Pacquiao to fight Margarito in 2010?

By Boxing News - 02/16/2010 - Comments

Image: Pacquiao to fight Margarito in 2010?By Eric Thomas: Whether World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO’s) fights Floyd Mayweather Jr. next after Manny dispatches his March 13th opponent Joshua Clottey, Pacquiao, 31, will likely be fighting former WBA welterweight champion later on in 2010. Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, is really interested in matching Pacquiao up with Margarito in 2010, provided that Margarito gets his boxing license back to fight in the United States.

If that happens, you can bet that Arum, the president of Top Rank, will put Pacquiao in with Margarito at the Dallas Cowboy stadium where Arum will be able to draw huge number of Hispanic fans from around the area who might want to see Margarito fight. It’s a smart move by Arum, because it will likely be a huge fight if Margarito gets his boxing license back.

However, it’s questionable whether Margarito will get his boxing license back from the California Athletic Commission, who revoked his license last year after a foreign plaster-like substance was found on Margarito’s hand wraps before his bout against Shane Mosley. This led to Margarito receiving a year suspension from the California Athletic Commission.

The year has since passed, and there’s no word as to when/if Margarito will finally get his boxing license back, if he ever does. It’s doubtful that Arum will take Pacquiao to Mexico for a fight between Manny and Margarito. So the chances of a Pacquiao-Margarito fight in the future will likely hinge on whether he can get his boxing license back or not. Many boxing fans and boxers are dead set against Margarito ever being able to box again, believing that he should be barred for life from boxing.

However, even if Margarito doesn’t get his license back, you can bet on him continuing his career in Mexico where he’ll still be able to fight. Margarito lost by a 9th round stoppage to Shane Mosley last year in their January 2009 bout. Before the loss to Mosley, Margarito was considered by many boxing fans to be the best fighter in the welterweight division. Margarito destroyed Miguel Cotto by an 11th round stoppage in July 2008.

It’s unclear how Pacquiao feels about the subject of fighting Margarito. There are likely other opponents that Pacquiao could fight besides Margarito that would give Pacquiao a better payday than him. Even if Pacquiao doesn’t end up fighting Mayweather, he could potentially make more money in a fight against a recently beaten Mosley rather than fighting Margarito you would think. Mosley, if puts in a good performance against Mayweather and yet still loses, would still remain a red hot fighter and an ideal one for Pacquiao to fight next.



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