Tornado Warning : The Return of Antonio Margarito

Tornado Warning : The Return of Antonio Margarito

http://www.nobsboxing.com/news_details.php?id=43

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by Craig Medaris

One of boxing's most watchable fighters makes a somewhat uncomfortable return to boxing this weekend as he headlines Top Rank's latest Latin Fury PPV. His opponent for the night is Roberto Garcia, (28-2 21KOs) a 30 year old veteran of the sport, yet he is being brought in to be the canvas that Margarito paints red for the crowd. The fight itself should really be of little note, as Antonio has consistently walked through similar calibre of opponents throughout his entire career. No, this fight is all about the storylines that will now follow Margarito for the rest of his life.

As a longtime fan of Antonio it was almost a surreal experience when I was hearing Larry merchant describe to the viewers at home that Shane Mosley's trainer Nazim Richardson had caught out Margarito and co. illegally wrapping his hands prior to their bout. A man who seemed to exude so many of the positives of professional boxing had done the unthinkable and attempted to cheat.

Forget that Mosley went on to completely demolish the heavy betting favourite and stop him in nine brutally one-sided rounds, the story was and will forever be the hand wraps. Did he know and if he did, for how long? Did he use them in other fights? Just how much of an advantage did he gain? These and many more questions were asked by fans around the world for months after the story broke.

Now, he's back and the reaction from the fans is almost strange. There was a very strong push from portions of the public to have Margarito banned from the sport for life, some even wanted him charged with a crime. Others didn't really care what happened to him, because from that point on he's marked. Hardly any defended him though and lets be honest here, it's a pretty difficult subject to rush to someone's defense over.

But somewhere along the line most of us lost sight of the actual crime and I think many went overboard with their reaction. After all, this is boxing where a fighter can travel to an opposing country knowing full well that they won't be treated equally. Where sanctioning bodies regularly break their own rules to satisfy a promoter or two. Hell, even the sports most important publication is now owned by such a promoter. We are a sport that has so much BS burned into our brain that it becomes second nature to us. We here at NoBSBoxing try to look past this and find the soul of the sport.

At the end of the day, boxing is a tough sport filled with tough men and there are numerous instances in which we as fans simply say "It's boxing". We know what our sport is and we love it anyway, yet this situation with the Margarito wraps created such a savage rebuke from within the sport itself one has to wonder what sport they watch the other 354 days of the year.

I won't get on my soapbox and cry foul over this somewhat unbalanced stance most have taken. In terms of punishment, I think Margarito got what he deserved.

Sure, in today's boxing a one-year ban might not seem like a big deal, but the simple fact that he was guilty here will forever taint anything he accomplished in the past and is already there waiting for him around every corner he will turn in his future. It's never going away. Toni is a proud man and those kinds of questions hurt and that is something he has to come to terms with at some point in his life. Understand that what's done is done and set about making the future into something he and his family can be proud of. That all starts this weekend and Robert Garcia be warned, a Tijuana Tornado is heading your way.

 

I have to agree with Craig here. Margarito was insanely out of line with the wraps, but the pendulum certainly swung too far one way on this one.

I, for one, will be glad to see him back. He is great to watch.

 

I agree it was lame and he is evidently not a very pleasant man to have attempted such a thing, I just love his fights. I think before this fight and with the year ban, he has earned a second chance. He was an asset to the sport and maybe one day will be again.

 

Cmon dude, cheat he may be, but Margarito is a wrecking machine. Shane shoved his sh1t in but that was a huge upset. The guy was avoided for very good reasons.

 

Ahhh hha! Nice one. Didn't notice that.