By Luis Sandoval

Interim WBA Light Welterweight champion Pablo Cesar Cano will be making his second appearance on US soil as he will be taking on current WBA Welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, NY this Saturday night.

Cano is best remembered for his war with Erik Morales as he went into that fight as an unknown undefeated fighter from Mexico and gave Morales all he could handle. Since his loss in that bout, Cano feels he’s learned quite a bit and it will benefit him against Malignaggi.

“With Erik Morales I gained a lot of experience. He showed me things I had not yet gone through like fighting on a big card in Las Vegas. Now it’s a different kind of opportunity because I now feel more mature as a fighter and as a person. I think I’m getting to a great moment in my career. I just won a title at 140lbs and now I would win the title at 147 and that’s a great motivation for me” Cano would tell The Boxing Lab.

Cano is moving up in weight for this fight and admits the move up had to do with the opportunity presented to him but he also feels he has what it takes to beat a fighter like Malignaggi.

While Malignaggi says he’s not looking past Cano, he has already expressed interest in a rematch with Ricky Hatton who is scheduled to make his comeback in November. Cano was asked what he thought of Malignaggi talking about fighting Hatton after this and if he feels he may be underestimating him.

“I think Paulie is getting ahead of himself and looking ahead. On Saturday night his [future] plans will fail. I’m coming into this fight convinced that I’m going to win. I’m coming in with great preparation and the mental state to triumph and move ahead” said Cano.

“I consider myself a Mexican warrior. I have the strength, the push, and I have a punch. I prepared myself strong for 3 months so I think that’s what will give me the strength to win on Saturday and beat Paulie”.

You can listen to Pablo Cesar Cano’s interview in its entirety by listening to The Boxing Lab podcast: http://tobtr.com/s/3770629

You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @Truewest007. You can also tune in to The Boxing Lab, Boxingscene’s official audio show every Tuesday from 6-8PM PST with hosts Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval, and Ryan Burton.