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Margarito's Ready But Floyd's "making excuses already"
By Scoop Malinowski
"It made me even more sure I can knock this guy (Mayweather) out."
July 29th is the date that has been set aside for the big Floyd Mayweather-Antonio Margarito IBF/WBO Welterweight unification pay-per-view showdown.
Boxinginsider.com asked Margarito manager Sergio Diaz how the negotiations for that eagerly-anticipated clash are coming along. It seems not so well.
"I do know Floyd's making excuses already," said Diaz by phone from Los Angeles on Friday. "He's saying he's leaving the decision up to his people, he's talking about his hand hurting."
When Top Rank promoter Bob Arum offered the Mayweather fight opportunity to Team Margarito, Diaz said, "We got excited. Antonio is ready to fight anybody at the top. Anybody. But other fighters don't want to step in with Antonio. Bob Arum has made offers to Mosley, Vargas, Hatton (in the beginning of 2006), Winky Wright - he didn't want that fight either, and Zab Judah - before he lost to Baldomir."
Diaz also stated that Arum has made previous substantial offers to the Mayweather camp to fight Margarito. "Arum offered pretty big money to Floyd - around $6 million. For some reason Floyd keeps saying, Who's Antonio? That he's not on my level. Who has he fought? Why doesn't he want to fight Antonio? The money is there. He should be fighting Antonio. He'll make more for fighting Antonio than he made for Judah ($5 million)."
Hey, $6 million is more than $5 million...What about Floyd's signature catchphrase, "If it makes dollars it makes sense"? Were we hearing hypocricy? Can the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world be a hypocrite?
Diaz made it crystal clear the Margarito camp is not stalling the Mayweather fight from happening because of money issues. "We're not demanding the big money. Antonio wants the name opponent. After the big win, the money will come after."
When asked why the just-turned 28-year-old Antonio Margarito seems so supremely confident about conquering the unbeaten pound-for-pound icon, and if the Mexican sees flaws in Mayweather that the rest of us don't, Diaz revealed the following. "Antonio is very confident he can beat Floyd. He says he will knock Floyd out. With pressure. Pressure."
Talk about true confidence and not redundant trash talk blathering...Diaz just gave away the Margarito playbook for how they plan on beating Floyd!
Margarito could not be in Las Vegas last Saturday because a family member was involved in a tragic car accident. But Margarito watched Mayweather struggle with Judah on TV and is now more confident than ever he will leave Floyd destroyed.
"With the little pressure that Zab put on Floyd, Floyd got a little bit lost," said Diaz about Margarito's observations of Mayweather-Judah. "Mayweather was never pressured like that by a bigger fighter. Now Antonio is even bigger and stronger then Zab Judah. Antonio is much bigger and much stronger, and he carries a stronger punch.
Antonio, his confidence, just got even bigger. After watching (Mayweather-Judah) he told me, 'It made me even more sure I can knock this guy out.' In fact, Antonio says, 'I would not be surprised if Mayweather doesn't take the fight with me. But the people should know why he's not fighting me - because he's afraid to get in the ring with me.'"
When asked when was Margarito's last real loss, he mentioned the controversial Daniel Santos match which was prematurely stopped, but when asked again, When was Margarito's last REAL loss. Diaz said, "Was when Antonio was 18-years-old in Culver City - Rodney Jones. Ten years ago. This was a fight Antonio took at the last minute. He lost a unanimous decision."
Before closing the interview, Diaz wanted to add one more comment which was aimed at critics who constantly question Margarito's status and the marquee value of his opposition. "Antonio has never had the luxury of picking his opponents. He doesn't take anything for granted. He's dedicated to his business. He fights whoever the promoter tells us to fight. Except for Baldomir but Baldomir didn't take the fight. Our promoter tells us when and where we're fighting and we just get ready and go there. Floyd has picked all of his fights."
Now Floyd has a big decision to make. The timing is right for Floyd vs. Margarito. Everyone wants it, including Bob Arum. Will Floyd or won't Floyd pick Antonio Margarito as his next fight? As the self-proclaimed pound-for-pound best boxer on the planet and one of the best of all-time, Floyd Mayweather has a higher standard to upkeep. Floyd has an obligation to the sport to take on the best competition. If Floyd were to back down from the $6 million and Antonio Margarito on July 29th so as to not take any dangerous risks with potential big paydays looming against Hatton, De La Hoya and Cotto, the boxing media and fans may have to disqualify Floyd from his pound-for-pound perch.
If Floyd were to agree to fight Margarito on July 29th, he should be commended enormously. And the great sport of boxing would have another reason to celebrate in 2006. As a fascinating showdown between the contrasting styles of the flashy and technically brilliant Mayweather against the powerful and relentless Margarito would be an aesthetic and artistic masterpiece for sure.
Boxinginsider.com will be watching this situation closely. Stay tuned as next week we will speak with "The man nobody wants to fight" himself, Antonio Margarito.
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