NAZEEM RICHARDSON ON HOW MARGARITO "LOADED HIS GLOVES" With Pedro Fernandez audio

Here is the new audio interview by Pedro Fernandez with Nazim Richardson.

YouTube - Nazim Richardson On Margarito

Here is the transcript for those who enjoy reading.

NAZEEM RICHARDSON ON HOW MARGARITO "LOADED HIS GLOVES"
16 March, 2009 by Ring Talk News


TRAINER DETAILS CHEATING ON "RING TALK RADIO"

San Francisco, CA- There have been a lot of writing about the fact Antonio Margarito was caught “loading his gloves” (as we call it in boxing) by Shane Mosley’s trainer Nazeem Richardson. The man who put together the strategy that took Margarito down and eventually out, Nazeem has been the guy that I’ve wanted to talk to. Appearing last night (Sunday 3-15-09) on “Ring Talk Radio,” the longest running fight show in history hosted by Pedro Fernandez, Mr. Richardson laid to rest any doubts of Antonio Margarito being a victim of some rush to judgment as he told the story of the “loaded gloves.” This exclusive interview is itself an indictment of the “lunatic fringe” that have come out and defended the Mexican.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH NAZEEM HERE & NOW!

RT- On the line from Philadelphia is one of the more prominent players in the sport of boxing. He’s been under the radar, but lately he’s been above the radar as his guys have been pulling off big wins. Bernard Hopkins upsetting Kelly Pavlik. Then he followed that up with Shane Mosley, he beat on Antonio Margarito so bad he should have been arrested for Domestic Violence, it was such a beat down! Nazeem Richardson, how are you tonight sir? NR-I’m holding on with both hands man. How you doing out there?

RT-Fine, how is life in Philly? Do they have any fights at the Spectrum anymore? Is it torn down? NR-No, they’re not doing a lot of fights at the Spectrum anymore. There’s a new place called “the Arena.”

RT- I’ve wanted to get you on the show, and what people have wanted me to talk to you about, and I’m sure you’ve told the story 1,000 times, much like that guy that landed that plane in the Hudson River. What happened the night that you went into Antonio Margarito’s dressing room to watch his hands get wrapped? Can you take us through that? NZ- What happened when they refer to rewrapping his hands three times, that was because of the amount of tape he put on his skin, before any gauze or anything. He was wrapping an enormous amount of tape directly on his skin, on his hands, around his thumb and down his wrist. I told him based on the rules of California that it was illegal. They wanted to jump behind (chuckle) that he had a previous injury. And I was like, but that has nothing to do with the rules man. Finally, that’s how the Commissioner was called into the room.

RT-What about this plaster of Paris, or this powder they put on the hand wraps? When did all of this come into play? NZ-Some of that was people trying to take this in another direction. What happened was he had cushions that he put on his knuckles as they’re wrapping his hands. They had this on one hand already. The Commissioner checked him, but I didn’t see them (wrap the first hand). So, I asked them, I want to check that cushion. And they allowed me to check the cushion and I said, this is pretty hard. So, I asked the Deputy Commissioner to feel it, I said this is hard. He said it, "Feels alright to me." Well I said it doesn’t feel right to me. So I went to the Commissioner, he came in and checked it and said, "It’s pretty hard." Then they peeled it open and down the middle he had a square block of old gauze wrapped with plaster on it. When I took it out and let the Dr. see it he said, “This is the same stuff we use in hospitals to make casts.”

RT-Right then and there, he probably should have been arrested by the Police, let alone be allowed to go out and fight. Don’t you think? NZ-I told them I want the other hand unwrapped. They (Commission) said, “We approved this hand already. I said, so we’re supposed to wait until the fight is over and we check the hand and find out what’s on it? So the Commissioner says, “You’re right,” and they unwrapped the other hand and found another block. I refused to give the blocks to the Commissioner, I called Shane Mosley’s lawyer (Judd Burstein). So, his lawyer came over and I gave them to his lawyer because I didn’t know what the procedure was then, but I felt the same way (that the Police should have been called). I said, this sport of ours is dangerous enough when you follow the rules. Go outside the rules and it can be fatal.

