Margarito, Pacquiao is His Ticket to Redemption

Pacquiao vs Margarito

Pacquiao vs Margarito are scheduled to clash on Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, a fight that should earn the Philippine congressman at least $15 million. Margarito is coming off a one-year ban from boxing after being caught with illegal substances in his hand wraps during a fight with Shane Mosley 19 months ago. His fight against the Filipino ring icon is the biggest in his comeback trail. With the World Boxing Council super welterweight title at stake, Pacquiao also has a shot at an eighth weight division crown. He already has etched his name in history books after becoming the first boxer to win titles in seven weight classes after claiming the World Boxing Organization welterweight title of Miguel Cotto last year. For Margarito, Pacquiao is his ticket to redemption after being vilified and sanctioned for the illegal hand wraps. “I’ve been asking for this fight for a long time,” Margarito said. “I’m very happy and motivated that it’s here. I want to thank Manny for taking this fight. Everything that has happened is in the past, we’re now in the present. It’s time to show everyone that I’m still very good and nobody will want to miss this fight. It’ll be a great fight and now is the present; forget the past.”

Margarito has denied knowledge that illegal substances were being put in his hand wraps, causing them to harden and adding a lot of zing to his punches. But in an interview with the Inquirer just before leaving the Philippines, Pacquiao said he was certain Margarito knowingly cheated with the hand wraps. “It’s his hands and he watches the taping,” Pacquiao said, adding that Margarito is feigning ignorance because he is “looking for a way out so his reputation won’t be damaged among his fans.” However, Pacquiao noted that Margarito had “paid his dues by sacrificing and not fighting for one year. Margarito was granted a license last week to fight in Texas. He hasn’t fought in America since the Los Angeles Mosley incident after his license—along with that of former trainer Javier Capetillo—was revoked by the California State Athletic Commission for the hand wraps controversy. The ban was upheld by other state boxing commissions. Team Pacquiao, though, isn’t taking any chances, pointing out that “we can watch his hands being wrapped because our agreement is we will have two representatives led by my coach (Freddie Roach) to watch the taping.” Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) has asked officials to allow them to send an extra person from his camp into Margarito’s dressing room prior to the Dallas fight to observe the taping.

“I am requesting that two people be allowed to watch them bandage his hands,” the 31-year-old Pacquiao said. Margarito’s trainer, Robert Garcia, said he had nothing to hide. He said Pacquiao may visit Margarito’s dressing room before the fight. He would also let Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach do the wrapping. “Manny can come watch himself if he needs to,” Garcia said. “I do not have a problem with that. I could have Freddie Roach do the wrapping. I don’t do anything illegal. Pacquiao was all smiles and joking with Margarito during a photo-op on the podium at Beverly Hills Hotel but then told reporters afterward that he didn’t believe Margarito’s version of the events at Staples Center arena 19 months ago. Watch Pacquiao vs Margarito Online only here.