With huge clashes lying ahead, former champion Antonio Margarito and reigning WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez are scheduled to be in town for this weekend?s Yuriorkis Gamboa-Orlando Salido unification bout at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The HBO doubleheader also has a co-feature of Anthony Peterson and Brandon Rios squaring off in a WBA lightweight eliminator.
Margarito has been in the news more than ever because of his November 13th clash with Manny Pacquiao and all of the connecting storylines surrounding their bout. The two men will be fighting for the vacant WBC junior middleweight championship and this is a chance for Margarito to get a sense of much-needed redemption following his one-year suspension by the California State Athletic Commission in February of 2009.
There was a time when Margarito was regarded as one of the top ten fighters in the world following his riveting July 2008 stoppage of Miguel Cotto. Margarito would subsequently be found to have plaster of paris in his hand wraps prior to his fight with Shane Mosley and the follow up suspension only served as an asterisk to the real scrutiny that he was dealt with from the boxing community.
Lopez is scheduled to face Mexico City?s Rafael Marquez on November 6th at the MGM Grand after seeing the contest rescheduled from its prior September 18th date after Marquez suffered an injury to his right hand. People have been dying to see a Lopez-Gamboa clash for a few years now and you can bet that the Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico native will have a keen eye during this weekend?s main event. Lopez is coming off of a thrilling 2nd round knockout over Bernabe Concepcion in which he rose from the canvas in the first round to later halt his younger foe.
For a closer look at both Antonio Margarito and Juan Manuel Lopez please check out the slideshow below?
