Unless someone tipped him off as to how dangerous it is, Manny Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum might choose “My Way” as his signature song in a Filpino karaoke joint.
I’m not saying the 78 year old is completely dictatorial but, make no mistake, he is the boss with the hot sauce in terms of running promotional firm, Top Rank.
Arum, through 40 plus years of promoting boxers from Muhammad Ali to Marvelous Marvin Hagler to Pacman today, Arum’s made some shrewd and brilliant moves.
Unfortunately, his handling of the pending ring return of Mexican star Antonio Margarito is not one of Arum’s finest hours.
In fact, I think our British friends would call the less than adroit public and private positioning of handwrap cheater Margarito a complete “cockup”
My pal, Dennis from Kew Gardens, would liken it to screwing up a one car funeral procession.
It makes no difference, in the long term, whether Texas rejects or simply defers Margarito’s boxing license application.
The “Tijuana Tornado” was in the shadow of disgrace already as a result of eagle eyed Sugar Shane Mosley trainer Naazim Richardson blowing the whistle on plater of Paris type elements in Margarito’s handwraps before that fight Jan. 24, 2009, in Los Angeles.
The tide has been shifting back and forth but Top Rank did put out an undercard release Thursday which did not mention a Margo comeback bout against Carson Jones of Oklahoma.
Arum told me last week his “contingency plan” for Margo’s first comeback bout, after completing the one year revocation period ordered by the California commission, was to put him at the head of a May 8 “Latin Fury” PPV TV show in Mexico.
I’ve no doubt, based on repeated conversation on and off the record with officials from California, the national Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) and the Texas boxing board, that the majority opinion is that Arum has tried to shove Margarito’s return down people’s throats.
It didn’t have to be this way.
Look, I support giving this fighter a second chance. I’m reminded of Winston Churhcill who, upon being told that a rival was a modest man, shot back: “He has much to be modest about.”
Me, I’m a forgiving person because I’ve had my episodes of conduct for which I’ve sought forgiveness. So I don’t weigh in with those who want Margarito kept out of the ring longer than he has.
Right or wrong, California only tagged him with a 12 month ban.
Where Arum has botched the play is in making it appear that Margarito’s return is a greased wheel and that Texas is being used to circumvent California.
I never expected now or in the future to see Margarito admit any guilt in the hnadwrap caper. He;s already on record telling the CSAC he didn’t know what (now fired) trainer Javier Capetillo was doing to gain an edge over Mosley (Sugar Shane got some justice in winning the bout easily).
Some are quite suspicious about Margo having loaded handwraps when he beat Miguel Cotto (AP Photo)
There hasn’t been, there never will be even a less than completely honest, Mark McGwire public apology made by Margarito. He’s got to stick to his commission script, I get that.
But Arum could’ve made the Margo reprise go down like smoother medicine with one relatively easy action.
The promoter should’ve had Margarito properly rehearsed and sent him back before the CSAC.
Margarito could’ve expressed his contition and noted how he followed both the spirit and the letter of the one year ban. He could’ve said he has no plans to fight in the state while asking for California to lend support to his return in Texas.
America loves public figures who apologize, who recant, who should blame for their errors.
Margo can’t admit error, sure, but he could express his regret for the LA dressing room caper and vow that he will carefully examine his handewraps going forward.
The public, especially his Mexican fans, would lap it up.
And the key people in Texas–Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Gov. Rick Perry, and William Kuntz and Dickie Cole of the Texas licensing board-could take notice of a positive recommendation which Margarito would likely get from both Cali and the ABC officials.
Bingo, the heat is off for Texas officials and Margarito would be spotlighted on the Joshua Clottey-Manny Pacquiao card.
Now, it appears that Margarito won’t be in the ring until May 8 in his native land.
Margarito could facilitate his U.S. return by making a cameo appearance before the CSAC anyway.
But so far, at least, the usually politcally nimble and cagey Arum, has been a bungler.
Sorry Uncle Bob, but this your unforced error. You’ve been arrogant in this matter.
You misread this situation.
If anything, the shadow of suspicion over Margarito will be even greater if his return takes place in “anything goes” Mexico.
I’m right on this, Arum is wrong.
A tablespoon of regret, a spoonful of humility and a pinch of “it won’t happen again.”
That’s what everyone wanted from the once so popular Margarito
It’s not too late to apply the remedy.
