Cotto vs. Margarito 2: Junito Will Exact Revenge on Cheating Tornado of Tijuana

After more than three years of lingering doubt and suspicion, Miguel Cotto will finally have the opportunity settle his score with Antonio Margarito when these two boxing adversaries resume their rivalry in the ring at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

Don't expect Junito to let this chance pass him by.

There are many in the sport, Cotto included, who suspect that Margarito might have been fighting with loaded hand wraps. In January of 2009, Javier Capetillo, Margarito's trainer, was caught attempting to slip hardened inserts into Margarito's hands before stepping into the ring against Shane Mosley. The bout went ahead as planned after Margarito's mitts were re-wrapped properly (and legally), with Mosley destroying his Mexican challenger in a victory by TKO.

That incident led the California State Athletic Commission to revoke Margarito's boxing license and raised suspicion that, perhaps, he and his trainer had shunned the rules in prior fights, including his dominant win by TKO over Cotto in the match prior.

Hence, it was inevitable that the two would touch gloves again, if for no other reason than to determine, once and for all, whether Marga-cheat-o's win was legitimate or not.

That's tough to say, but in any case, Cotto should have the upper hand this time around. Both combatants have seen their skills and their physical fitness diminish in the years since their first fight, though, Cotto is undoubtedly in better shape to compete than Margarito at this point. Margarito hasn't set foot between the ropes in more than a year on account of the nasty eye injury he suffered in a brutal loss to Manny Pacquiao last November. Two separate surgeries on that troublesome right eye forced Margarito to push back his rematch with Cotto on multiple occasions.

As such, Cotto will own the advantage in confidence in his own health and, conversely, will know exactly where to aim his punches for the most devastating effect.

Beyond health, Cotto hasn't had nearly the layoff from fighting that Margarito has endured, with a win over Ricardo Mayorga in March allowing Junito to stay fresh along the way.

If nothing else, Cotto will have the support of the crowd at MSG on Saturday night. Few figures in boxing today can hold a stick to Margarito's villainy, Floyd Mayweather Jr. included. Cotto, then, will be the hero by default, charged with the task of righting the wrongs that the unscrupulous Margarito has visited upon him and the boxing world as a whole.

Look for Cotto to wear that cape well on the way to claiming the WBA Super Light Middleweight title.