Fight Predictions: Margarito-Cintron, Mosley-Estrada, McCline-Brock

Will Margarito vs. Cintron be explosive? Will 'Sugar' Shane look sweet again? Can 'Big Time' McCline finally come up big? TheSweetScience.com writers tell you what they think.

Margarito-Cintron Predictions

Margarito lost his last fight, a controversial TKO stoppage to the much bigger Daniel Santos. And while Cintron is a big, powerful welterweight, he is not nearly as polished as Santos – one of boxing's best boxers. Margarito will be fighting at his natural weight and will use all of his considerable seasoning to outlast the young Puerto Rican slugger in a brutal fight. Margarito via split decision in an all-time great welterweight slugfest.
Matt Aguilar

Antonio Margarito will meet the Puerto Rican sensation Kermit Cintron. Margarito is one mean dude. He literally was tearing his last opponent's ear off with his fists (not his teeth). He has met the better opposition. He is more seasoned. Margarito is probably the favorite. But there's something about this Cintron kid I like. He is a big welterweight. I can easily see him growing into a middleweight. He is very strong and has good power. My head says Margarito but my heart is leaning toward Cintron. I'm going to have to go with Kermit by a late round KO in what should be a candidate for Fight of the Year.
Jim Amato

The “safe” pick is either Kermit by early KO or Margarito by decision or late TKO. I'm going to split the difference and call it Kermit by mid-round stoppage. Cintron will come on early, perhaps bust Antonio up a bit. Margarito will rally and begin to wear down the less experienced Cintron. Midway through the bout, Kermit rallies back, and though Margarito is willing to brawl, he's not giving as much as he's getting. The ref jumps in . . . Cintron by controversial 8th round TKO.
Jake Donovan

Okay, no one except the WBO considers this a championship bout. We have a true champion in the form of Zab Judah. This may nevertheless prove to be a solid fight with longterm division consequences. Margarito has defended his belt, but in his fights with fellow WBO titleholders for the 147 and 154-pound crowns he came up short. Cintron pulls this out with a 10th round KO.
J.E. Grant

Good fight, hard fight. Margarito too much, too busy for the less experienced Cintron. Antonio Margarito late TKO winner.
Mike Indri

Potentially explosive battle as two heavy hitters meet for the WBO title. Margarito a bit more polished of the two fighters, but Cintron is the more heavy-handed. Cintron victories over Elio Ortiz and Teddy Reid don't prepare Cintron enough for Margarito, who has been in with and beaten punchers before. A great, close fight, but the nod goes to Margarito, as Cintron gains needed experience.
Joey Knish

This could be a candidate for Fight of the Year. I see Margarito taking control early, even hurting Cintron on a few occasions, but Cintron's power will take over. After flooring Margarito, Cintron swarms all over him, blasting him with thunderous shots until the referee comes to Margarito's rescue. Cintron TKO 7.
Marc Lichtenfeld

This is the lone of the best matchups in years. Picking a winner is extremely difficult, but something tells me that Cintron's youth will prevail over Margarito's experience. This will be a barnburner for as long as it lasts. Cintron by TKO.
Robert Mladinich

Every young swimmer has to go out into deep water sometime, and now it is Kermit Cintron’s time. (I wish I could get that Kermit the Frog out of my head.)  Cintron is 24-0 with a lot of early knockouts, but most of the guys coming out of the other corner were quick to remember they were being paid by the job and not by the hour. His last fight, an 8^th round stoppage of rugged Teddy Reid, was a step up and in the right direction, but Antonio Margarito may be a leap too far. Give Cintron the first three rounds; Margarito everything else and the decision.
Pat Putman

This may very well be the most exciting fight of the evening. It will go the distance and be very close. Margarito by split decision.
Aaron Tallent

Mosley-Estrada Predictions

Mosley returns to welterweight form and dominates Estrada by unanimous decision.
Matt Aguilar

Sugar Shane Mosley returns to the welterweight class as he takes on Angelo Dundee's fine prospect David Estrada. Angelo is very high on this kid, so I take him seriously. But if Shane has anything left, this is a fight he should win, which would put himself in line for a shot at the winner of the proposed Zab Judah-Oscar De La Hoya fight.
Jim Amato

Shane finds out early that the move down to welter is not the answer to all of his problems. He also finds out that Estrada is a hell of a lot tougher than expected. This one goes the distance, but in the end, many will be calling for Shane's retirement. Upset: Estrada by decision.
Jake Donovan

