Margarito being prepared for an eventual Pacquiao bout?
Photo by Bret 'the threat' Newton | Related News
By Scott Heritage
Returning former star Antonio Margarito is being quietly brought into discussion as a future opponent for Manny Pacquiao. Formerly the top ranked welterweight, Margarito picked up a loss as well as a one year ban in his last fight where he was found to have loaded gloves against Shane Mosley.
Since then Margarito has been out of the headlines, waiting out his ban and quietly making plans for his return on the under card of the Pacquiao vs. Clottey card in March.
At a less eventful time in boxing Margarito’s return might have created a lot more of a fuss, and many might have been calling for him not to regain his license.
With the Pacquiao-Mayweather debacle and subsequent fights being made, Cowboys stadium being used as a venue, not to mention the numerous other stars at or around welterweight, Margarito looks to have slipped under the radar with his return.
It now looks like if successful in his return bout against Carson Jones, Margarito might be in line for a crack at the 7 weight wonder himself.
Some will no doubt question as to whether Margarito should take a year off and then be handed the biggest pay day in the entire sport so quickly, but this is probably only a plan B from Top Rank top dog Bob ‘big boss’ Arum (try saying that one fast).
The most obvious target for Pacquiao after Clottey, assuming all goes to plan, will be either Floyd Mayweather of Shane Mosley. Either because the pair may or may not fight, and obviously the winner would then be the bigger target.
If they don’t meet, then Mayweather remains the bigger draw of the two, but also the most difficult to deal with. If the fight can’t be made for a second time with Floyd, and by that point Mosley already has another fight lined up (perhaps the Andre Berto fight remade), then Margarito will be waiting in the wings for Arum to use.
Margarito holds several obvious advantages for Pacquiao to face rather than trying to make fights with some of the other stars of the division. Firstly, like Clottey he’s promoted by Top Rank meaning the terms of the deal should be a lot easier to make than with for example a Golden Boy fighter.
Secondly Margarito’s imposed year away from the sport might have left him with a lot of ring rust or even have let his abilities decline permanently if he hasn’t stayed in good practice.
All respect due to Carson Jones, he’s an easy fight for Margarito, and just the kind of fighter even a severely declined Margarito can look good against.
Although he is something of a persona non-grata in the division and rankings at the moment, history will look back on Pacquiao fighting Margarito as the Philippines phenom taking on yet another top fighter.Even if the fight itself is rather anticlimactic with Pacquiao sweeping aside another Mexican great custom built for him to beat.
As good as Margarito has been and might still be, hes nothing if not predictable, and plays right into Pacquiao’s biggest strengths. Other than having a substantial height advantage which he doesn’t tend to use well, Margarito is exactly the kind of aggressive fighter Pacquiao can pick apart with his power, speed and precision.
Photo by Bret ‘The Threat’ Newton
Check out more photography on Pound4Pound.com
Topics: Antonio Margarito, Boxing, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Joshua Clottey, Manny Pacquiao, Shane Mosley
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Why are these people involving other people to their activities? Is it in question when a guy fights like a flash and a strength of a hulk because he practice industriously ang religiously offer his fight to his fans? This is a blood of a true Filipino Warrior NOT a Chicken or Duck Blood which Filipino used to offer as native sacrifice to cast away bad spirits…LOL!!!!!
first of all marquez beat paquiao both times especially the second fight that was bull shit that paquiao won and if you dont want margarito to fight him its because im pretty sure he will kick paquiao’s ass. morales beat his ass the first time marquez also im sure margarito will to ill put money on it
seriously, they deserve each other.
Pacquiao vs Margarito is a perfect match. Margarito won’t ask for blood tests, I wonder if Pacquiao will insist on checking Margarito’s gloves, LOL.
@No Way Tony,
You categorized Manny as cheaters? This boxer who is clean from day one up to now, passed all the necessary test prior to the fight…who the hell are you No Way Tony to accuse somebody? Do you have any iota of proof? Everybody is innocent until proven guilty sir…put that in your pea headed brain!!!(if you have one!). I say you are a joke!!!
