GL: How has everything gone in training for your March 17 bout with David Grayton? What can we expect to see from you on fight night? I'm feeling great, it's another hard training camp, they've all been hard. I've sparring a lot of rounds so I'm well prepared for the fight, I'm in shape and I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to go out there and do what I do best, perform to the best of my ability and come out of there victorious.
GL: What do you know about Grayton? What are your thoughts of him as a fighter?
Kermit Cintron: "I don't know too much of him, I know he's a southpaw an up and comer and he comes to fight. I'm prepared and ready to go."
GL: What are you hoping a victory on the 17th leads to?
KC: "Bigger fights, that's what I'm here for. I've been there once and I'm looking forward to getting back on top again."
GL: What made you decide to come back after two years out?
KC: "I wasn't really retired, after the Canelo fight that's when I thought I would be done, but I took that year and half off. I just pretty much was hanging out with my kids, my wife and my family. I was doing other things on the side and my kids started asking me when I was fighting again and they wanted to see me fight. They believed in me and it gave me the motivation I need to get back into gym and the ring. The two years that I was off was due to a broken hand that happened in the Feliciano fight. I had a broken hand and I just kept letting it heal fight after fight instead of going to doctor to get it casted. In 2014 I fought Cruz and in the third round I demolished whatever was left of my hand, it ruptured. It was either I retire or get hand surgery, so I got the surgery and that's what lead to the long layoff. But 2016 was a great year for me and I'm looking forward to 2017."
GL: How the hell have you been holding the same weight for 17 years?
KC: "Just living a clean life and eating properly. I don't party, I'm home with my kids and my wife and I stay in shape. I know what I have to do to lose the weight and it's second nature to me now, but it all comes down to how bad you want it."
GL: What are your goals on this comeback?
KC: "My goal is to get back on top and to fight for another world title, and not just fight for it, win another world title. I want to become a champion again."
GL: How long to plan to continue fighting?
KC: "I feel great, I don't think I was ever in a fight where I was getting beaten up badly, I haven't been in any wars. I've had some hard fights, but none of them have taken a toll out of me. I could see myself fighting for three or four more years, I feel like I'm a young 37. Some people forget that I started boxing late. A lot of people start when they're eight or nine years old and come up through the amateurs. I'm feeling great, I'm feeling better than I did when I first started boxing."
GL: How do you feel you've improved during this comeback?
KC: "Mentally I'm more focused and relaxed. Being in the ring for so long has taught me how to be relaxed and being a smarter fighter."
GL: This is going to be your fifth fight since the Cruz fight. When are you hoping the first step up fight takes place? The kind of fight that will put you in immediate title contention."
KC: "I feel that after this fight as long as everything goes as planned, I should be getting a bigger fight next and that's what I want. I want the bigger fights and of course the bigger paydays, but now I'm just focusing on one fight at a time and hopefully I get that title shot."
GL: Welterweight is on fire right now. If it's not a title shot, who out there do you think would be a fantastic fight for you to get yourself in position to fight for a title?
KC: "Honestly, I would love an Amir Khan fight, I would love a Juan Manuel Marquez fight. I've called him out a couple of times, but we haven't heard nothing back but I think that would be a great fight."
GL: Who do you like in Thurman-Garcia?
KC: "I like Thurman, but I'm going to be rooting for Garcia. I have to stay behind and support Puerto Ricans, you've got to stick with the heritage."
GL: What about Brook-Spence?
KC: "Honestly, I never seen any of them fight really. I hear Spence is a very good fighter, up and coming. I think that Brook has faced better opposition and he has a lot more experience that Spence, so we'll see what happens."
GL: Other than victory do you have a prediction for the 17th?
KC: "I'm looking for the knockout, I've been training really hard since I've been back and I'm getting that Killer back in me, but I'm doing it in a smarter way, I'm looking for the knockout."
GL: How does it feel to back together with Marshall Kauffman?
KC: "It feels great to be back with him. He's not my trainer as he was, but he's wearing the shoes as a promoter and he's a great guy who knows me personally and knows how I should be matched to get to the title shot. Joe Pastore is still my strength and conditioning coach, and he's my head trainer. My people know me very well and they know how to get the best out of me, so it's been great."
GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?
KC: "I appreciate you calling me, I'm happy to be back on Boxingtalk. Everyone needs to come out on March 17th, it's going to be a great night of boxing."
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