Antonio Margarito vs. Kermit Cintrón III

Yes, this is currently being negotiated between the Mexican and Puerto Rican welterweight stars-of-yesteryear's respective teams, in real life. Cintrón reportedly made the call-out via social media, yearning for one last crack at his twice-over conquering rival to be his career swansong ...and the nearly 40 year old Tornado didn't outright balk at the offer. Would take place in latter half of 2018 if a deal is reached, venue & other details TBA.

Margarito will have fought just thrice in what by then will be over 6½ years since the flesh nearly fell off his orbital bone like that of an old time leper pariah (or like 1st-prize Memphis ribs in a BBQ contest) in the Cotto rematch, and has looked awful in all three outings vs. B- grade opposition. So you'd think maybe there was hope for Cintrón to at least put himself on the scoreboard (although tying it up would require not one but two victories over his tormentor) - and yet Cintrón is himself shot to bits, just 6-1-2-1 (2) in that same exact time span, and himself looking a shell of himself in every outing (and getting a debatable gift draw vs. Adrian Granados) since his own stoppage loss to Canelo Álvarez just a week before Cotto vs. Margarito II.

 

So bizarre. Does it even add to Margarito's legacy to knock out Froggy 3x as opposed to just twice, especially when they're both this deteriorated and removed from relevance? Does it even hurt Cintrón's?

Inversely, should he spring the "upset", does it mean anything, to anybody, except to Kermit personally to have (at least halfway) settled the score?

...and would that mean we get a forestalling of his promised retirement in favor of Margarito vs. Cintrón IV, next?

 

It's been so long (a decade!!!) - but did Cintrón even win a clear round in Margarito I or II?

I can't think of a stranger, less warranted choice for a "trilogy" fight.

 

Yeah, crazy, this is really a case of "what falls apart first? Margarito's eye or Cintrón's psyche?"

 

Margarito has Cintrón's #, his backup #, and his tertiary #, expressed to probably more decimal places than any of the world's most brilliant mathematicians can work out for Π.

He probably keeps them on a tiny scroll in a cylindrical, ornately engraved case that he tucks into his jockstrap every morning, and occasionally reaches down to ensure he can still feel its reassuring artificial lump next to his natural ones.

 

I can't decide whether pursuing this is admirable or pathetic on Kermit's part.