Antonio Margarito has been offered a lifeline by promoter Bob Arum who has pit him against Manny Pacquiao for the Mexican’s first fight on US soil since having his boxing license revoked over a year ago. The former welterweight champion is desperate to put the past behind him and get his career back on track against the Filipino superstar.
“I’ve been asking for this fight for a long time. I am very happy and motivated that it is now here. I want to thank Manny for taking this fight,” said a humbled Margarito, who will go head-to-head with Pacquiao on November 13.
“Everything that has happened is in the past, we are now in the present. It is time to show everyone that I am still very good and nobody wants to miss this fight, it’s going to be a great one. Now is the present so forget about the past.”
It was prior to his January 2009 WBA welterweight title clash with Shane Mosley that a plaster-like substance was found in Margarito’s wraps. Following the fight an investigation ended in his license being withdrawn in the state of California.
The 32-year-old could have applied to fight in other states, or in other countries, but served his year suspension and only returned to action in May with a unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia in Mexico.
Margarito’s sentiments were reiterated by Arum, who insisted his fighter was innocent and there was no evidence to say otherwise.
“Evidence is what convicts and a lack of evidence means that there shouldn’t have been a penalty in the first place,” said Arum who promotes both fighters. “There was a revocation [of license], he served his time and thank god the people of the Texas Boxing Commission who reviewed all the testimony came to the same conclusion because that’s America.
“Evidence determines guilt or innocence and there was not one shred of evidence that suggested Antonio Margarito knew anything about the hand wraps.”
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