By James Slater: According to the man with all the news, Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, Mexican bad boy and former world ruler Antonio Margarito will return against a TBA on May 26th. The fight, which, according to Top Rank’s Carl Moretti, will be fought “between 154 and 160-pounds,” will take place in Tucson, Arizona and will be televised by Azteca.
Also according to Moretti, “Tony’s” badly busted up right eye (which was severely damaged in Margarito’s lopsided loss to Manny Pacquiao and was then further brutalised in the Mexican’s grudge-match rematch loss to Miguel Cotto) is “fine” and the doctors have given the 34-year-old a clean bill of health after conducting extensive tests.
Still, fans (those who still like Margarito) are worried over just how much more punishment Antonio and his right eye can possibly take. According to the ESPN.com piece, a bigger fight will be a real possibility for Margarito providing he comes through the May 26th fight okay. There is talk of the possibility of Margarito going in with the much younger and unbeaten Julio Cesar Chavez Junior (providing Junior can take care of Irish warrior Andy Lee in June.)
But does Margarito deserve another big money fight any more than his body deserves another hard pounding? Is the once-feared “Tijuana Tornado” a shot fighter or darn close to it? The former champ who holds wins over top names like Cotto, Sergio Gabriel Martinez and Kermit Cintron certainly looked old and slow in the return with Cotto. At 38-8(27) and after having lost three of his last four fights, Margarito has without doubt seen better days.
Does Margarito need money badly enough to risk his eyesight and his overall health? Or, as is the case with so many proud ex-champions, does Margarito simply have no idea what else to do but continue fighting?
A Chavez Jr-Margarito showdown would likely sell in Mexico, but who on earth would be willing to give Margarito anything more than an outside chance at best? I suspect those fans that would tune in or attend the prospective fight would be doing so simply to watch Margarito take another whupping. Boxing can be a cruel sport at times, but there would be no shortage of people willing to say Margarito got what he deserved if he got beaten up badly. Again.