Antonio Margarito was once one of boxing's most avoided, and popular fighters. Then, he was exposed by "Sugar" Shane Mosley to have loaded his gloves with plaster before a fight, and he became a villain to all but his most ardent Mexican supporters. His last fight was in 2011, but Margarito, 37, wants to make a comeback.
Margarito's career was cut short by his final two fights. He was brutally beaten by Manny Pacquiao in 2010 at the peak of Pacquiao's career. Margarito made it through 12 rounds in a unanimous decision loss, but paid a great cost; he suffered severe damage to his eye that included a broken orbital bone.
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Margarito returned in 2011 after much debate about whether it was in his best interests health-wise to fight again because of his eye injury. He fought Miguel Cotto, a huge deal because Margarito handed Cotto the first loss of his career. Now, that win was tainted because Cotto accused him of cheating with loaded gloves.
Cotto bludgeoned Margarito in the rematch, schooling him with technique and punishing the injured eye. It exploded again, and the fight was halted in Round 9. After two truly savage beatings, Margarito retired. Now he wants, back in, and is calling for Cotto once more, or fellow Mexican star Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
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Margarito claims his eye is safe for boxing once again, per Boxing Scene. Even so, the idea of Margarito returning to the ring to face Cotto or Alvarez is laughable. Cotto and Alvarez are fighting each other on November 21 for the WBC middleweight title. Combined, they're 6-0 in their last six bouts, and five of them ended in knockouts or stoppages.
Cotto was beating Margarito on the cards in their first fight before he wilted under Margarito's relentless pressure. The animosity between the two is deep, and Cotto exacted revenge when they fought again. There are bigger fish for him to fry now, and his legacy would not be enhanced by thumping a 37-year-old coming off a four-year layoff.
Alvarez's chances of taking on the "Tijuana Tornado" are even slimmer. He pretty much already beat him when he knocked out Alfredo "Perro" Angulo in 2014; the two have similar styles, and while Margarito was superior in his prime, there are few fighters that better define damaged goods.
Finally, the buildup to Cotto-Margarito II was nauseating in a way. After he was discovered with the hardened gloves, it was not hard to draw a conclusion he had used them vs. Cotto, who dug up tapes and had some evidence of the plaster. That brand of deceit should never have been rewarded in the first place-and a big payday vs. Cotto is a reward-and it shouldn't be hyped up again now. That was an ugly night that boxing would like to bury.
So they should bury it, and this embarrassing comeback bid.
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