Former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito on Wednesday was denied a licence to fight in California, leaving a significant hurdle in the way of a proposed bout against Manny Pacquiao.
Margarito was suspended for at least a year after an illegal, plaster-like substance was found in his hand wraps before a bout against Shane Mosley at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in January last year.
Margarito’s hands were re-wrapped and he lost the WBA title fight.
The state athletic commission voted 5-1 to deny Margarito a licence after a five-and-a-half-hour hearing in Los Angeles, where Margarito testified that he knew nothing about the illegal wraps and blamed his trainer, Javier Capetillo, whom he fired. Capetillo was also suspended.
“There is a concept in business that you can delegate authority but not responsibility,” Commissioner Steve Alexander said near the end of the hearing. “I hope that the message that goes out here is that the commission operates fairly, openly and transparently. Public protection is at the heart and soul of this commission. Period.”
Promotional company Top Rank has been hoping to pair Margarito against Pacquiao on Nov. 13, either in Las Vegas or at Cowboys Stadium near Dallas, but his application to fight in Nevada last month was tabled pending a decision in California and it’s unclear whether the commission in Texas is willing to grant Margarito a licence.
Decisions handed down by one state athletic commission are often upheld by others, although they are under no obligation to do so.
The ruling also does not apply outside the US.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum was not available to comment on the decision.
A spokesman for the company referred questions to attorney Daniel Petrocelli, who is representing Margarito.
“You’re not dealing with someone who is a so-called repeat offender,” Petrocelli said. “You’re dealing with someone who was found guilty for the first time. Prior to the events of last year, Mr Margarito had fought 42 fights, including 15 title bouts, and prior to last year he had a spotless disciplinary record, he was never accused of cheating. He had an exemplary reputation in the boxing world.”
Petrocelli said Top Rank and Margarito planned to discuss his options yesterday.
Margarito could have fought in Mexico, where he now lives, during the year-long period that his licence was revoked. Instead, he chose to honor the California commission’s decision and stay out of the ring in hopes that it would curry favor when he applied for a licence.
He finally returned on May 8, about 16 months after his fight against Mosley, and moved up to junior middleweight to win a decision over Roberto Garcia in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Meanwhile, WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko will fight Shannon Briggs of the US on Oct. 16 in Hamburg, the Ukrainian confirmed on Wednesday.
Briggs had announced the fight in late last month, but until Wednesday Klitschko’s management had not confirmed it. It will now take place in the city that launched the Klitschko brothers’ career.
The 39-year-old Vitali, older brother of unified IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine world heavyweight champion Vladimir, most recently beat Poland’s Albert Sosnowski in May with a 10th round knockout.
“Shannon Briggs is an unbelievable big mouth, but also definitely a tough challenger. He is one of the toughest punchers in the business,” Klitschko said in a statement. “I am also delighted to box in Hamburg again. This is where it all started.”
The 38-year-old Briggs, known as “The Cannon,” has a record of 54-5-1 and is currently eighth in the WBC rankings. Vitali has lost just two of 42 fights, winning 38 by knockout.
“He can look at his world title belt for another few weeks because after Oct. 16 it will be mine,” Briggs said.
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