Margaritos Camp Offers An Explanation

[Trainer Monkey]

Margarito’s Camp Speaks on Hand Wraps Controversy

SportingNews.com - The Sporting Blog

While most of the news surrounding the Shane Mosley/Antonio Margarito fight this past Saturday surrounds the dominant nature of Mosley’s upset victory, the boxing world remains in a state of silent shock and anticipation over another pressing issue – the illegal substances that were discovered in Margarito’s hand wraps prior to the fight, substances that were described by both Mosley’s chief second and a representative of the California State Athletic Commission as “plaster-like.”

The substances were removed and taken by the CSAC. If, after examination, the board deems that Margarito was trying to load his gloves to add more pop to his punches, he will be punished and his reputation will take a severe hit. Meanwhile, boxing will have another black-eye controversy on its hands. Margarito’s brutal victory over Miguel Cotto last July was one of the highlights of boxing’s stellar 2008 campaign, a fight that I deemed right here at TSB to be the Fight of the Year. Should it come out that Margarito was plastering his wraps for Mosley, many will suspect that he did so against Cotto as well and that it played a role in his victory, tarnishing what right now remains Margarito’s finest moment in the ring.

The first comments on the controversy emerged today from Margarito’s camp, as Francisco Espinoza, Margarito’s co-manager, addressed the issue to the Mexican newspaper, Primera Hora. As reported over at Boxingscene.com, Espinoza denied that there had been any wrongdoing by Margarito or his trainer, Javier Capetillo, and offered the explanation that the “plaster-like” substances in question were actually gauzes that had been prepared two weeks before the fight with a wet cloth that caused the gauze to become humid and then hard.

To put it mildly, this is an explanation that leaves a lot to be desired. If you are familiar at all with “gauze,” then you are probably aware that when it gets wet, it doesn’t tend to harden into anything that could be described as “plaster-like,” not unless it has been doctored in some way.

I am a big fan of Tony Margarito and so I am not prepared to convict him without a trial. The substances removed from his gloves, whatever they were, are now in the custody of the CSAC and that body will rule on the issue in due time. Until then, I say he’s innocent until proven dirty.

That said, this is a very serious issue. In boxing’s most notorious case of glove-doctoring, Luis Resto actually did jail time for assault after pummeling Billy Collins with loaded gloves in a fight in 1983. Given the gravity of the accusation, I have been hoping since Saturday night that some plausible explanation for the condition of Margarito’s gloves would be offered quickly and succinctly by either the fighter or his camp. The crap that his co-manager came out with today does not meet those expectations, not by a longshot.

I know that there is room for human error in anything, but it's not like they ONLY checked his gloves for THIS fight.

Are we assuming that every time before this fight the inspection of gloves was ill-executed? As far as i know, wraps and gloves are checked in the dressing room by whichever commision, and they watch the trainer wrap the boxers hands.

This brings up a few aspects:

A.) That Tony ONLY did this for this fight, considering the same inspection/monitoring of wrapping his hands has been provided in all of his fights.

B.) That Tony has consistently done this and that the people in charge of monitoring the wrapping of boxers gloves do not do a great job, and have missed it in his previous fights.

If this same process is practiced in every fight, then I do not see how you can count Tony at fault for his previous fights.

To be honest i'm not defending him, i'm just trying to look at this situation as neutral as possible.

There are issues like this in many sports. Steroids in baseball.. Loaded bats in baseball.. Goalie's having pads that exceed the maximum size in hockey..

Granted these are not as dangerous as loaded gloves, they are still the rules of their respective leagues, and it is up to the league to catch the cheaters.

But who would be the 'league' in this case? The commission? So Margarito gets suspended, there's nothing to stop him from going over to New Jersey or New York for his next bout.

Yes there is,commissions respect other commissions suspensions.
If this turns out to be true,he's more or less blackballed in the states, at the very least until his California liscence expires, and probably longer.

[Lance Uppercut]

I know that there is room for human error in anything, but it's not like they ONLY checked his gloves for THIS fight.

Are we assuming that every time before this fight the inspection of gloves was ill-executed? As far as i know, wraps and gloves are checked in the dressing room by whichever commision, and they watch the trainer wrap the boxers hands.

This brings up a few aspects:

A.) That Tony ONLY did this for this fight, considering the same inspection/monitoring of wrapping his hands has been provided in all of his fights.

B.) That Tony has consistently done this and that the people in charge of monitoring the wrapping of boxers gloves do not do a great job, and have missed it in his previous fights.

If this same process is practiced in every fight, then I do not see how you can count Tony at fault for his previous fights.

To be honest i'm not defending him, i'm just trying to look at this situation as neutral as possible.

There are issues like this in many sports. Steroids in baseball.. Loaded bats in baseball.. Goalie's having pads that exceed the maximum size in hockey..

Granted these are not as dangerous as loaded gloves, they are still the rules of their respective leagues, and it is up to the league to catch the cheaters.

But who would be the 'league' in this case? The commission? So Margarito gets suspended, there's nothing to stop him from going over to New Jersey or New York for his next bout.

Yes there is,commissions respect other commissions suspensions.
If this turns out to be true,he's more or less blackballed in the states, at the very least until his California liscence expires, and probably longer.

Yeah, remember when Holyfield got suspended in New York after the Bryd Fight, He could not fight anywhere in the US until the NY suspension was lifted. Although Tony could always go and fight in mexico.

