After more than a year and a half of speculation from the boxing world, derision from his detractors and a highly publicized California State Athletic Commission hearing, in as much that it was broadcast live on the world wide web, Antonio “Tijuana Tornado” Margarito will once again fight on American soil. To many, this event is as vile as when Pancho Villa attacked the border town of Columbus, New Mexico, considered the last invasion of the continental United States way back in 1916. For me, I can’t wait, not only because it is about time that Margarito once again sets foot in a ring against a worthy opponent but because that worthy opponent is none other than Filipino congressman Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao.
The bout is slated for the vacant WBC super welterweight title on November 13th at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas. I, for one, will be there with bells on.
Ever since January ’09, I have not publicly stated my thoughts of what I believed happened that night at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles when Margarito was surprised with illegal hand wraps prior to his dismantling at the hands of “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Like many of us, I have discussed it at lengths with plenty of other boxing fans, read everything I could on the internet regarding the case and downed many Tecates at the Perro Salado (my favorite Tijuana haunt) discussing the happenings in the preceding minutes before the “Tijuana Tornado” walked out to the biggest crowd gathered at the Staples Center for any event.
I don’t think that Margarito knew.
I have spent some time with the three time welterweight champion socially but I don’t think it is enough time to really know what kind of man he is and what kind of character he possesses. I wouldn’t consider him my friend. A friend is somebody you could call on when in need and I would never take my relationship with him to that level. I consider ourselves acquaintances. Granted, I am not going by his words because I don’t think he would ever admit to knowing that he was using illegal hand wraps.
Who would?
What convinced me was the fact that boxing scribe Thomas Hauser interviewed Freddie Roach, Emmanuel Stewart, Don Turner and Dan Birmingham, all “Trainer of the Year” winners, and they all stated that if they wanted to, they could insert something into a fighter’s hand wraps without the fighter knowing. Even Nazim Richardson, Mosley’s trainer and the man who discovered the irregularities in Margarito’s wraps that night, stated the same as the others.
Another fact that convinced me that Margarito couldn’t have known was when it was stated at the CSAC hearing that the knuckle pads were made by his now banned ex-trainer Javier Capetillo before Team Margarito made their way to the dressing room that night and not in Margarito’s presence.
We will never know exactly if these inserts were used before or how long back. There has been claims that Margarito used them for his bout with Cotto because of the way that Cotto looked after the fight. As if only because he had something illegal in his hands would Margarito be able to inflict so much punishment on the Puerto Rican. Nothing to be said for the hundreds of punches that the “Tijuana Tornado” landed.
I saw Margarito two weeks after that bout and his face was still swollen, does that mean that Cotto had something in his gloves?
A couple of weeks ago on Leave It In the Radio radio webcast radio show hosted by David Duenez, Gabriel Montoya and Ernie Gabion, promoter Gary Shaw was on and when asked about the hearing and the wraps, he stated that he found it strange that an insert was even used on the knuckles since in his opinion, it wouldn’t help with punching power. The knuckle pad sits on top of the knuckles and not on part of the hand that is used as the punching surface, as he explained it. For those that don’t know, before Shaw was a promoter, he was a member of the New Jersey State Athletic Commission.
Another guest on the show claimed that Margarito uses the inserts during training and sparring sessions and that he had actually hurt a sparring partner because of them. She stated that she had seen Margarito have his hands wrapped as if for a pro fight every day in the gym.
That I do believe to be true because in my rounds of the TIjuana gyms, all the fighters get wrapped that way every day for training and they do use different kinds of knuckle pads to protect their hands. Although the pads, which would be illegal in any pro fight because the rules clearly state that the hand can not be wrapped with anything but gauze and tape in a certain prescribed way, I would hardly believe that any of these could cause any damage. Usually the fighters use well worn gauze, just like the kind you can get at any CVS store for your arm or leg, and double up on it on top of the knuckles and then wrap the hand, usually adding tape to the wrist area. I’ve seen one fighter use a standard bandanna as a knuckle pad and then wrap gauze on top of it. The most common one I have seen is a sponge, the kind that is wrapped with a fabric cover, taped over. The sponge is set on top of the knuckles and then wrapped with the gauze. At first the sponge, when new, is bulging but with time and plenty of punches, ends up flat.
Hardly sinister.
