Reports: Promoter wants Manny Pacquiao to fight Antonio Margarito
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Even if he’s not licensed to fight in the U.S. yet, Antonio Margarito has earned the coveted shot to fight Manny Pacquiao, the promoter for both fighters has said.
Promoter Bob Arum told The Times on Thursday that he wanted to wait until next week to weigh site offers from Las Vegas; Monterrey, Mexico; Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas and Abu Dhabi before announcing Pacquiao’s next foe, but on Friday he told Yahoo! Sports and Sports Illustrated that Pacquaio would do what had been expected and fight Margarito on Nov. 13 for a record eighth weight-division title.
The bout is expected to be for the vacant WBC super-welterweight title after Sergio Martinez vacated the 154-pound belt by claiming a middleweight title earlier this year.
Margarito, the former world welterweight champion, had his boxing license revoked in 2009 after the California State Athletic Commission learned of an attempt to have Margarito fight Shane Mosley with plaster-caked inserts inside his gloves.The hand wraps were confiscated before the January 2009 fight at Staples Center, and Mosley won by a ninth-round TKO.
As reported by The Times on Thursday, Margarito is pursuing a long-shot bid to have Nevada officials grant him a one-fight exemption for the Nov. 13 bout because California’s commission can’t meet to weigh his request for reinstatement until next month at the earliest.
Margarito fought in May in Mexico, claiming an unimpressive decision.
The decision to proceed with Margarito clinches another fact that was a mere formality since last week: that a Pacquiao super-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. won’t happen at least until next year.
-- Lance Pugmire
For the record: An earlier version of this report said Pacquiao would fight Margarito for a seventh weight-division title. A victory Nov. 13 would give Pacquiao world titles in eight weight divisions.
