This Saturday’s boxing match between Antonio Margarito and Manny Pacquiao just got some added hype. Video is circulating of Margarito and his trainer ridiculing Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach, by imitating his visible symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
The bad blood has been spilled at this point and perhaps this will create a huge demand for the HBO pay-per-view event. The fight’s promoter, Bob Arum has predicted 1.3 million PPV buys for Saturday’s contest at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
That might have been an overstatement when he made it but now, it could be the factor that gets potential buyers to plunk their money down. Prior to this, the marketing campaign for this fight has centered on the possibility of redemption for Antonio Margarito.
He had been found to have illegal substances in his hand wraps prior to a January 2009 fight with Sugar Shane Mosley. He lost that fight by knock-out in the ninth round and many believed that without the substances taken from his trainer, Margarito couldn’t produce the results he had become known for. Antonio Margarito predicts he will knock out Manny Pacquiao
His license was suspended and the state of California has still not lifted the ban on him taking part in matches within the state. Other states followed California’s lead and Margarito was persona non grata everywhere inside the U.S. That is until Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum got desperate for a boxing opponent for his Filipino icon.
After Floyd Mayweather, Jr’s camp couldn’t make a deal to fight Pacquiao on November 13, Arum searched for someone that would excite enough people to pay to see it. Margarito came to mind since he was on the hunt for redemption. Arum reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of his own money for legal fees to assist Margarito get a U.S. jurisdiction to lift his suspension. He found a friendly ear in the state of Texas.
Because of the disappointment that surrounded the inability to secure the fight with Mayweather, Arum had to be concerned about how to sell this baby. Only days prior to the bout he now has his new theme. Pacquiao must defend his trainer’s honor against the childish and hurtful ridicule of the Margarito camp.
You judge for yourself as you watch the video. The Roach imitations come up about two minutes in. Link here.