RT- These blocks you’ve described, did they lead to the busting up of Miguel Cotto? Because Cotto in the first four or five rounds, he was doing OK. But then once he started getting hit, he got busted up, like instantly. NR-I looked at that myself and I couldn’t call it cause I don’t know for sure if he had them (the blocks) then, so we can only speculate. The way they’re in the padding, the impact on the gloves as the rounds go on would get you closer to the plaster. So, later you might be punching harder than you were actually punching earlier. So that (Cotto being a victim) maybe the case, but I don’t know, can’t say it for sure. People don’t realize this is a black eye on boxing. We’re all under the same umbrella, all from the same fraternity. I hate to see anything negative like this come to boxing, me being a part of boxing myself.

RT- Thank God you were astute enough to figure this out, because Shane might have taken a horrific pounding from these hand wraps. Although, I tell you the way Shane boxed Margarito that night he (Margarito) could have worn hand wraps and not hit Shane in the ass even if he had a ping pong paddle, he just couldn’t do it. Shane took him right of his game plan from the get-go. Was it that body shot in the first round that sort of told Margarito you’re in trouble tonight? NZ- Well, I don’t know if that set the tone, I know I had the athlete prepared. And my thing was, I told Shane coming into the camp that the people that doubt us we can’t do anything about. My goal in this camp, when we finish this project, is that the people that thought we were going to win the fight, I want them to be shocked by the way you win this fight. So the game plan we had was that I felt I was going to draw up a game plan where as though I’d had an average guy off the street, I could have gave Margarito some problems. I figured if I had an exceptional guy like Shane, all intentions were to knock Margarito out.

RT-Is Shane and Cotto II in the future or what? NR-Shane is interested in Cotto, but in my opinion, I’d like to see him and Manny Pacquiao was victorious in the Ricky Hatton fight. I’d like to see Shane and Pacquiao. I feel Shane has earned the super fights.

RT-I agree. NZ- What I went through with Margarito, when they started hooting and hollering in the dressing room, I did the same thing before with (Tito) Trinidad. I raise a lot of my sons and nephews in this sport, so I got that kind of fatherly figure. I’ve got to protect them at all costs.

Ring Talk? I don't need no stinkin Ring Talk. :shocking:

Yeah Margarito beat that Cotto ass. That's a fact. Humilated him. That's a fact. Danny can't get over it. More fact.

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Originally Posted by boozeboxer

Yeah Margarito beat that Cotto ass. That's a fact. Humilated him. That's a fact. Danny can't get over it. More fact.

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Why should anyone get over what Margacheato has done? Honestly. The man is a disgrace to this sport.

And I'm not saying this because I'm a Cotto fan, if you go and look at any of my posts before this came out, you'll see that I was a Margarito fan as well, but I cannot, and will not, excuse or support a man that has no regard for human life.

Nice to know that you don't care about the damage that Margacheato could have done to Mosley, and what he DID do to Cotto.

He could have ended their careers. They could have ended up like Oscar Diaz or Victor Burgos, or even worse, he could have killed them.

Would that make you happy?

It's nice to know that you idolize a guy that cheats, and has no respect for this sport.

Oh, and let's put you in a ring with a guy that has loaded wraps, and see how well you do, and how long you last in there.

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Originally Posted by Diane

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Originally Posted by boozeboxer

Yeah Margarito beat that Cotto ass. That's a fact. Humilated him. That's a fact. Danny can't get over it. More fact.

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Why should anyone get over what Margacheato has done? Honestly. The man is a disgrace to this sport.

And I'm not saying this because I'm a Cotto fan, if you go and look at any of my posts before this came out, you'll see that I was a Margarito fan as well, but I cannot, and will not, excuse or support a man that has no regard for human life.

Nice to know that you don't care about the damage that Margacheato could have done to Mosley, and what he DID do to Cotto.

He could have ended their careers. They could have ended up like Oscar Diaz or Victor Burgos, or even worse, he could have killed them.

Would that make you happy?

It's nice to know that you idolize a guy that cheats, and has no respect for this sport.

Oh, and let's put you in a ring with a guy that has loaded wraps, and see how well you do, and how long you last in there.

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Yeah but there's no proof he used loaded wraps against Cotto. Considering the boxing commissions in the area I think they may have caught him there. I'm glad it was caught before the Shane Mosley fight.

But Cotto has only himself to blame for the loss to Margarito. He was boxing beautifully and not getting tagged and putting rounds in the bank. It was his mistake and his decision to decide to stand and trade punches with him. IF he'd kept boxing he would have won.

We don't know if Margarito's gloves were loaded in that fight btu if Cotto had kept doing what he did, it wouldn't have mattered because Marga wouldnt have landed much anyway. Cotto gave him that chance and paid for it.

