Thread: Look what Cotto is saying now about Margarito

I think he is completely justified in his reaction, this is from espn. He still man's up to the defeat as well.

NEW YORK -- Former welterweight champion Miguel Cotto doesn't believe Antonio Margarito should be allowed to fight anywhere after his boxing license was revoked by the California State Athletic Commission.
Margarito, who punished Cotto last summer to win the title, had his license taken away for one year Tuesday after illegal wraps were discovered on his hands before a loss last month to Shane Mosley. The commission's decision will likely be upheld in other states.
Margarito's trainer, Javier Capetillo, also lost his license for at least one year.
"I think if it's up to me, we should all abide by the rule that was made," Cotto said during a conference call Wednesday. "He was suspended for one year, he should be suspended everywhere. He has to abide by the rules and I think if he can't fight in the United States, he shouldn't be able to fight at all."
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who attended the hearing, called the ruling "an outrage" and has said Margarito will likely appeal. In the meantime, Arum said it's possible that Margarito could fight in Mexico, where decisions made in the United States are often not upheld.
"He has to make a living and he has a right to fight anyplace that will license him," Arum said Wednesday. "Mexico has indicated, or certain places in Mexico, have indicated they'll give him a license."
Arum promotes both fighters and had tentative plans to match them in another big-money fight later this summer. Unless Margarito wins his appeal, Cotto isn't interested.
"This is not a good thing for boxing. It gives boxing another black eye -- another incident boxing doesn't need," said Cotto (32-1, 26 KOs), who will fight unheralded Michael Jennings for the vacant WBO title on Feb. 21 at Madison Square Garden.
"You go into the ring thinking you're all playing by the same rules. This is sport, this isn't a slaughterhouse. This is about fighting at the best of your abilities," Cotto added, speaking through a translator. "We should all go in the ring and be ready to fight with what we have, our own abilities and our own preparation."
What does Arum think of the discord between two of his top fighters?
"Miguel is certainly entitled to his opinion," he said. "I have expressed my opinion. I don't say everybody has to agree with me."
A few minutes before Margarito (37-6, 27 KOs) entered the ring to fight Mosley on Jan. 24, his trainer Naazim Richardson objected to the way Margarito's hands were being wrapped. When the tape was cut off, a plaster-like substance was found nestled tightly inside the usual tape on the Mexican fighter's fists.
Mosley went on to dominate Margarito, stopping him in the ninth round to win the WBA version of the welterweight title.
"All I know is when everybody gets their hands wrapped, they know what's in them," Cotto said. "They know if there's something in their hand wraps or not. As a fighter, you know if there's something in there."
Cotto refused to speculate whether Margarito had a similar substance on his wraps when they fought last July, a close, bloody bout that ended in the 11th round when Cotto's corner threw in the towel.
"They're the only ones that can answer that question. I can't answer that," Cotto said. "All I can tell you is I choose to think he had a good night."

In my opinion Arum is doing Margarito and boxing wrong by encouraging him to fight elsewhere. This is not the same as Edwin Valero, Banned from his sport in the U.S., WBA champion Valero takes his next title bout to Mexico | Sports | Boxing | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California where in Valero's case, he's more the victim. The commission might look at Margarito's defiance as not being remorseful for what had happened and not showing them any respect. When the review to lift his suspension comes around, it might add more time if he fights elsewhere.

What Margarito was suspended for is definitely on the badder side of breaking rules of boxing.. Like taking steroids or things like that are about trying to enhance your performance and potential or whatever.. But tampering with gloves or wraps to make them harder is really endangering the health of your opponent while they aren't aware of it and can't really defend against it..

When your looking at rules being broken that are there to protect fighters health, there really is no limit to how seriously it can be taken.... It's sad to see a great fighter out of the game, but in a case like this where another fighters health could be affected to the point of brain damage or concussion etc because of illegal activity,, then you couldn't say it's 100% not fair if he was suspended for good..

If they really were much harder and it came into a position that he dominated Shane and the hard collisions with his head put him in hospital, there isn't really a worse way of exploiting the rules of boxing, and incredibly dangerous... So I think Cotto has a case for his point of view, and any boxer who is stepping in the ring should have 100% faith that his opponent hasn't broken rules like that which could seriously put your health in danger..

This situation like this damage the image the Sport of Boxing...........

Well imo I think Arum is talking out his arse....He says Tony has a right to make a living; which I agree with in itself; but he shouldn't be able to make that living in boxing....the guys he fought had a right to make a living as well and if he had previously been using wraps he put their right to making a living in danger{moreso than what it already was in that ring}; so I'm not feeling too sorry if he can't "make a living" in boxing any more.

Arum is being retarded. Margarito can and should go for at least a year without boxing. PERIOD. This is bad for boxing.

Originally Posted by Taeth

I think he is completely justified in his reaction, this is from espn. He still man's up to the defeat as well.

That's the key part. Cotto is a pro.

Think of all the BS excuses that fighters have used over the years to explain their defeats.... just about any other fighter right now in Cotto's position would be saying that Margarito probably cheated in that fight too, but Cotto is taking the loss like a man.