Antonio Margarito: Banish to The Phantom Zone or Reinstate?

For those of you old enough to recall; yes, that was a Superman reference.

Rather a super villain reference.

General Zod, a fictional character in the Super Man comic books and movies was banished to the Phantom Zone for his atrocious crimes against Krypton.

In the Superman comics General Zod would occasionally escape from the inescapable dimension and wreak havoc on the Universe.

Zod is a super villain by every definition and deserving of his exile in the Phantom Zone.

However have we the boxing community unjustly subjected Antonio Margarito to the same fate; metaphorically?

Antonio Margarito was born in California and currently resides in Tijuana, Mexico.

Nicknamed the Tijuana Tornado for his unrelenting forward attacks while paying homage to Baja, California the place he calls home.

Antonio has given the boxing fans some exciting bouts. For 16 years he has engaged with fighters, some that have often been avoided by the top pound for pound pugilists in the world.

In 2008, Margarito did something that experts said he couldn’t and stopped Miguel Cotto by TKO in round 11.

Spectators were awestruck as the Tijuana Tornado continued to walk through power shots from Miguel Cotto without as much as a wince. Antonio was immediately launched onto the world stage and held in high regard as a legitimate contender at Welterweight.

Six months later, Margarito would defile the sport of boxing by committing a despicable act.

On the night of January 24, 2009 versus “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Margarito’s trainer was found attempting to apply a plaster like substance to Antonio’s hand wraps prior to the fight. Naazim Richardson, Mosley’s trainer, was a witness during the mandatory hand wrapping process that occurs before every professional boxing match.

Richardson noticed the substance and brought it to the attention of the Nevada State boxing officials who immediately confiscated the wraps and ordered Antonio’s hands be re-wrapped. The events that transpired before the fight were intensified after Margarito’s granite chin was cracked and Antonio was stopped in just nine rounds by the re-emerging Mosley.

The controversy festered and doubts were immediately raised about his previous victories over Kermit Cintron and Miguel Cotto, which ended in vicious stoppages.

Did Margarito have loaded gloves in his previous bouts? If so, how many of his previous bouts are potentially tainted? How could the State officials miss this?

Subsequently Antonio and trainer Javier Capetillo had their licenses revoked in the state of California.

According to The Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 and Ali Act of 2000, all states must follow in accordance with the suspension. The commission exercised its power and authority to hand Margarito and his trainer a judgment for their actions—a one-year suspension.

This isn’t the first time the commission has issued suspensions for infractions against their rules designed to keep fighters safe.

Fernando Vargas was suspended for nine months and paid a $100,000.00 fine after testing positive for steroids following his bout with Oscar De La Hoya in 2002. James Toney tested positive for the anabolic steroid Stanozolol in the post-fight drug test following his bout with John Ruiz in 2005.

Toney was given a one-year suspension, which he later appealed however in 2007 he once again tested positive for steroids. This time it was Boldenone. Toney was given a one-year suspension, which was later reduced to 180 days following an appeal.

“Sugar” Shane Mosley testified before a federal grand jury during the BALCO investigations in 2003, stating he did take steroids known as “the Clear” and “the Cream” before his bout with Oscar De La Hoya.

All of the fighters I have discussed have been reinstated and continue to fight or claim they plan to return to the sport.

So why is the boxing community holding Margarito to a different standard?

Is it because the attempted gain in advantage was applied to the weapons he used to dismantle the up and coming Puerto Rican sensation Miguel Angel Cotto? Or is it the let down we all felt when a legitimate Mexican Welterweight who seemed to have no fear and would fight anyone; showed the world the real reason he had no fear?

Regardless of why he is being held to a different standard, I’m here to proclaim, he shouldn’t be.

Antonio has been dealt his civil justice by the California State Athletic Commission and he served his 15 month suspension. He suffered the embarrassment and humiliation of his actions and he was rightly crucified by the media and the fans.

However, he has a right to continue to make his living the way he always has—fighting.

Bob Arum of Top Rank promotions said this following the suspension announcement, "The kid did nothing wrong. He didn't know anything. To deprive him of earning a living for one year is Draconian and un-American."

Although I don’t believe Margarito was unaware of the loaded gloves, I do believe the latter of Arum's statement.

It would be Draconian and un-American to continue to deprive him from earning a living.

It’s beginning to look more and more like Margarito will be allowed to fight in Texas on November 13, 2010 against Manny Pacquiao.

Will the boxing fans eventually accept this bout as the event draws closer?

Or, have we already decided Antonio is in fact a super villain and should be banished to the Phantom Zone, where he’ll occasionally escape only to be dealt ring justice by a heroic adversary?