In his June 23rd Random Thoughts column on ESPN.com, the well respected Dan Raphael mentioned that there were talks for a December 4th rematch between Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto (35-2, 28KOs) and Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27KOs) of Tijuana, MX. In their July ’08 first match up, Margarito survived an early ambush from the Boricua to completely destroy the face and spirit of Cotto by 11th round TKO.
Since that fight, the career of both fighters has changed immensely. After taking some time off and enjoying his time under the sun, Margarito was the first to return to the ring in January of ’09, only to lose the WBA title he ripped from Cotto and to fall neck deep into a pit of controversy. It is old news that Margarito was caught with a plaster-like substance prior to his KO loss at the fists of “Sugar” Shane Mosley. After being suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for a year along with his trainer, Javier Capetillo, Margarito has since resurfaced under the tutelage of former champion Robert Garcia last May and earned a unanimous decision over Robert ” La Amenaza” Garcia (no relation).
Cotto bounced back one month later after Margarito, stopping Michael Jennings in the fifth round to capture the WBO welterweight strap. After that, Cotto survived a war against Joshua Clottey only to walk straight into a world of hurt when he was destroyed by the one and only Manny Pacquiao. The resilient “Junito” has since gotten up from his boot straps once again, stopping the Rabbi-to-be Yuri Foreman last month for the WBA 154 lbs. title.
It is no secret that since that fateful July night two years ago, neither men is who he was before lacing up the gloves in the Nevada desert.
I for one, do not want to see a repeat of that night because I believe that if those two warriors met one hundred times, Margarito would come out victorious ninety-nine times.
Now will be the point when all those boxing fans step in and scream from the mountain tops that Margarito did not fight clean that night because of his actions six months later.
There is no evidence that Margarito had anything in his wraps in any of his prior fights before Mosley. Saying that he did is like stating that if you have gotten a DUI, then you have driven drunk every other time prior to the DUI. A person might of driven drunk before the DUI and not gotten caught but it doesn’t mean that every time that person got behind the wheel, they were inebriated.
I don’t think we will ever know if Margarito and his team used tainted wraps before January 24th, 2009. It has been reported by other sources that prior to the Margarito-Cotto fight, there was no indication that Margarito should be suspected of cheating. Evangelista Cotto, Miguel’s uncle and at that time trainer, was known for scrutinizing intently the hand wraps of all of his nephew’s opponents and the Nevada officials present in the Tijuana fighter’s dressing room before the bout stated that they did not see any irregularities. For fans and writers alike to state that Margarito had loaded gloves in that fight is pure speculation.
With that being said, I believe that Margarito drew the blueprint of how to beat the Boricua fighter that night which in a way Pacquiao followed to a T. Full pressure from the beginning of the bout, not letting Cotto set up his punches, continually pursuing Cotto around the ring and attacking at all times with great condition and a granite chin to survive the oncoming onslaught from the Puerto Rican’s fists. Many before tried and failed, Margarito didn’t.
There wasn’t any plaster on his chin.
Despite training with Emmanuel Steward, I believe the 29-year-old Cotto is too old to learn new tricks or at least any to help him against the torrid pace of Antonio Margarito, 32.
I am not trying to defend Margarito. If he in fact did know that he had an illegal substance in his Mosley bout, something he denies, and in any other fights, then he should be banned for life.
I just don’t want to see him fight Cotto again, for the sake of both fighters because Margarito did not come out unscathed from that fight and because of the simple fact that I don’t believe the outcome would be any different. Both fighters have lost something since that fight, whether it be pop in their punches, reflexes or credibility.
A fight that makes sense is Margarito versus Sergio Martinez of Argentina. The two faced off back in 2000 in Las Vegas where the “Tijuana Tornado” stopped Martinez in seven rounds. The Martinez of now is much more skillful than of ten years ago and with much more to offer including a date on HBO.
Recent news is that Margarito will seek reinstatement by the state of Nevada as early as this Friday. With a Mayweather-Pacquiao super match up coming into fruition, the word is that Bob Arum will try to put Margarito and Cotto back in the ring.
I hope he doesn’t.
For the record, I don’t want to see Pacquiao versus Cotto II either…
I feel if gloves were loaded against a older Mosley they were likley loaded against Cintron and Cotto Also feel it has affected both fighters. Magarito has never shown in his career to be a devastating puncher till he got to the top usually the other way around wouldnt you say?
you are getting too technical!! what he meant is that they always put a gause knuckle pad !!!! for protection!!!
“Before the fight, my trainer Javier Capetillo, my former trainer, put a knuckle pad made of gauze on my hand,” Margarito said through a translator. “I learned later the knuckle pad had something irregular on the inside but I didn’t know that truthfully in the moment. The knuckle pad didn’t seem different to ones he had put on my hands before.”
