Antonio Margarito wants the media and fight fans to forget the issue of his use of hand-wraps loaded with plaster of Paris which was discovered before his fight against Shane Mosley which he lost by a 9th round TKO and for which he served a one year suspension and instead to consider the present.
Margarito told a media gathering at the Rodeo Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles to kick of his showdown with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium on November 13 “”I want to show everyone I’m still a good fighter. Now is the present, let’s forget about the past.”
While Pacquiao was his usual humble self even as he faced-off with a fighter some four inches taller he made it clear, as he did in an exclusive interview with the Inquirer and ABS-CBN prior to leaving for Los Angeles, that he was not buying Margarito’s claims that he did not know about the illegal hand-wraps.
The Mexican tornado was suspended for one year by the California State Commission which refused to grant him a license even after he had served the suspension.
Pacquiao predicted “It is going to be a great, great fight that the people will want to see. I believe Margarito has the capabilities to give a good show. He fights impressively, aggressively and he is bigger and stronger than me.”
With multi-titled trainer Freddie Roach returning from the Ukraine where WBA welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko successfully defended his title against brawler Charlie Jose Navarro of Venezuela, conditioning expert Alex Aria pitched in saying they had a tough fight on their hands adding “Every opponent is bigger and stronger but, ultimately, Manny Pacquiao prevails.”
Ariza also appeared to take up the cudgels for Margarito when he said “There’s nothing despicable at all (about Margarito)” although he told us earlier the Mexican had to know about the illegal hand-wraps.
Concentrating on the upcoming fight for the vacant WBC super welterweight title for which Margarito was given a license by the Texas Commission that drew praise from the WBC, Ariza predicted “It’s going to be a war and probably, maybe the Fight of the Year.”
Trainer and former world champion Robert Garcia who trains Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire said that Margarito is “very dedicated” even as he conceded that Pacquiao is “a great fighter and a great champion.”
Garcia praised Margarito as a tremendous fighter and believes they are “going to make history” by beating Pacquiao who is going after his eighth world title in an eighth different weight division.
Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz said he felt it was absurd to criticize Margarito and even Pacquiao for giving the Mexican a chance to earn big money pointing out that Margarito was suspended and served his suspension. Koncz said “It’s over. If you’re not going to support the fight, then don’t criticize it.”
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