A FORMER Nevada State Athletic Commission Medical Advisory Board chairman and chief ringside physician, who has worked more than 400 professional fights, is convinced Antonio Margarito would have been spared from further harm had the bout been stopped.
In an interview with Lem Satterfield of FanHouse, Dr. Margaret Goodman said Margarito looked hopeless after the eighth round after absorbing so much battering from Pacquiao, adding the fight should have been stopped in the tenth round.
“Obviously, from the perspective of the referee, the doctors and the corners, you want a fight to proceed to its natural conclusion. You want the fighters to dictate when a fight should be stopped, and not the officials.
“But, sometimes, when no one is willing to finish one off, so to speak, and when the tide has turned significantly, but maybe not enough when you?ve got a tough fighter like Margarito in there, someone has got to make the decision for him,” Goodman told Satterfield.
She added that while Margarito was able to throw punches and stand on his feet, he failed to protect himself and, because of his injured eye, did not see the punches coming.
Margarito suffered the injury during his one-sided loss to Pacquiao last Saturday at the Cowboys Stadium.
Margarito, meanwhile, had successful surgery to repair a fractured right orbital bone Tuesday at the Methodist Hospital in Dallas, according to Top Rank, his promoter.
“The doctor told us everything went perfect, no complications of any kind,” said Sergio Diaz, Margarito?s co-manager. “There is nothing wrong with his right eye. ? Antonio is such a warrior. The first thing he asked was, ?When can I start running,? and we told him he has to relax for a while.
“For sure, at least 60 days of no contact of any kind in a gym.”
Margarito reiterated that he gave his best against Pacquiao, who won a one-sided decision.
