Referee Kenny Bayless holds back Antonio Margarito after he sent Miguel Cotto to the mat for the second time during their WBA Welterweight Championship fight July 26 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Whether it’s fair to him or not, boxing fans could not help looking back at several of Antonio Margarito’s fights after the Mexican welterweight’s boxing license was revoked by the California State Athletic Commission this week.
Joey Gilbert & Jesse Brinkley Fight
The licenses of Margarito and his trainer, Javier Capetillo, were revoked after a plaster-like substance was discovered in Margarito’s hand wraps before his loss to Shane Mosley on Jan. 24 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The revocation could end up raising questions about Margarito’s past performances, particularly two of his title fights in Las Vegas: technical knockouts of Kermit Cintron in 2005 and of Miguel Cotto in July. Margarito’s vicious punches in both fights drew blood from his opponents and audible gasps from ringside observers.
Cotto, who had been craving a rematch and an opportunity to avenge his only professional loss, seemed ambivalent on the issue of Margarito’s guilt or innocence, but firm on his opinion that Margarito should not fight anywhere for a year if the revocation holds up after an appeal process.
“They’re the only ones who can answer that question,” Cotto said of Margarito and Capetillo. “The fans might have a question about that, or the press. Margarito had a great night. I leave it at that.”
Cotto added, however: “When everyone gets their hands wrapped, they know what’s in them. I think as a fighter he would know if he had anything in there or not.”
Regardless of the ultimate ruling, or whether Cotto does ever get another shot at Margarito, the incident gives boxing a bad name, Cotto said.
“You go into the ring thinking you’re all playing on the same level,” he said. “This is a sport, it isn’t a slaughterhouse. This is about fighting at the best of your abilities, to the capacity you have.
“We should all go in the ring and be ready to fight with what we have, our own abilities and our own preparation.”
Cotto (32-1, 26 knockouts) fights Michael Jennings (34-1, 16 KOs) of the United Kingdom for the vacant WBO welterweight title Feb. 21 at Madison Square Garden in his first bout since losing to Margarito at the MGM Grand.
The pay-per-view fight ($44.95) is part of a double feature that also includes Kelly Pavlik (34-1, 30 KOs) against Marco Antonio Rubio (43-4-1, 37 KOs) in a middleweight world title fight from Youngstown, Ohio.
Pavlik is also coming back from his first professional loss, a one-sided unanimous decision to Bernard Hopkins in a catchweight nontitle fight in October.
Cotto and Pavlik are heavily favored to prevail in their returns to the ring, according to the betting line. Cotto is at least a 20-1 favorite (risk $20 to net $1) against Jennings at sports books that are taking action on the fight. Pavlik is a 9-1 favorite to beat Rubio.
If Cotto wins as expected, and Margarito remains out of the picture, several attractive fights could be made for Cotto, including a rematch against Mosley, who lost to Cotto in 2007.
Cotto believes Margarito should not fight anywhere — in or outside of the U.S. — as long as the California revocation is in effect.
“If it’s up to me, we should all abide by the rule that was made,” Cotto said. “If he was suspended for one year, he should be suspended everywhere. It’s not right for him to go and fight somewhere else. He has to abide by the rules. I think if he can’t fight in the United States, he shouldn’t be able to fight at all ...
“If Margarito’s doing those things he has to pay for them.”
Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc., who promotes Margarito and Cotto, has not ruled out making a fight for Margarito in Mexico.
“Miguel is certainly entitled to his opinion,” Arum said. “California revoked his license and he has to make a living and he has the right to fight anyplace that will license him. Mexico has indicated, or certain places in Mexico, that they will provide him with a license, and I am his promoter and I will do my best for him.”
Reno showdown
In a pivotal bout for a couple of Northern Nevada fighters, Joey Gilbert of Reno and Jesse Brinkley of Yerington square off in a 12-round super middleweight fight tonight at the Reno Events Center.
The fight has been in the making for four years, since Gilbert (17-1, 13 KOs) and Brinkley (32-5, 22 KOs) both competed in Season 1 of the reality boxing TV show “The Contender.”
Brinkley enters the bout as a minus 180 betting favorite.
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