HEY THESE ARE MARGARITOS WORDS…. THIS IS WHAT HE DEFENDS HIMSELF WITH. I GOT THIS FROM EDGARS ARTICLE. MARGACHETO DIDNT SEE ANYTHING DIFFFERENT ON THE PADS CAUSE THEY FELT AND LOOKED THE SAME??? HMMMMMMMM
@felipe. you got to be kidding me with the drunk driving and fighting for money ina big fight with plaster.. margacheto doesnt fight everyday but we have to got to work everyday. its not everyday you have a fight of a life time. its not everyday you have a chance a half a million or more than a million. its not everyday you have a chance to fight a champ ranked in the top 5 (back then not now). so that comparision is horrible. and yes it does look like you defending the bumm. how does he have his number with one lost???? mosley had oscar number with 2 wins. forrest had mosley number with 2 wins maybe 3 not sure. by a fighter loosing one fight doesnt proove his apponent had his number. especially with loaded gloves. how do you think mosleys trainer felt he should check the gloves even though the california commission did?? because he knew something was up. its just common sense.
@ Felipe,
I agree with what you said. Speculation is not proof positive of anything. People want to justify losses and that’s fine. They can do that all day.
The flu, lost too much weight to quickly, marital problems, money problems, tender skin around the eyes. Hurt in training, and now illegal hand wraps. If it makes everyone feel good to justify a lose, then so be it.
I agree that Margarito should be punished. People are calling for a lifetime ban. That’s fine. The first ammendment allows that.
The CSAC agreed that a one year suspension fit the crime. Whether we agree with it or not is irrelevant. The commision ruled and the suspension was served. Margarito fought in Mexico after the one year. Dude needs to bring home the bacon. This delay in the relicensing is a bad mind game. Say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ now.
People bring up the DUI analogy…after you get back your driver’s license, are your conditioned to say you are sorry ??? Does it make it any better ??
You already went to jail, paid a fine, and got bad points on your record. Your insurance will up, and on, and on, and on some more. But give the person their driver’s license back so he can go back to a normal life.
Margarito paid his dues. I’m glad he got caught. But don’t subject him to anymore scrutiny. He did his time, so did the drunk drivers.
Look for Margarito-Cotto II next year. In Puerto Rico, why not.
that article didnt say anything useful or insightful and there was nothing balanced about it, its a joke. most people that get caught for a dui have done it before thats exactly why they think they can do it again. Like i’ve said before, normaly a crook dosent get caught the first time out.cotto said the swelling onhis face took two weeks to go away, Thats a long time in my opinion. I dont know anyone with hands that hard, not even duran. This guy said one thing that was right, that its speculation. We will probably never know if margo. cheated in that fight. I believe he did and so do alot of others. I think margarito fans are affraid that if cotto wins a rematch people are going to say margo. couldnt beat cotto without cheating. It wouldnt prove he cheat but it suuuurrre would look bad lol. If margarito won a rematch so what that dosent prove anything either. nintey nine times out of 100 lol thats funny did this guy see the first 6 rounds of that fight margacheato was lucky to walk out of the ring with his head on straight. He shouldnt be allowed to fight at all, but if they do have a rematch win or lose i go for cotto. he always shows heart like a real champ should.
lol i just gotta laugh at this article lol
good job felipe! Really well balanced article! But i do want to see margarito vs cotto 2 just for him to shit cottos mouth after he started saying he might have used plaster in their fight… Oh and if it can be done with cintron first most welcome…
I strongly disagree with “I do not want to see a repeat of that night because I believe that if those two warriors met one hundred times, Margarito would come out victorious ninety-nine times”
Boxing doesn’t work like that, just like many other sports, that reminds me of this football (or soccer for those who might get lost) very well known Mexican commentator from ESPN Deportes David Faitelson who week and a half ago said, that “Brasil is going to be the world champion, why even bother to wait 1 week to find out” well no one really knows what can happen, no one knows if Margarito after the beating he got from Mosley will ever be the same, that on top of the one he got from Cotto, where he end up KOing Cotto.
Other more dangerous fights have and will keep on happening, like Vazquez Vs Marquez 4 just a few months ago, that was a very dangerous fight for both fighters, Margarito against Cotto could be a good one knowing the rivalry the two countries have and where both fighters stand right now.
But then I agree with Felipe on Margarito Vs Martinez being a much better fight, that would be much more exciting for boxing.
Edgar, i agree. I for one would like to see a rematch with Cotto. I would like to see him rematch with Paul Williams too.
Felipe Made some great points, For fans and writers alike to state that Margarito had loaded gloves in that fight is pure speculation.
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