.
