Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito: Cultural Rivalry Gets a Nasty New Chapter

The battle between Mexican and Puerto Rican fighters is a storied one. Saturday night, that rivalry will get an emotional new chapter.

To say there is bad blood between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito is like saying Japan and the United States had a small skirmish at Pearl Harbor.

Beyond the hand wrap controversy to fuel all the animosity any fight could stand, the cultural aspect is also a major factor. Some of the most spirited debates among boxing fans are in relation to Mexican and Puerto Rican fighters.

Cotto is perhaps the pride of the Puerto Rican boxing right now, but his stock has fallen a bit. He is the champion in this fight, but high profile losses to Manny Pacquiao and the controversial loss to Margarito have changed the perception of his career.

Margarito has had plenty of downfalls in his career. Paul Williams destroyed him then when Hand Wrap Gate broke, he was devoured by Shane Mosley, and almost rendered blind by Manny Pacquiao.

Margarito has lost many fans due to his questionable tactics—those brought into question by the loaded hand wraps he almost took in to the Mosley fight, and the ones he has been accused of using against Cotto.

Many of the fans that still remain do so out of cultural allegiance. Cotto remains as popular as ever amongst Puerto Rican fans, and more popular than Margarito abroad.

The fight is in Madison Square Garden, the overwhelming Puerto Rican contingency could be heard loud and clear at the weigh in, and we should expect nothing less for the fight.