But I'd like to see a rematch. Cotto can win that one if he has learned from the mistakes. And if Margarito has no gloves

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Originally Posted by boozeboxer

Yeah Margarito beat that Cotto ass. That's a fact. Humilated him. That's a fact. Danny can't get over it. More fact.

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Now, now bozoboxer calm down.
;D

Cmon...guys , what Danny brought here in this post isn't exactly to put excuses that Margacheato used that plaster in the fight with Cotto , is simply to know what NR said , probably some of you are not a Cotto fans , but that isn't the issue , the thing is that we as a fan cant accept this act from any boxer , I'm glad that NR could noticed this before the fight ........probably who know what would happen to SSM if this Margacheato would used that S***.........:mad:;D

I really like Margarito i really do but im gutted this has happened it really does tarnish his win over Cotto thing is how long has he been doing this its such a shame for the sport and the fans.

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Originally Posted by Tysonbruno

I really like Margarito i really do but im gutted this has happened it really does tarnish his win over Cotto thing is how long has he been doing this its such a shame for the sport and the fans.

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yep its a black eye for the sport regardless.

But it can all be fixed in a rematch between the two of them.

If Margarito rematches Cotto and is watched and no plaster or etc and wins, then thats pretty much it for questions on THAT win. And maybe for Cotto in general.

However if they rematch, I don't expect Margarito to win that time around, because plaster or no plaster Margarito won that fight because Cotto decided to try to outslug him after he'd boxed him so well up until that point. So in a rematch he'd probably box a lot more.

One things for sure, if Margarito saw that mock interview with Cotto he is probably pissed beyond belief. So its a pretty good set up for the rematch.

But Cotto is not a PPV Draw. So for the next year Cotto should be fighting on HBO. Against who is still up in the air.

I've always wanted to see Hatton vs Cotto ever since they were both at 140. But it looks like it will never happen. So I guess a rematch with Shane, but then again Shane is looking towards Pacquiao after the hatton fight apparently. So, I guess he'll have to fight a mandatory or he'll have to fight someone ranked.

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Originally Posted by Macho

Cmon...guys , what Danny brought here in this post isn't exactly to put excuses that Margacheato used that plaster in the fight with Cotto , is simply to know what NR said , probably some of you are not a Cotto fans , but that isn't the issue , the thing is that we as a fan cant accept this act from any boxer , I'm glad that NR could noticed this before the fight ........probably who know what would happen to SSM if this Margacheato would used that S***.........:mad:;D

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It is exactly to put excuses about the Cotto/Margarito fight. If it wasn't he wouldn't have put it on here. I am thankful that I don't have such a singleminded fucking retard outlook on a topic.

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Originally Posted by Majesty

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Originally Posted by Diane

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Originally Posted by boozeboxer

Yeah Margarito beat that Cotto ass. That's a fact. Humilated him. That's a fact. Danny can't get over it. More fact.

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Why should anyone get over what Margacheato has done? Honestly. The man is a disgrace to this sport.

And I'm not saying this because I'm a Cotto fan, if you go and look at any of my posts before this came out, you'll see that I was a Margarito fan as well, but I cannot, and will not, excuse or support a man that has no regard for human life.

Nice to know that you don't care about the damage that Margacheato could have done to Mosley, and what he DID do to Cotto.

He could have ended their careers. They could have ended up like Oscar Diaz or Victor Burgos, or even worse, he could have killed them.

Would that make you happy?

It's nice to know that you idolize a guy that cheats, and has no respect for this sport.

Oh, and let's put you in a ring with a guy that has loaded wraps, and see how well you do, and how long you last in there.

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Yeah but there's no proof he used loaded wraps against Cotto. Considering the boxing commissions in the area I think they may have caught him there. I'm glad it was caught before the Shane Mosley fight.

But Cotto has only himself to blame for the loss to Margarito. He was boxing beautifully and not getting tagged and putting rounds in the bank. It was his mistake and his decision to decide to stand and trade punches with him. IF he'd kept boxing he would have won.

We don't know if Margarito's gloves were loaded in that fight btu if Cotto had kept doing what he did, it wouldn't have mattered because Marga wouldnt have landed much anyway. Cotto gave him that chance and paid for it.

