I’ve talked to some of the boxing media, friends and close relatives about the Antonio Margarito suspension, and if he should fight again. When I speak of such topics, about anything really, not just sports, I let the person talk and take in their opinion.
Most of whom I’ve talked to think he should be allowed to keep fighting, believing he had served his time and should be able to keep fighting. While my opinion in no way is going to change the result of boxing commissions around the world, I don’t think Margarito should fight again.
I would suggest those who are on the fence as to if Margarito should fight again to watch the HBO documentary ‘Assault in the Ring’, which chronicled the Luis Resto/Billy Collins match.
Resto upset then undefeated Billy Collins, who suffered irreparable eye damage that ended his career. Collins later died in a car accident while intoxicated. Resto trainer Panama Lewis later confessed to not only removing padding from his fighters’ glove, but also placing ‘plaster like’ substances underneath Resto’s hand wraps. Both Resto and Lewis would later spend time in prison for what they did.
Simply because a life was not taken by Margarito shouldn’t mean that his suspension should be any less than a lifetime ban. It could be argued that Margarito held an edge in his previous fights against Kermit Cintron and Miguel Cotto, thus cutting those boxers careers shorter by a fight or two. Cintron is still fighting strong to this day, yet Cotto was and still is somewhat considered damaged goods in the eyes of boxing purists. It is hotly debated as to if Margarito had hard like substances in prior fights.
It cannot be argued that Margarito attempted to fight Shane Mosley with loaded gloves in January of last year. Hard physical evidence pointed to such, and Margarito received a one year suspension from the sport.
While I have written in the past that we will never have hard evidence from any prior fights, it makes it hard to believe that he wouldn’t have had illegal wraps in previous fights when Margarito is on record saying he just ‘didn’t know’ concerning the Mosley bout.
Cotto was asked months after the fight about the situation, and Cotto implied that every boxer knows what is going on when his hands are wrapped.
The CSAC inspector for the night of the Mosley/Margarito fight had signed off his initials on Margarito’s hand wraps and fully intended to send Margarito out of his dressing room and into the ring with hard, ‘plaster like’ substances tucked away beneath the tape. Had not Mosley trainer Naziim Richardson been wary of the loaded gloves and demanded a re-taping, fan favorite and likeable boxer Shane Mosley could have suffered traumatic damage in the ring.
I was in attendance this past weekend at the Thompson Boxing Promotions card in Ontario, California. There was a fighter who was being unmercifully punished in the ring, even going as far as taking a knee in two consecutive rounds. Yet the fighter’s corner did nothing. The referee let the pounding continue. The doctors ringside had no arguments.
WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley was ringside, and began to shout at the corner of the fighter. “Throw in the towel!” He shouted loud enough for everyone in the building to hear. Yet the fight continued and was eventually stopped in what seemed like an eternity of a beating.
These fighters deserve to be protected by the powers that be in the sport. Little mistakes, a signing of an illegally loaded wrap, a late stoppage by the referee or corner, all of these mistakes can lead to major consequences.
Boxing is one of, if not the most dangerous sport in the world. Lives are on the line with every bell, every punch, every knockdown and every knockout. While many steps are taken by athletic commissions, training camps and boxers themselves to protect themselves in the ring, too little is done to protect them outside of it.
For the multitudes of known fighters, to the upstart contenders, to the club fighters fighting for less than a month’s rent, all boxers should be able to participate in their sport being assured that, while they knowingly are lying their lives on the line when the bell rings, that responsible actions are being taken that their life isn’t in any more danger than the three minutes of every round to when the final bell is rung.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has plans for Margarito to apply for a license in Texas so he can be featured on the under card of the Manny Pacquiao/Joshua Clottey fight. If Margarito attains a license from the Lone Star state, he will face upstart Carson Jones in a ten rounder at 155.
Margarito himself has vehemently denied knowing what was in his hand wrap. Yet one thing stands out that he has yet to do. He has not apologized to Shane Mosley, nor the California State Athletic Commission or his remaining fans.
All Margarito wants to do is gain a license from Texas, continue his career and ignore what happened. By being licensed and fighting, Margarito will begin to forget his past.
We shouldn’t.
THROUGH MY EYES
John Duddy is expected to be on the undercard of the next few Top Rank cards, (Pacquiao/Clottey and Cotto/Foreman) and if victorious in those bouts, could face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in the fall. If Duddy looks good, he very may well hand JCC Jr. his first career loss. Chavez Jr. will be coming off a reported six month suspension for using a banned substance in the fall of 2010… Yuriokis Gamboa and Juan Manuel Lopez both looked great in their outings last weekend. I think it is a good move by promoter Bob Arum to wait to match the two against each other, which will raise their stock when they finally face each other hopefully in 2011. While pitting them against lesser opponents isn’t going to gain much in terms of popularity, they can use those fights to develop even more as fighters physically and mentally. One look at Lopez and I would fair to say some weight lifting would help a little, and the way his faced looked after receiving shots from Luevano, makes me thinking Gamboa’s punches will do twice or three times the damage. Gamboa looks especially strong, as I liken him as the favorite when they eventually fight, and I wonder if Gamboa could maybe make some noise at lightweight some day… Erik Morales in returning. He should call Jermain Taylor for some much needed advice… Speaking of Taylor, Allan Green as his replacement is a great choice, as from the outset I wondered why they picked Taylor at all for the Super Six. Green also makes the U.S. portion of the ‘SS’ younger and speedier. Yet with Ward and Dirrell, I guess you can say they already had that….
Pacquaio/Clottey has sold 24,000 tickets so far. I was talking to a writer last week who thought it wouldn’t even do 20,000…
Notable quotes this week from Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya:
Concerning Pacquaio/Mayweather:
“That fight has to happen…It’s too big not to happen.”
Concerning Antonio Margarito:
“I’m actually disgusted by the fact they’re going over California and weaseling their way into Texas to get a license,” De La Hoya said. “Whatever type of cheating you’re doing, it’s wrong. You should be banned for life.”