Something that has not brought up enough was the fact that Margarito that night was across the ring from an admitted steroid user, Shane Mosley. Don’t get me wrong, I respect “Sugar” for all his achievements and I believe he is a great fighter but he has admitted using a banned substance. As far as I understand it and I am no expert, EPO, the steroid that Mosley has used in the past, helps a fighter build up his stamina. If this is true, this can be much more dangerous than wet inserts in hand wraps. As a fight gets into the later rounds and both fighters tire and slow down their punch output, what would happen if one of them just doesn’t get tired? Keeps punching at the same pace as the beginning of the fight and possibly with the same potency? Could that hurt his opponent beyond repair?
I am not using this argument to justify what was found in Margarito’s wraps but why aren’t boxing fans and writers calling for Mosley’s head when it became public that he had used this substance? Why aren’t we calling for his banning for life? Because it happened years ago? As far as I understand it, EPO is very hard to detect and does not come up in simple urine tests. Can we be positive that he or any other fighter is not using it?
I am not trying drive the bus over Mosley, who I really like as a fighter and person, but I don’t understand the double standard.
Like Steve Kim of MaxBoxing.com recently stated in an episode of the Next Round, “I am a boxing fan and I want to see fights.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Margarito was suspended by the CSAC for a year. He served that year without fighting and only fought when the suspension was over. He has again applied for a license and has been granted one so let the man fight. It is obvious that Margarito will from now until the end of not only his career but possibly his life be branded with the Scarlet Letter of what he was caught with. He will never be allowed to forget it. if the CSAC deemed that a one year suspension was enough punishment for what was found, then so be it.
I understand that many people do not agree with Margarito facing the #1 pound for pound fighter in the world. I respect that view also. They have every right to protest and not attend the fight, not buy the PPV, not steal a stream or not to search for it days later on youtube.
How many of them do you think really would not see it?
I know the place but never gone in, good to know they show all the fights, other places are switching to MMA when both sports compete on the same night.
El Perro Salado is accross the street from Mercado Hidalgo in Zona Rio. In the same strip mall as the KFC, accross the street from the Pemex. They show all the fights there for free, including PPVs. I am there pretty much every Tuesday and fight nights. Look for me and say hi.
LOL I’m with you to! Pacquiao did leave Cotto much worst than Tony did.
Who’s with me?
come on show some love…. 🙁
I’m with Jay too lol, and with you on those fights!
I’m with Jay, bring on the good fights !!! I want to see:
1. Bradley vs Khan
2. Ortiz vs Maidana II
3. Williams vs Martinez II
I’m with you brother. Bring on the fights!
@Gabriel Aguinaga well said.
I’m not a doctor or a boxer so its hard for me to say how long it should take for a fighters swelling to go down. I’ll be the first to admit if I said something haistfull and maybe I did when it comes to the damage cotto took. But the fact still remains, we’ll never really know if margarito knew or not. I realy hope he didnt. Anyway the whole thing is over and life goes on, He got a lisence and we have a good fight. Between Margarito and Mayweather boxing has turned into a soupoprah and its getting really old really fast. I just want to see some good fights.
I dont know what the details of moselys steroid issues were so I cant be sure if the way they delt with it was appropriate. (Good article) But its all over and done with. I’m ready to see some good fights how about you guys?
@Felipe
Where exactly is the ‘perro salado’ ?
@Love boxing, I never said Cotto didn’t lose convincingly. He did get his butt kicked (well, punched). 🙂
@Gabriel,
Cotto lost and convincingly.I think that Cotto is a hoax
Pacquiao (the smaller man) left cotto way worse, than margarito ( the bigger man) did. Lets leave it at that!…
I don’t know If he knew or not (no ones knows but him, and his trainer), but I doubt that was the first time they tried it. You have to be pretty confident in your ability to pull off such risky endeavor (on such a huge stage), and confidence in your abilities usually comes with practice. So, whether he knew or not, it is my opinion he assaulted Cotto that night; and for that alone, a 1 year suspension is not enough (at least not in my book… but who the heck cares about my books, right? lol)
I lovED Margarito. I’m a proud Mexican, I was born just 45 Minutes from Tijuana… so the dude had my heart! But it was a huge disappointment to learn about all this hand-wrap fiasco.
All in all, you are right… no matter how much “I oppose” — I am gonna watch the fight!! I love boxing too much to miss this one.
Great article Btw. Keep them coming. 🙂
-Gabriel
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