Shane Mosley, once the king of the pound-for-pound club, is coming off consecutive losses to Winky Wright, which only compounded the problems caused by his consecutive losses to Vernon Forrest. He was a great lightweight, a good welterweight, and a passable junior middleweight. This bout marks a return to the welterweights where he figures his power will prove decisive. David Estrada, though ably backed by Angelo Dundee, is not to going to spoil the party. Mosley by KO in 8.
J.E. Grant

Mosley all over the game, but overmatched Estrada. Shane Mosley KO 6-7 rounds.
Mike Indri

Look for Shane to return to “power boxing,” as he should re-gain his edge in speed and power while dropping back down to 147. Estrada no pushover and it will be an entertaining fight, but Sugar looks sweet again.
Joey Knish

I'll admit, I drank the Kool-Aid when it comes to Shane Mosley. I always thought he was one of the best boxers in the sport. While I don't think this fight is a gimme, I see Mosley winning a unanimous decision.
Marc Lichtenfeld

Estrada is no stiff and Mosley has not looked like a world-beater later, but Mosley should be much too experienced to lose this one. Mosley by decision.
Robert Mladinich

His real name is Shane Daniel Donte Mosley and he has only won one fight since July of 2001, which makes you wonder why all the bookies say you have to bet your house to win a chicken coop if you like him over unbeaten David Estrada, one of Angelo Dundee’s latest students. In his last six fights, Mosley has lost two (and the all-world light middleweight title) to Winky Wright; defeated Oscar De La Hoya; fought a three-round no-contest with Raul Marquez; and lost to Vernon Forest twice. Take a flyer: bet the chicken coop on Estrada, by decision.
Pat Putnam

Sugar Shane Mosley is another fighter trying to find his way. He is making the smart move by dropping back down to welterweight. It is a division Mosley can dominate and he will prove that Saturday against David Estrada. Mosley by unanimous decision.
Aaron Tallent

McCline-Brock Predictions

Brock upsets McCline via 7th round TKO.
Matt Aguilar

Calvin Brock, the best heavyweight prospect around, will be severely tested when he takes on Jameel McCline. This is a very interesting matchup. On paper McCline should win. He is bigger, stronger, and has met some top shelf heavyweights. This is another case where my head says McCline but my heart says Brock. I'm going to go with Calvin by a late round KO.
Jim Amato

Jameel jumps on Calvin early, not unlike the Byrd fight. Brock takes Jameel's best and rallies back midway through. McCline bites down, realizing that one more loss puts him on the shelf possibly for good, and dominates down the stretch to eke out a close (and somewhat disputed) unanimous decision. McCline by decision.
Jake Donovan

Folks say that Brock is taking a huge leap forward and is assuming risk. Really it is McCline who is taking the risk – and perhaps unnecessarily. Brock, the college graduate, hasn’t yet graduated to the elite level of the heavyweight division, but a victory here gets his foot in the door. Though I believe McCline was robbed of victory against Chris Byrd, and along with it the IBF belt, that isn’t saying much (ask the list of other robbery victims versus Byrd: Fres Oquendo and Andrew Golota). Brock cracks the top-ten with a decision victory.
J.E. Grant

McCline is big and strong – and a nice person – but he doesn't have what it takes. Brock does, and this is his “coming out” fight. Calvin Brock will knockout Jameel McCline.
Mike Indri

Big Time McCline has such an edge in class of opposition it isn't even close. He barely lost a points decision to Byrd in his last bout and knows his hourglass is running low. Brock is the more polished amateur and more powerful puncher, but I look for McCline to fight “big” by using his 45-pound weight advantage and four extra inches in height to keep Brock at bay. A good fight, won by the good bigger guy.
Joey Knish

Similar to how I see Margarito – Cintron. McCline in control early, but Brock will come on strong in the later rounds. McCline gets up off the canvass only to be stopped in the ninth.
Marc Lichtenfeld

This is do-or-die for McCline, who has been on the cusp of bigger things for quite some time. Unfortunately, Brock is on a roll and in this case youth will prevail. Brock by decision.
Robert Mladinich

Out of the Klitschko brothers’ mold, Jameel McCline has a big body and a suspect gas tank. Still, chasing Chris Byrd around the ring for 36 minutes can do that to the big fellows, so if we toss that loss out, unbeaten Calvin Brock may be stepping up into a world of trouble. The only name on Brock’s 24-0 resume belongs to Clifford Etienne, who spent almost as much time on the floor as he did on his feet against the hard-hitting former Olympian. Still, there is an old Romanian proverb: “Even when fed chickens a young tiger is a no less a tiger.” Brock by decision.
Pat Putnam

Jameel McCline would be defending the IBF heavyweight title these days if he had not punched himself out against Chris Byrd. Big Time will not make the same mistake against Calvin Brock. McCline by unanimous decision.
Aaron Tallent