Miguel Cotto will box Michael Jennings on Saturday night for the WBO welterweight title, a fight promoted by Top Rank. But Cotto is currently furious with his promoters for the way they've supported Antonio Margarito, the disgraced boxer who was caught trying to insert a hardened pad into his hand wraps before he fought Shane Mosley.Cotto's only loss is to Margarito, and many boxing observers believe Margarito won that fight because he cheated. But Top Rank is supporting Margarito and saying it will promote him in Mexico while he's banned in the United States.
Here's what Cotto said, according to the Los Angeles Times:
"I'm very angry [with Top Rank]," Cotto, speaking in Spanish, told a reporter in Puerto Rico. "In the name of boxing, Margarito and his group have to comply with the penalty. Every boxer is very aware of what is being put on them. Everyone in his group was aware."Obviously, Cotto is right. Margarito was caught doing something that could hurt -- or even kill -- an opponent. It's disgraceful that Top Rank is supporting Margarito. Cotto, however, can show by beating Jennings that he's a great champion when his opponent isn't cheating. I think he'll do that on Saturday.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-16-2009 @ 11:43AM
mjohara said...
Miguel is absolutely right...To me Top Rank and Bob Arum are displaying lack of professional and ethical character by taking this, rather quick position to support Margarito immediately outside the U.S. rather than support the decision/s of U.S. boxing authorities that be......This is something you would EXPECT from Don King..and Don King Productions...NOT other promoters.
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2-16-2009 @ 2:55PM
Juan said...
cotto got cheated and is a way better fighter/boxer then margarito...hes a real champion and def got cheated in that fight...ashame his record is tainted by a cheater...
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2-16-2009 @ 5:21PM
jose said...
Margarito is a disgrace to the Mexican people and its great Mexican fighters. As a Puerto Rican boxing fan, I admired his triumph over Cotto in their December match. It will be a cold day in hell before he gets any respect in my book. Anyone that has any respect for the sport of boxing should feel the same..you should be banned from boxing MARGOCHEETA!!!!
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2-17-2009 @ 10:01PM
americanme98 said...
I am not a Mexican fightrs' fan and sure as hell not Mrgarito's even before the Mosley fight but these cheating things on the Cotto fight are assumptions. There is no proof on any cheating on that fight.And what about Mosley who confessed that he use Steroids when he faught against De La Hoya. He even admitted but no one has mentioned it here or in any other blog.Are we to assume he used steroids on all his fights????
Cotto got beat and that's all we know
2-16-2009 @ 9:45PM
Antonio said...
Cotto is not spewing sour grapes here. He has a legitimate point. What Margarito's handlers did and the boxer was complicit in is totaly reprehensible and inexcusable. The boxing organizations should for once take their heads out of their asses and be unanimous in their condemnation of Margarito and his cronies. Bob Arum and Top Rank should look past the dollar signs and have some backbone here.
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2-17-2009 @ 12:27AM
joebro44 said...
Can we Say Rematch will tell the tail of the TAPE.
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2-17-2009 @ 1:02PM
pkingofhearts5 said...
cotto is right he got cheated. want better proof than margarito vs mosley fight i think he should fight cotto again but this time clean...
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2-18-2009 @ 12:02AM
sjmarkets said...
Margarito should be ban for life in boxing. What he did is no excuse, He cheated on Cotto, for sure during their last fight. Bob Arum are all for the money not for the name of sport boxing.
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2-18-2009 @ 1:49PM
Ken Blackwell said...
What a shame!! As though boxing doesn't have enough baggage which calls its legitimacy into question. It has been shown that Margarita is a cheat. His so-called victory against Cotto is and always will be tainted. Top Rank's decision, to support Margarito outside of the U.S.,despite the imposed U.S. ban,is exactly what you would or should expect from many affiliated with the fight game. Ethical conduct pales in the face of potential dollars. BAN MARGARITO AND HIS TRAINER FOR LIFE.
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2-18-2009 @ 6:50PM
Alex Rivera said...
margarito is a phony and disgrace to boxing he should be banned . COTTO IS THE MAN THE PUERTORICAN SENSATION.
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2-20-2009 @ 10:21AM
bippyearl said...
People the biggest thing is that also they are planning a fight against cintron,Cintron is a disgrace to boxing, his lop sided wins against no skill boxers carried his career until he meets good fighters, not great but good, he lost that fight and boxing would do well by launching a investigation on the judges who scored it they way they did, and they should reverse the decision and cintron should have the loss, period, he is a cry baby and complainer, trainers leave him because they know he cant fight, but boxing still keeps giving him a chance, he should be embarrassed by the draw decision, and stop crying, all he does is CRY. Please people demand a rematch with antonio and refuse to watch a bum like cintron in the ring with cotto.
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2-22-2009 @ 7:36AM
umpsasuout said...
come on people,i agree that what margarito's people did was wrong and illegal,but why were they allowed to do it?security was right there watching the wrappings.did margarito cheat when he beat cotto?only the losing fans say he did.got any proof?why don't they just let cotto and margarito go at it bare handed?no wrappings,gloves or anything that will make this cry again.
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3-22-2009 @ 12:02PM
R.L.JACKSON said...
I`been a boxing fan since the 50`s. I know champions when i see them. I`ve seen Cotto fight. Cotto is a champion. Margarito did manage to land some great punches to Cotto. But...had he not had his hands padded...Cotto would have knocked him out. Cotto has taken harder punches than Margarito can throw. Rematch should be in order.
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3-25-2009 @ 10:21PM
furia001 said...
IT IS A SHAME FOR THE AMERICAN SPOTSMEN. RIGHT AFTER MEXICAN SPORTS ARE ROLLING ON THE FLOOR. NOW BOB ARUM SUPPORT FOR ANTONIO MARGARITO IS A DISGRACE. MIGUEL COTTO SHOULD MANAGE HIMSELF,OR GET A PROMOTER THAT REALLY CARES ABOUT . AFTER ALL,ALL BOXERS ARE HUMAN BEINGS. AFTER THE CRIME ,RESTO VS COLLINS, RESTO'S CORNER INCLUDING RESTO WENT TO JAIL. IN MARGARITO VS MOSLEY,MARGARITO GET SUPPORT FROM THE AMERICANS TO FIGHT IN MEXICO. WHAT;S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE ?
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