But I'd like to see a rematch. Cotto can win that one if he has learned from the mistakes. And if Margarito has no gloves

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No, I don’t like to see a rematch; in fact I don’t want to see him again in the ring;
and yes, there is no proof but we know for sure he cheated against Cotto and even before that: why a fighter who was clean and honest all his career (he’s 35 or 36 I think), who was able to climb on the highest mountain, to become the best fighter of the best division without cheating, decided to pass on the dark side, to turn in a cheater?
Or like another poster said before: Why somebody who was able to demolishes the undefeated Cotto, the WW champion, in his prime, needed to cheat against one of his victim? (I’m sorry I don’t remember who said it first)
For me it doesn’t make any sense that somebody who builds such a career to take the risk to ruin it.
Maybe in a court this is not a proof, but we aren’t in a curt but in a boxing forum, we aren’t judges we are boxing fans; to believe he was innocent until Mosley fight is just naiveté.

You can assume Margarito has cheated since he lost to Paul Williams..

Cotto would beat Tony down in a fair fight similar to what Mosley did.....It took Margarito until round 11 to wear Cotto down with loaded gloves.

Tony is a piece of crap that shouldnt be allowed to fight again.

Everybody seeks an edge,but there's a reasonable limit
That passed and jumped off the edge like a lemming in the herd

And to think only a few months ago people were saying Magarito would destroy Mayweather. To me, his reputation is ruined forever NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES. All his victories mean NOTHING. Besides I have NEVER rated him, even after he beat Cotto, I STILL didn't rate him, he took a beating by Cotto, but just wouldn't go away and wore him down with bricks in his fists.He'll come back, but you watch what Cotto does to him in a fair fight. He's a talentless bum and it was good to Mosley teach him a lesson.

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Originally Posted by denilson200

And to think only a few months ago people were saying Magarito would destroy Mayweather. To me, his reputation is ruined forever NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES. All his victories mean NOTHING. Besides I have NEVER rated him, even after he beat Cotto, I STILL didn't rate him, he took a beating by Cotto, but just wouldn't go away and wore him down with bricks in his fists.He'll come back, but you watch what Cotto does to him in a fair fight. He's a talentless bum and it was good to Mosley teach him a lesson.

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I was sure that Tony would beat PBF but now that he has been caught cheating, I don't think Tony would ever lay a glove on PBF with out his plaster Tony is what everyone was telling me he is. Slow and no defense, human punching bag. I guess the plaster is what made Tony such a bad arse. I will give Tony credit for being able to take a lot of punches but that is not really a good thing IMO. If he continues in this fashion now, he wont have a decent working brain cell left to tie his own shoes.

Well only problem with thinking he did it in Cotto fight is that you have to look at all his fights i mean look at his fights with Clotty and Williams. They were not battered or bruised and i guess if we assume he did it Cotto must of done it to them as well they fights were pretty close together. I still going to wait till they come back with the substance because judging buy Margritos fights with Clotty and Williams he did not seem to bruise them up badly i really like to see how much more effect it has then a fist.

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Originally Posted by Mr140

Well only problem with thinking he did it in Cotto fight is that you have to look at all his fights i mean look at his fights with Clotty and Williams. They were not battered or bruised and i guess if we assume he did it Cotto must of done it to them as well they fights were pretty close together. I still going to wait till they come back with the substance because judging buy Margritos fights with Clotty and Williams he did not seem to bruise them up badly i really like to see how much more effect it has then a fist.

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That's the way I see it, you would of thought that we would know what was in those wraps by now.

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Originally Posted by Mr140

Well only problem with thinking he did it in Cotto fight is that you have to look at all his fights i mean look at his fights with Clotty and Williams. They were not battered or bruised and i guess if we assume he did it Cotto must of done it to them as well they fights were pretty close together. I still going to wait till they come back with the substance because judging buy Margritos fights with Clotty and Williams he did not seem to bruise them up badly i really like to see how much more effect it has then a fist.

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Cotto got battered because he traded punches with a man with more stamina and resolve than himself.

I don't think it's the first time he cheated, because you know how hard it would be to convince a fighter to cheat, one time, if he never cheated before? almost impossible. Therefore i believe that they cheated in many fights and found a way to hide it from prying eyes somehow.

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Yeah but there's no proof he used loaded wraps against Cotto. Considering the boxing commissions in the area I think they may have caught him there

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I agree with the whole "Cheating is unnaceptable" and Tony should face the consequences blah blah blah. But for the Cotto fight someone even posted links that talked about how he was clear from the Cotto fight. Also, Margarito was parading around the ring with his fists held up high in view of the public, cameras, interviewers, Cotto's team, etc. Wouldn't any cheater in his/her right mind hide his fists/wraps instead? Does this also mean that Margarito put plaster in his face and body to protect himself from Cotto's punches? Cotto's punches had no effect whatsoever when they faced each other.

