ANTONIO MARGARITO is doing little to endear himself to the sport he cheated so disgracefully in 2009 – when loaded wraps were found beneath his gloves prior to his loss to Shane Mosley – as he emerged from being hammered by Carson Jones with his arms aloft in victory.
Back in 2010, the Mexican lost a wide decision to Manny Pacquiao and suffered serious injury to that eye in the process. It kept him out of the ring for over a year before he was thrashed by Miguel Cotto, an old rival Margarito defeated while very possibly wearing loaded gloves in 2008. The damage to Margarito’s eye kept him out of the ring until last year. Some reports have suggested the eye is in no condition to stand up to the rigours of fighting, and many more believe Margarito shouldn’t be allowed any where near a boxing ring anyway, given his past crimes.
TAINTED GLOVES: Antonio Margarito celebrates after beating Cotto
But this is Mexico, let’s not forget.
The contest, scheduled for 10 rounds, began at a frantic pace and their heads came together in the second round. The clash opened a cut above the troublesome right eye of Margarito. Jones lost a point for another head clash in the fifth. By the sixth, Margarito was on the wrong end of a thrashing and barely survived the seventh before he was pulled out. Instead of the anticpated stoppage victory for the American, it went to the cards. Margarito was declared the victor via scores of 68-64, and two scores of 67-65.
“Jones was very dirty,” Margarito moaned afterwards. “During the entire fight he was head butting me and from the second round on [the cut] hurt me and it affected me constantly. I was telling the referee about his head, but justice was done. I will continue in my goal to pursue a fight with Miguel Cotto.”
It’s expcetionally likely that Cotto will have no interest in putting money of the pockets of Margarito, but the man who lost his IBF welterweight title to the Mexcian in 2008 would welcome another scrap. Kermit Cintrom went down in six rounds to Margarito and believes loaded gloves were a big reason for his defeat.
“He couldn’t take the rough tactics and dirtiness of Carson Jones, but it’s okay to use plaster against the likes of me, Cotto and many other fighters,” Cintron said on his Facebook page. “I would love anopther crack at this piece of s**t if my promoter Marshall Kauffman and Kings Promotions can make it happen.”
THE FALL GUY: Antonio Margarito hits the deck against Jorge Paez Jnr
Since returning to boxing last year, Margarito – now 39 – has won three times. The previous wins came via unconvincing 10-round decision wins over Jorge Paez Jnr and Ramon Alvarez.
