Si Margarito na! pinili ni Arum na makakalaban ni Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines -  Dahilan sa mas magandang magiging laban, mas pi­nili ni Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions si Mexican An­tonio Margarito kesa kay Puerto Rican Miguel Angel Cotto bilang kalaban ni Manny Pacquiao.

Tinalo na ni Pacquiao si Cotto via 12th-round TKO upang agawin sa huli ang dating suot nitong World Bo­xing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown noong Nobyembre.

Sinuspinde naman ng California State Athletic Commission si Margarito dahil sa paggamit nito ng plaster-like substance na nakapalaman sa kanyang hand wraps nang labanan at matalo kay Sugar Shane Mosley noong Pebrero ng 2009.

“Cotto was beaten and even with (Hall of Fame trai­ner) Emanuel Steward now with him, I don’t think people believe that it’s enough to make a difference and I’m not sure they would buy it as competitive,” ani Arum kahapon. “But putting aside the controversy about the wraps, the one thing you know for sure with a Margarito fight is that it will be a hell of a fight for however long it lasts.”

Nakatakda ang Pacquiao-Margarito fight sa Nob­yem­bre 13 kung saan pag-aagawan ng dalawa ang ba­kanteng World Boxing Council (WBC) light middleweight title.

Kung mababawi ni Margarito ang kanyang boxing license ay gagawin ang kanilang upakan ni Pacquiao sa Las Vegas, Nevada at kung hindi ito ay idaraos sa Mo­nterey, Mexico, ayon kay Arum.

“Margarito knows only one way to fight and that’s coming forward. They’re going to get in there and fight. That’s what people want to see,” sabi ng promoter.

Kasalukuyang ibinabandera ng 31-anyos na si Pacquiao, ang Congressman ng Sarangani, ang 51-3-2 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 39 KOs kumpara sa taglay na 38-6-0 (27 KOs) ng 33-anyos na si Margarito.

Huling tinalo si Roberto Garcia, sinubukan ni Marga­rito na kumuha ng lisensya sa Nevada noong Hulyo 9, ngunit 4-1 ang naging botohan ng Nevada Athletic Com­mission laban sa Mexican.

Nakatakdang magtungo si Margarito sa California sa Lunes para humingi ng lisensya.

Ang pagpili ni Arum kay Margarito ang tuluyan nang nagbasura sa inaabangang banggaan nina Pacquiao at Floyd Mayweather, Jr. ngayong 2010.

“This kid is so nuts,” ani Arum kay Mayweather. “His idea of being part of his team is having guys who when he says ‘jump,’ they say ‘how high?’ Why didn’t they just say we decided not to fight until next year?”