Fighter Profile: Kermit Cintron

Kermit Cintron
Hometown: Wyomissing, PA
Division: Welterweight (147 pounds)
Records: 29-1 (27 KOs)
Titles: IBF Welterweight (Oct. 2006-present)
Trainer/Manager: Emanuel Steward
Promoter: Main Events
Next Fight: vs. Antonio Margarito (April 12, 2008, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, HBO)

What you might not know:
Cintron's background as an amateur wrestler is well known, but did you know that he also played football and ran track at William Tennent High School in Warminster, Bucks County, PA. He had the most success in wrestling where he reached the state regional tournament as a junior and senior. In Oct. 2006, he was inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame.

Background:
Cintron was born in Carolinas, Puerto Rico. After the death of his mother at age 8, along with two brothers he moved to Warminster, PA with his uncle Ben Serrano, a Philadelphia-based middleweight of the early 1980s.
Following high school, he briefly attended Thaddeus Stevens College in Lancaster, PA, before seriously pursuing his boxing career at 19. He turned professional on Oct. 7, 2000 with a second-round knockout of Jesse Williams.

Notable Fights:
April 23, 2005, Las Vegas - vs. Antonio Margarito
In his first shot at a world title in a pay-per-view main event, Cintron came up short against Margarito, getting knocked down twice in the fourth round, before being stopped in the fifth when his corner threw in the towel. It was an awful night for Cintron, who was completely overwhelmed by a superior fighter.
July 17, 2004, Houston - vs. Teddy Reid
This was Cintron's HBO debut against the toughest opponent of his career and he didn't disappoint, winning a back-and-forth brawl with a sensational eighth round TKO.
July 14, 2007, Atlantic City - vs. Walter Matthysse
In the first defense of the IBF title that he won nine months earlier, Cintron just devastated Matthysse in two rounds, with a highlight reel knockout that has become a youtube favorite. The win put Cintron in position for bigger fights.

First Impressions:
On May 31, 2001, I covered Cintron's fight with Leon Pearson, a 9-0 welterweight from Detroit, at the Zembo Temple in Harrisburg, PA, and it was the first time in his young career that Cintron didn't knock out an opponent. He won a six-round decision in 10th pro fight, and at the time I remember thinking that I didn't see anything special as far as his potential.
My most vivid memory of the night, however, was speaking with his trainer Marshall Kauffman after the fight, and Kauffman, who is a very straight shooter out of Reading, PA who handled Cintron for most of his career, told me bluntly that Cintron had the potential to be another Bernard Hopkins or David Reid. I nearly dropped my tape recorder. Seven years later, and while equally the accomplishments of Hopkins in a tall-task, it's fair to say that he's already surpassed Reid, a former Olympic gold medal winner and world champion from Philadelphia.

More Thoughts:
I won't hide the fact that Cintron has helped my career, as it has enabled me to cover a sport I love and get paid for it. I've seen in fight in Harrisburg, Reading, Atlantic City, Houston and West Palm Beach, Fla. I've only dealt with him on a professional basis, but he appears to be a person that's easy to like, as he's polite, humble and he's come a long way in his comfort level in dealing witht he media.
Signing on with Hall of Fame promoter Manny Steward less than a year after the Margarito loss was a smart move professionally, from both a training and managerial level. With Steward, you're either a professional or you're gone, and no doubt working with the Detroit-based promoter of champions has helped mature Cintron as a fighter and person.
It was, however, a little sad to see his split with his Reading, PA-based team, namely Kauffman, who told me more than once that he loved Cintron like a son. As for the reason for the split, we can only speculate.

Cintron vs. Margarito II:
What has changed in three years?
For one, Cintron is 28 and more experienced as a fighter. He's improved under Steward technically. But this fight will be the ultimate test in almost every facet of Cintron's boxing game.
Technically, does he have any answers for Margarito? The Tijuana, Mexico fighter took a few rounds to break down Cintron in 2005, and then broke him down quickly an effeciently. He was the superior fighter in every way. Cintron's vaunted power was non-existent, because he never connected.
Mentally, has anything changed? Cintron broke down crying after the loss to Margarito and that left an impression on huge boxing fans. That he bounced back at all is a credit to his character. What happens if the going gets tough this time?