Boxing Perspective: Antonio Margarito – Fact Or Fiction?

The bout’s signed, it’s a done deal, and the almost mythical Antonio Margarito has just grown another three feet. It’s official, the peerless Floyd Mayweather Jr. will square off against rugged WBC welterweight kingpin Carlos Baldomir on Saturday, November 4 against a glittering Las Vegas backdrop. Pay Per View blockbuster, they say. Millions to be made by both.

The hard-hitting WBO champion, meanwhile, is once again left twiddling his thumbs in the darkened corner, forlornly scouring the room for someone to dance with.

But until that special someone taps him on the shoulder, he’ll be content to merely stay in character, to continue on in the role that has both gradually and suddenly come to characterize his 12-year tenure in the pro ranks – that of the most avoided, fear-inducing fighter in the business.

“Margarito is without a doubt the most feared fighter in the sport today,” testifies Bob Arum, his promoter. “He is, I think, the most underrated fighter in boxing. Mention his name to fighters like Oscar De La Hoya or Shane Mosley and they faint. They don’t want anything to do with him.”

Look at them run. Did you see them? They were going faster than a juiced up Ben Johnson – someone must have mentioned his name.

Arum’s played this one to perfection. The PR Machine has flashed its power. Like some sort of otherworldly beast, the formidable but thus far unspectacular Tijuana native now makes the ground shudder when he moves and leaves in his wake a trail of giant footprints. Not because of who he has fought, though, but precisely because of who he hasn’t. It’s a rare shade of brilliance. Here we have promoting at its very best.

It’s not that Margarito can’t fight. He’s strong, skilled, relentless…the list goes on. But he is yet to prove that he can even compete at the highest level, much less retain the destructive ferocity that he is renowned for.

If perennial nearly-man Tim Henman were allowed to play a ball boy in every round of Wimbledon, not only would he win the thing every year, he would probably look like the greatest player of all time doing so.

Would Roger Federer be scared, though? Not likely.

So far, the only victory on Margarito’s ledger that even remotely supports the ‘most feared man in boxing’ propaganda being relentlessly churned out came last year when he bludgeoned highly touted prospect Kermit Cintron in five one-sided rounds.

However, the young puncher was as untested as he was undefeated going into the fight and seemed to crumble more under the weight of the occasion than he did from his opponent’s winging blows.

And that was his biggest and best win to date. The rest of his reputation is built on conjecture. On what fans and experts think he is capable of.

Admittedly, he has scored wins over solid fighters such as Antonio Diaz, Andrew Lewis and Hurcules Kyvelos, but that is all they were – solid. Each victim was closer to journeyman than contender, opponents who test but ultimately fall short. He should have won those fights, and to his great credit dispatched all three with consummate professionalism.

But, if one is to wear the label of ‘most feared man in boxing,’ shouldn’t more be required? Shouldn’t there be an actual reason to fear him?

They’re all running scared…all except Daniel Santos, the forgotten former WBO junior-middleweight champion who upset Margarito in 2004. Ahead on points, a nasty clash of heads brought their bout to a premature conclusion in the 9th and he walked away that night with a technical decision victory.

In a recent interview, he claimed to relish the prospect of a return match with the popular Mexican, and was not shy about calling him out. Apparently, though, Team Margarito are only interested in fighting the Oscar De La Hoya’s and Shane Mosley’s of the world – which in itself can’t be faulted. Boxing being a business and all that.

However, it doesn’t sit quite right that he would not want to avenge what was a somewhat embarrassing loss before moving on to greener pastures. In fact, one almost gets the feeling that his reluctance to go back down that particular road is indicative of a lack of confidence in his own ability.

But, in saying that, he would not gain all that much by facing the naturally bigger Santos again, certainly not in the form of dollars anyway. Giving him a wide birth may well be the wise move.

One of these days, though, we will find out just how good Antonio Margarito is. Or maybe we already know, and have just been bamboozled by a very crafty promoter. Either way, it’ll be interesting finding out.

courtesy www.frankmaloney.com