MANILA, Philippines - Hindi itinatago ni dating Mexican world welterweight champion Antonio “Tijuana Tornado” Margarito ang kagustuhan niyang makalaban si Manny Pacquiao.
Sa panayam ng ESPN.com kay Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions, sinabi nitong maaaring mangyari ang Pacquiao-Margarito fight.
“Margarito really wants to fight Manny Pacquiao and that would be at welterweight,” ani Arum. “If the Pacquiao fight isn’t there, he might face the winner of the (June 5) fight between Yuri Foreman and Miguel Cotto.”
Nasa listahan pa rin ni Pacquiao, nagdadala ng 51-3-2 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 38 KOs, si Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (40-0-0, 25 KOs).
Tinalo ni Margarito si Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto via 11th-round TKO para sa World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight crown noong Hunyo 26, 2008.
Nawala naman kay Margarito ang naturang titulo nang matalo kay Sugar Shane Mosley mula sa isang ninth-round TKO noong Enero 24, 2009.
Sa naturang laban, napatunayan na gumamit ng banned substance sa kanyang handwrap ang Mexican na nagresulta sa pagkaka-ban sa kanya ng California State Athletic Commission.
Nakatakdang sagupain ni Margarito (37-6-0, 27 KOs) si Roberto Garcia (28-2-0, 21 KOs) sa Mayo 8 sa Aquaescalientes, Mexico.
“He’ll fight at junior middleweight and then, depending on who he will fight in his next fight, he might get back down to welterweight,” sabi ni Arum.