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Inteview with WBO Welterweight champion Tony Margarito

by Thomas Jensen on Tuesday, June 26th, 2007

Inteview with WBO Welterweight champion Tony Margarito WBO Welterweight champion Tony Margarito can flat out fight. Some guys have flashy hand speed. Others dazzle with fancy footwork. There are the punchers who can end a match in the blink of an eye. But some guys can just flat out fight. Mexican Tony Margarito is one of those guys.

Sportsbook.com has posted Welterweight Fight boxing odds:

Antonio Margarito: -135

Paul Williams : +105

Margarito doesn’t do anything particularly special. He just comes forward and throws hard straight shots tucked behind a great chin until the other guy just mentally crumbles under his savage pressure.

Ironically, Antonio really doesn’t look like a fighter. When I met him at Thump Boxing gym in Miami for a promotional photo shoot for Gatorade, nobody really knew who he was or even had a clue that he was the WBO Welterweight Champion.

With a modest build and clean cut features, Tony Margarito is your everyman. But when it was time to do some light pad-work at the request of a local trainer, Margarito’s easy smile quickly disappeared and the killer within him emerged in a nanosecond.

When it's time to fight Margarito is game. He likes the dog fight and it has earned him the respect of many contenders and champs including Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Margarito came up the old fashion Mexican way in the sport of boxing turning pro at the frail age of 15. He trained hard and persevered against all odds. When Margarito meets fast rising contender Paul Williams, 32-0, 24 KO’s July 14th, 2007, he will step into the fight as the underdog. But having won for so long as the underdog, I’m not betting against him at -135 odds.

BM: Surely there could have been easier fights out there after your last battle with Josh Clottey. Why take another very tough fight against Paul Williams right away?

TM: This is a mandatory defense of my W.B.O title. I have to fight Williams or I give up my title. I don’t avoid anyone.

BM: Williams is a tall fast southpaw. How will you fight him?

TM: He doesn’t like to get hit. Especially to the body. I will hit him everywhere and apply pressure.

BM: Williams has been doing a lot of trash talking are you looking for a KO?

TM: Williams does like to talk but I’m the champ. I don’t need to do any talking. I do my talking inside the ring.

BM: Any special preparations for Williams?

TM: No. Just practicing moving to my left. We will use southpaw sparring partners to get ready. Nothing different than that though.

BM: How many rounds do usually spar total in training camp for a fight?

TM: I spar 3 days per week. For six weeks. Usually anywhere from 4-10 rounds each session.

BM: What is your walk around weight?

TM: About 171, 172.

BM: What is your favorite training exercise?

TM: I like the hand pads. Most fun.

BM: You have come a long way financially since your first fight at age 15. What was the amount of your first professional purse?

TM: Well since I wasn’t allowed to fight in the US I was payed in pesos. The pesos amounted to $40 US dollars.