[Trainer Monkey]

But who would be the 'league' in this case? The commission? So Margarito gets suspended, there's nothing to stop him from going over to New Jersey or New York for his next bout.

Yes there is,commissions respect other commissions suspensions.
If this turns out to be true,he's more or less blackballed in the states, at the very least until his California liscence expires, and probably longer.

Yeah, remember when Holyfield got suspended in New York after the Bryd Fight, He could not fight anywhere in the US until the NY suspension was lifted. Although Tony could always go and fight in mexico.

Same thing with Mesi,he had to wait until his Nevada license expired before he could apply in another state. Nobody in any state commission is going to to piss all over another states decision on a suspension,its just not done.

[Mr140]

Well what pisses me off is how they never caught it before and also i no nothin about what they are saying can that happen to the gloves.

[Moono]

this truly saddens me, a mexican is guilty before proven innocent? its a shame how we are treated.

Margarito is innocent.

please guys lets not focus on this because we already have it rough in america, lets just ignore this BS even if margarito was found with a plaster just who cares? im sick of mexicans always being under scrutiny.

why is it ok for mosley to cheat with roids and people let him slide after he admitted to injecting himself?
how come no one talk about pacquiao admitting to cheating and lying about his age? pacman said he put steel in his pants to make weight and even dishonestly lied he was 16 years old and said he was 18, why is it ok for that?

[Trainer Monkey]

this truly saddens me, a mexican is guilty before proven innocent? its a shame how we are treated.

Margarito is innocent.

please guys lets not focus on this because we already have it rough in america, lets just ignore this BS even if margarito was found with a plaster just who cares? im sick of mexicans always being under scrutiny.

why is it ok for mosley to cheat with roids and people let him slide after he admitted to injecting himself?
how come no one talk about pacquiao admitting to cheating and lying about his age? pacman said he put steel in his pants to make weight and even dishonestly lied he was 16 years old and said he was 18, why is it ok for that?

Oh do shut up,everybody is hoping he's innocent,we've just been going over the consequences if he isnt.
Stop it with this poor pitiful Mexican routine

[RP33]

this truly saddens me, a mexican is guilty before proven innocent? its a shame how we are treated.

Margarito is innocent.

please guys lets not focus on this because we already have it rough in america, lets just ignore this BS even if margarito was found with a plaster just who cares? im sick of mexicans always being under scrutiny.

why is it ok for mosley to cheat with roids and people let him slide after he admitted to injecting himself?
how come no one talk about pacquiao admitting to cheating and lying about his age? pacman said he put steel in his pants to make weight and even dishonestly lied he was 16 years old and said he was 18, why is it ok for that?

Mosley is BLACK, you idiot. If you're going to talk about being racist in America you should at least be smart enough to compare this to a White Male.

Woe is you.

[No Contest]

I would put more of the blame on Tony's corner, they should know theres no way the CSAC or WBA would allow the treated gauze, and for them to have to re-wrap 3 times is just stupid. Boxers usually don't concern themselves with that stuff, if it did happen I doubt it was Tony's idea is what I'm saying.

[Trainer Monkey]

I would put more of the blame on Tony's corner, they should know theres no way the CSAC or WBA would allow the treated gauze, and for them to have to re-wrap 3 times is just stupid. Boxers usually don't concern themselves with that stuff, if it did happen I doubt it was Tony's idea is what I'm saying.

I said that earlier,Margarito is going to be the one taking the fall,and he was probably barely even looking when they were wrapping him

[Spicoli]

I would put more of the blame on Tony's corner, they should know theres no way the CSAC or WBA would allow the treated gauze, and for them to have to re-wrap 3 times is just stupid. Boxers usually don't concern themselves with that stuff, if it did happen I doubt it was Tony's idea is what I'm saying.

I said that earlier,Margarito is going to be the one taking the fall,and he was probably barely even looking when they were wrapping him

If a fighter has to micro manage his Trainer...he needs a new trainer.Ive heard of many fighters wrapping their own hands,looking for that special feel?? Alot of shite needs to be revamped if that Sharpi Signature on each wrist means nothing.Agree on Tony taking the hit rightly or wrongly,regardless of what they find...hes already been black balled.

[Trainer Monkey]

I would put more of the blame on Tony's corner, they should know theres no way the CSAC or WBA would allow the treated gauze, and for them to have to re-wrap 3 times is just stupid. Boxers usually don't concern themselves with that stuff, if it did happen I doubt it was Tony's idea is what I'm saying.

I said that earlier,Margarito is going to be the one taking the fall,and he was probably barely even looking when they were wrapping him

If a fighter has to micro manage his Trainer...he needs a new trainer.Ive heard of many fighters wrapping their own hands,looking for that special feel?? Alot of shite needs to be revamped if that Sharpi Signature on each wrist means nothing.Agree on Tony taking the hit rightly or wrongly,regardless of what they find...hes already been black balled.

Serious,your about to hit the ramp to go to the ring,youve got other things on your mind then,"Hey look,some gauze,hey look some more gauze,ooooooo and now theres tape as well",about the only time you get engaged in the process most of the time is when they ask you if they feel good. And unless their too tight,you usually dont say buh,because its a pain to get cut open and re-wrapped. Your brain just is somewhere else,your concentrating on the task at hand. But Margarito is the one who will take the flak for this if it ends up being true. A 30 day TKO suspension can quickly become an indefinite.
And any fighter that does their own wraps,cudo's to them,because that is a serious pain in the ass.I dont even tape my own ankles.