margarito ready: but floyd "making excuses already"

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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.

This guy always talks shit but when a fighter actually steps up to say yes, he says that Margarito already has "plans" Same old same old

Who is this Diaz guy anyway Starr? Why isn't Margarito sayn this shit himself? Why thru this character?

margarito will make a statement soon or something like that. But nothing is trying and an offer isn't being made. Just because Mayweather hurt his hand doesn't stop them from trying to make a fight with Floyd...does it ;) ?

I find it kinda funny they are claiming Winky Wright didn't want Margarito. Margarito can go and thank his lucky stars he didn't, IF that is the case.. Cause WInky would play with him, even if he is for real we know he can't handle Daniel Santos being 154... Winky? Yeah right. Even aside from the weight, Margarito would be a TAILOR made opponent for Winky, imo. In fact I couldn't possibly think of a more one sided fight. That would be like Manny Pac saying Mayweather didn't want him.

I love boxing... Even when I first started doing it myself...i always wondered why every fighter has to hype themselves up for this fight and that fight...and talk about what they are going to do...i always said i would never lie to myself about my abilities in the ring that's why boxing is a hobby for me and i took my ass to college instead...But this margarito guy or his supporters really believe that he can beat PBF by pressuring him...that's ridiculous...PBF wouldn't even attempt to fight Tony the same way he fought Judah...Floyd would circle the ring all night long like a matador wearing the bull down and then he might step on the inside but tony is so strong that before he knows it it will 120-108...His camp needs to stop lying to themselves....but again i love boxing, and it wouldn't be boxing if we it didn't have the contender who talked himself into a big payday and an asswhooping aswell, because the bank account will last longer than the beating...PBF should save this guy for last...after Hatton and Cotto....maybe by that time Tony will have actually had someone on his resume worth mentioning...

Good article Miles mate.CC. Hulk,Margarito is not speaking right now because on the eve of the PBF fight,his aunt passed away so he has more important matters to attend to.

Jones Jr. Mayweather makes a valid point and I agree, Margarito is a tough character but he may be believing his own press and that's bad.

Margarito needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Mayweather nor Hatton will fight him. They will avoid him like the plague. But they will fight other lesser names at 147.

That's crap. PBF and Hatton are just seeing the pot of gold at the end of the road: each other. That is the biggest money making fight at 147. A Margarito fight is not even guarenteed to be PPV. You got Hatton, Judah, even Gatti who are all bigger names than Margarito.

The only way he gets PBF in the ring is by getting Hatton, Judah or Mosley to fight and by beating them. Then he has bargaining power, cuz as of now, who has he beaten?

Its sad that guys who are this rich are only interested in fighting for more money instead of fighting the best available fights. Hatton-PBF should have already happened. Not for nothing, it shoulda happened in Manchester. Why not? They could get 60,000 in Wembley Stadium for that. What a big event that would be.

His trainer is writing a check with his mouth that margaritos a#* can't cash.If thats the flaw that he saw than he is sadly mistaken. I don't think floyd had a problem with pressure, I think he had more of a problem with the punching angle and judahs southpaw stance. Lets be honest judah hit floyd very few times. Even in the few rounds he won he didn't win by much. I think the only reason he got those few hits off was cause the punches were coming quick from an angle floyd isn't use to,if you notice he never got hit with any of the pressure shots but by quick single left hands but he adjusted quick.But as for margarito I just don't see a long slow punching righty being able to hit floyd with even the few shots judah caught on him. Floyd will see all his punches coming and counter them accordingly. The only real advantage I see for tony is that he is bigger and that just might not be enough.

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Originally Posted by BABABOOEY

That's crap. PBF and Hatton are just seeing the pot of gold at the end of the road: each other. That is the biggest money making fight at 147. A Margarito fight is not even guarenteed to be PPV. You got Hatton, Judah, even Gatti who are all bigger names than Margarito.

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:coolclick: 100% agree with you there Boo.

Very little reward for the risk & glitch in the Mayweather Jr. schedule. If you were waiting on Oscar & Hatton...why would you fwock with Margarito?

If Floyd does get tired of hearing Margarito's mouth...or his mouth pieces...he'll come correct & he will beat Margarito.

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Originally Posted by MRMANICK

His trainer is writing a check with his mouth that margaritos a#* can't cash.If thats the flaw that he saw than he is sadly mistaken. I don't think floyd had a problem with pressure, I think he had more of a problem with the punching angle and judahs southpaw stance. Lets be honest judah hit floyd very few times. Even in the few rounds he won he didn't win by much. I think the only reason he got those few hits off was cause the punches were coming quick from an angle floyd isn't use to,if you notice he never got hit with any of the pressure shots but by quick single left hands but he adjusted quick.But as for margarito I just don't see a long slow punching righty being able to hit floyd with even the few shots judah caught on him. Floyd will see all his punches coming and counter them accordingly. The only real advantage I see for tony is that he is bigger and that just might not be enough.

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And :coolclick: to you MRMANICK. I have to 100% agree with you also.