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IF he'd kept boxing he would have won

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I agree. Regardless of Cotto's punches being pillows against Margarito, he was scoring combinations with ease.

If it was someone else who started this thread and shared this article it would be different but DannyG has shown how he dislikes Margarito specially after he beat Cotto the way he did. Since then, DannyG has started so many threads out there to discredit Margarito's victory vs Cotto even way before this whole wrap scandal. You guys might remember.

Again, what Margarito did vs Mosley WAS WRONG, I am not defending that.

Now I wonder that Tito Trinidad had in his gloves when he was told to unwrap.

"if he'd kept boxing he would have won."


If a cow had nuts she would be a bull. ;)

I'll preface this by saying I don't like Margarito, never have, there was always something that pissed me off about him. But personally I remain unconvinced he always cheated. I think Capetillo may have worried that they overtrained a bit for the Mosley fight, and knowing of Mosley's stamina & chin, decided to try & sneak the wraps in. When I look at the fights with Cintron (where he cut his wraps off after the fight in the ring) and Cotto and look at the punches, I still see the kind of punches landing on the men that should cut them up. I also remain unconvinced how aware Margarito was of it, mainly due to what Nazeem Richardson and others present have said about his reaction to having to take them off. I definitely think Capetillo is guilty, and should never be allowed near a ring again, but I still haven't seen enough to be judge & jury on Margarito.

I know I'm new but just wondering if anyone else has caught this ,for those who haven't i think Nazim Richardson gives a pretty lucid viewpoint ! Can't really be any doubt.
I want to hear more
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf3JHO-jrtY from Mosely's lawyer.

hell ov a trainer

Great interview of a great trainer. Really clears a lot of confusion up. After Richardson said they felt hard, the first official who felt them said they felt ok to him. Then, the commisioner felt them and they were examined further. It does seem likely that he could have gotten away with it in the past based on the fact that he would have easily gotten away with it that night had it not been for Richardsons intervention. The California boxing commision is among the strictest in the US. So that tells me that it is possible that this has been going on for some time. Reguardless, one time is one time to many and he should be banned for life.

merged...

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Originally Posted by BoomBoom

Great interview of a great trainer. Really clears a lot of confusion up. After Richardson said they felt hard, the first official who felt them said they felt ok to him. Then, the commisioner felt them and they were examined further. It does seem likely that he could have gotten away with it in the past based on the fact that he would have easily gotten away with it that night had it not been for Richardsons intervention. The California boxing commision is among the strictest in the US. So that tells me that it is possible that this has been going on for some time. Reguardless, one time is one time to many and he should be banned for life.

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What the fuck were the officials doing when they were the ones supposed to be eyeballing the wrappings as soon as they start. Were they all in a circle jerk? was that the reason nazeem had to disturb them to actually eyeball the wrappings? You know like doing their fucking job. then one dumb asshole says "duh i don't feel nuthin huh huh" How stupid are these officials and why weren't they doing their jobs. it took the other corners trainer to actually watch the hand wrappings. and these guys are getting paid to fuck the dog?!

I hope we keep track of these post because when Antonio comes back and starts winning again I wonder how many people will jump on the band wagon? As of now Antonio is guilty and has been caught for this 1 fight and is being punished for what he did. And Shane should have been punished for taking the performance enhancing drugs also because someone could have gotten hurt as well. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

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Originally Posted by Tysonbruno

I really like Margarito i really do but im gutted this has happened it really does tarnish his win over Cotto thing is how long has he been doing this its such a shame for the sport and the fans.

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Your not alone, me and every other fight fan liked Margo I would imagine.

He was a typical Mexican warrior whose determination and toughness got him the win, that was my thoughts on him and I respected him massively for the Cotto win. I sung his praises and was really pleased for him and now I feel stupid and sickened.

Of course, the loaded gloves is the gust of wind that's just blown his greatest acheivements out the window...

I hope he never makes another penny from boxing (but I know he will, if there is money to be made fucked up pricks will allow him to fight to line their own fucking pockets!).

If he had any balls he would apologise to everyone who supported him, including greats like Chavez who walked him to the ring. Chavez must feel insulted!

The only good thing I have to say about all of this is that it never got widespread media attention.