PRESS RELEASE: WBO welterweight champ, Antonio Margarito knows that his next fight is not just another fight. This just might the fight that will define his professional career. "I truly believe that this fight is the one that will take me to the next level of my career and a victory will finally bring me the opportunities that I have being looking for ever since I became a world champion," said Antonio Margarito, after finishing another hard training session.

Margarito (31-4, 22 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico will defend his WBO welter weight title for the fifth time on Saturday, April 23 against Kermit Cintron (24-0, 22 KOs) of Puerto Rico in the main event of an ESPN Pay-per-view show from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.


"Cintron is a good young hungry fighter that wants my title. I have been there before and know how he feels, but I'm still not done here and I don't plan on giving up my title just yet," said Margarito, who only loss in his last 24 fights was a controversial one to Daniel Santos last year in Puerto Rico in his bid to capture the WBO junior middleweight crown.

"I had seven hard weeks of training. I also had some of the best sparring I ever had for a fight and I feel as prepared for Cintron as I ever have for any other opponent. I expect a very tough fight and that's why a prepared my self so well for it," said Margarito.


Beyond this fight Margarito is looking forward to some even bigger fights in the future.

"It all depends on a win over Cintron, but I feel confident that I can do that and then look forward to some big names like Shane Mosley and Oscar de la Hoya to really establish my self as an elite fighter," said Margarito.

Margarito will train until Tuesday in Los Angeles, before going to Las Vegas on Tuesday night. There will a press conference on Wednesday in Las Vegas and the weigh-in is schedule for Friday at 3:00 p.m. (Pacific).