GBP don’t be fools! Get Mosley a fight now. Why are you suspending your world just because of Mayweather? Don’t destroy Mosley like you destroy the Pacman.
I agree with Trevor’s take.
Pacman will fight anyone but I dont think Manny deserves to be the ladder of a disgraced fighter, sure business wise itll be a good sell but knowing what happened in the past I dont think itll be wise for Manny to fight Margarito, but theyre both Arum fighters and I think it will happen…
giv the man a chance to taste the beating he deseves!!!!LOL
@No Way Tony:I agree that Margarito should not reinstated, but to say Pacquiao is a cheater that’s really, really a big foul. You have no evidence at all. And also it’s not Pacman who said he will fight Margarito; its his promoter (only talks).
Pacquiao has more evidence to proof for having a good heart and helping poor and needy people on his native country. All Pac hater are loser, narrow minded and “PINHEAD”
Here’s a common Flips proverb “A robber hates fellow robber.”
A Pacquiao fight against Margarito makes a business sense. He can be called the last Mexican standing.
gayweather will find a way to duck pacman
fuck you margacheato..
margarito should be allowed to fight pacquiao. his punishment will come thru a pacman beating….
none of these guys will win against pacman..much better for margacheato to retire..
FLOYDIE CHEATED MARQUEZ,PAID 600K.MARGARITO CHEATED, PAID ONE YEAR SUSPENSION.SHANE CHEATED, GOT AWAY WITH IT. MARGARITO DESERVES TO BE ABLE TO EARN FOR A LIVING. FLOYDIE SHOULD BE THE ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE BANNED AND THROWN TO JAIL FOR KNOWINGLY ACCUSING WITHOUT SHOWING PROOF AN INNOCENT MAN OF WRONGDOING.
@ Tony: Who’s feathers your’e talking about, or thieves? Margarito’s plaster of paris found in his hand, Mosley’s steroid confessed, Mayweather’s Xylocaine injected in his hand, Yet the later two, wasn’t penalized, but protected instead, and you include Manny from a baseless accusation by a druggist himself. You’re weird,you must have been snorting something too…weirdo
Margarito, custombuilt for Pacquaio? Are you serious?
Margarito must be banned in boxing for life. Cheating is absolutely unacceptable in combat sports.
No Way Tony says: “A cheater against a cheater. What a joke.” What a submoronic comment to make. ‘No Way Tony’? It’s more like ‘non compos mentis Tony’. it’s stupidity like that that reflects badly on boxing fans in particular and human beings in general. Why is Pacquiao a ‘cheater’??? Because of the baseless accusations of a convicted drug pusher (Floyd Sr.)? You don’t know what a joke is when you see one. You’re comment was pitiful and lame and a waste of time. Jackass.
They better ban Mosroid and Mayweather Xylocaine as well if they’re going to ban Margarito.
I am not going to watch a Margarito Cheater fight. In boxing nothing shields the head. He could have killed Miguel Cotto. I want to see this guy banned for life. You can only convince a fool that he didn’t know that his gloves was loaded.
No Way Tony is a moron…he must be a self-righteous moron…a real cheat accusing an honest person of being a cheat.
Shane Mosley, a confessed steroid user was forgiven. Margarito deserves to fight again.
Floyd Mayweather using Xylocaine to gain advantage over his opponents should be banned from boxing.
This joke has been robbing fans for years it’s about time he is exposed for the coward that he is.
If Margarito gets reinstated, that’s a big foul. He shouldn’t get his license back. He should even be sued since what he has been doing is a criminal act. He should just go back to Mexico. Now, Pacquiao is giving him the ultimate reward by fighting him? Well, I guess the saying birds of the same feather flock together really is true. Or maybe, the saying “Honor among thieves” is more appropriate. A cheater against a cheater. What a joke.