Antonio Margarito Should Be Forever Banned from Boxing
Disgraced former WBA, IBF and WBO welterweight champion Antonio “Tijuana Tornado” Margarito is tentatively scheduled to fight Carson Jones on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao versus Joshua Clottey bout on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
In order for Margarito (37-6, 27 KOs) to be eligible to fight, he needs to first be licensed to box by Texas regulators.
Margarito, 31, had his boxing license justifiably revoked by the California State Athletic Commission for “at least a year” last February after it was confirmed that he attempted to scrap current WBA welterweight super champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) with a plaster-like substance inside of his hand wraps.
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Fortunately, Margarito was caught and proven to be a cowardly charlatan by officials at the Staples Center in Los Angeles before the match began and he had the opportunity to seriously injure Mosley with his cement fists.
Once Margarito had his illegal hand wraps removed, the “Tijuana Tornado” was promptly brutalized by Mosley and defeated by ninth round TKO.
Margarito is the quintessential tough and rugged Mexican pugilist in the ring.
Nevertheless, his attempted actions against Mosley are a cardinal sin in boxing and they should never be forgiven.
“Boxing is considered a crazy and animalistic sport,” said Mike Cappiello, a native of Brockton who once fought for the IBO super featherweight title and retired with an impressive mark of 33-6. “Margarito’s actions further hurt the outlook of boxing.”
Cappiello, the owner of Cappiello Brothers Boxing gym in “The City of Champions,” continued his stance against Margarito.
“You need to keep boxing as safe as possible and make sure nothing serious happens to boxers. Margarito should be suspended for more than a year to make a statement.”
Antonio Margarito is beloved by Mexican fight fans and he is a popular attraction throughout much of the United States.
Still, Margarito does not deserve a chance at redemption.
Margarito needs to be permanently banned from boxing and precluded from ever being a professional prizefighter again.
For boxing and the sport itself, losing Margarito would be a classic circumstance of addition by subtraction.
*Cappiello Brothers Boxing gym is located on 162 Main Street in Brockton, Massachusetts (02301).
508-583-4303
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