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Since the departures of marquee stars Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Promoter Bob Arum hasn't had an easy time finding someone to fill the void and become the new Top Rank “poster boy”.

 

Two that stand out from the others within his predominately Latin stable are Miguel Cotto of Caguas, Puerto Rico, and Antonio Margarito of Tijuana, Mexico. Both fighters, along with their opponents for Saturday's Showtime-televised doubleheader card in Atlantic City, New Jersey, were at the Copacabana in New York City for the final press conference.

 

Cotto (27-0, 22 KOs) will move up one weight class in search of a second world title when he faces fellow undefeated Puerto Rican, southpaw Carlos "El Indio" Quintana (23-0, 18 KOs) for the vacant WBA Welterweight title. Margarito (33-4, 24 KOs) has a tough task in front of him, as he is making the seventh defense of his WBO Welterweight title against hard-punching African Joshua Clottey (30-1, 20 KOs).  

 

Although Cotto may be younger than Quintana, he has the edge in experience – He has fought more times and is a former world champion. "All you have to do is open up the press kit. Just look at my record and look at the guys he fought and then look at the guys that I fought. You will see who had the better opposition. I've been a world champion before and I will be again. The winner of Saturday's showdown will be Miguel Cotto."

 

Not many are giving Quintana a chance against Cotto. He disagrees: "I have always been the underdog in every fight. We are sure that we will win by either knockout or decision, I trust the judges, but most importantly, I have faith in God that everything will work out fine.”

 

"I know he is hungry. I can tell. But inside of me, I know that he is making a wrong choice by fighting me," Cotto countered.

 

The fact that both fighters are of Puerto Rican descent makes for a very interesting storyline. Not since Hector Camacho and Edwin Rosario met 20 years for the WBC Lightweight belt have two Puerto Ricans fighters in the prime squared off in such a high-profile fight. The island is divided with fans from both parties as well as those who say that they shouldn't be fighting. "This isn't something personal. This is a sport as well as a business. It's business as usual for me. We have to do for ourselves," explained Quintana.

 

Quintana also revealed that he thinks Cotto is taking his punching power lightly. "I know they are sleeping on my power. I can fight any type of fight that they want. I can stick and move or I can stand in front of you and go punch for punch with the best of them. It's up to them."

 

According to Arum, who was also on-hand at the conference, although there will be two welterweight championship bouts, Saturday’s event is not the first leg of a welterweight tournament. "This is not a tournament by any means. The winner of the Cotto-Quintana fight is obligated to fight Oktay Urkal. We are not going to continue to pay step-aside money. He is going to have to fight sooner or later."

 

As for the rumors that Shane Mosley turned down Margarito, "It's absolutely true. Shane turned down Margarito. He was only interested in fighting Cotto. I told him that Cotto wasn't available because of his obligation with Urkal. But I told him Margarito was available and he said no. The only reason that I could think of as to why he turned down the fight was because he was afraid that Margarito would beat him."

 

Margarito’s destruction of now-IBF champion Kermit Cintron is what put him on the fistic map; however, inactivity has hampered his career. But Margarito claims he isn't fazed by the long layoffs. "I am always in the gym. I am dedicated to my profession.”

 

With Erik Morales’s star fading, Margarito is now the premier fighter from his native Tijuana...It’s not enough. "I just don't want to be the best Tijuana, but instead all of Mexico," he proclaimed. "This Saturday expect to see from me what you have always seen. I am going to leave my heart in the ring and give it my all.”

 

Clottey, like Quintana, is coming in as a big underdog. "He (Margarito) is a human being. I am a fighter and I cannot avoid him. If I beat him, I am a new champion."

 

Clottey was asked what the key is to stopping a high-volume puncher such as Margarito: "You need to have good defense. You have to block well. I am going to take the fight to him on the inside. He can't take it well to the body. If I catch him well to the body, I will hurt him."

 

Clottey's predictions; "His manager knows we are going to war. My manager knows that we are going to war. I cannot predict rounds, but I know if he gets cut, he will lose. He cuts easily and bleeds a lot. If that happens the ref will stop the fight and he will lose by TKO."

 

The December 2 World Championship Doubleheader featuring Miguel Cotto versus Carlos Quintana and Antonio Margarito versus Joshua Clottey at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, will be televised on Showtime Championship Boxing beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

 

Tickets for this event are on sale now and can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 1 (800) 736-1420 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices begin at $300, $200, $100, $75 and $50.