By Jim Dower: According to the latest boxing news, former IBF/WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KO’s) could be facing EBU light middleweight champion Ryan Rhodes (44-4, 30 KO’s) for the vacant WBC light middleweight title in the near future. Margarito, 32, is ranked number #2 in the division, whereas Rhodes, 33, is ranked number #3. The two of them could be on a collision course for the WBC title, which was previously held by Sergio Martinez. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is the current number #1 contender according to the WBC’s rankings, but it’s almost an impossibility that Chavez’s Top Rank promoters will want to put him in with either Margarito or Rhodes, knowing that there would be an excellent chance that Chavez would be soundly beaten by both.
Antonio Margarito
Antonio Margarito boxing news
Mundine takes on Jerez on Wednesday, wants Cotto and Margarito
By Jim Dower: Two-time WBA super middleweight champion Anthony Mundine (38-3, 23 KO’s) will be fighting on Wednesday against Argentinean Carlos Adan Jerez (30-12-3, 16 KO’s) for the vacant WBA International light middleweight title at the Entertainment Centre, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Mundine, 35, is moving down in weight to the light middleweight division in hopes of having a better chance at winning a world title. It seems like a usual move given that Mundine vacated his WBA super middleweight title in late 2008.
Cotto-Margarito II a possibility for December 4th on HBO PPV – News
By Dan Ambrose: Dan Rafael of ESPN is reporting that there’s a possibility that World Boxing Association junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (35-2, 28 KO’s) will be fighting a rematch against Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KO’s) on December 4th in a bout that would be shown on HBO pay per view. Apparently, Top Rank promotions, the company that promotes both Cotto and Margarito, are in discussions with HBO for the December 4th date.
Berto, Chavez Jr., Margarito and Pacquiao possible opponents for Cotto – News
By Jason Kim: You can add World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KOs) in the mix of potential opponents for new WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (35-2, 28 KO’s) to fight next. In an article at Primera Hora, Berto’s promoter, Lou Dibella, had this to say about a potential match between Berto and Cotto: “We love the idea. Berto would be willing to rise to 154 pounds to challenge Cotto. I understand that would be a sensational fight for the styles of both fighters. We must wait until all the chips fall into place. Finally, if Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. , face each other, this increases our chances of achieving a fight with Cotto. I had a conversation with [Bob] Arum and he was honest in telling me I had to be patient.”
Cotto-Margarito rematch won’t occur unless Antonio can get his boxing license back
By Jim Dower: If Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KO’s) and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum want a rematch with World Boxing Association junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (35-2, 28 KO’s) to take place, it’s probably going to require that the 32-year-old Margarito get his boxing license back in California or least acquire a boxing license to fight in New York, New Jersey, Nevada or Texas. In an article at El Nuevo Dia, the 29-year-old Cotto said he was open to fighting Margarito again if the cash is there and if Margarito can get his backing license back.
Steward says he wants Cotto to fight Pacquiao, and not Margarito – News
By Dan Ambrose: Miguel Cotto’s trainer Emanuel Steward says he would prefer not to reward Antonio Margarito with a rematch after Margarito was found to have a plaster-like substance on his hand wraps before his fight with Shane Mosley last year in January. Steward, who recently started training Cotto, says he would prefer that Cotto go after a rematch with Manny Pacquiao rather than face Margarito again and he would also like to see Cotto fight at welterweight instead of fighting against the bigger fighters at junior middleweight.
Would Cotto have beaten Margarito last Saturday night?
By Dave Lahr: Boxing fans are raving how great Miguel Cotto looked in beating WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman last Saturday night in an 9th round TKO win at Yankee Stadium. They especially point to Cotto’s excellent movement and his greater use of his jab compared to his past fights. And while I can partially see what they’re about, I still didn’t see enough from Cotto that would make me think that he’s a different fighter than he was going into the bout.
Arum could match Pacquiao with Cotto or Margarito if Mayweather fight doesn’t happen
By Dave Lahr: In the latest boxing news, Bob Arum, the promoter for Manny Pacquiao, is saying that he’ll look to match Pacquiao up with either Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto if the fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. falls through. Cotto has the WBA junior middleweight belt and has already been beaten to a pulp by Pacquiao last year. However, Pacquiao is into collecting titles and with Cotto holding the WBA belt, a weight class that Pacquiao has never won a title, it would create a reason for Pacquiao to fight Cotto again. Arum’s number #1 choice would be for Pacquiao to fight Mayweather because that’s where the big money is and the real interest.
Arum positioning Margarito to fight Pacquiao if Mayweather fight doesn’t happen
By Jim Dower: In the latest boxing news, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is positioning former IBF welterweight champion Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KO’s) to replace undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. for a fight against WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KO’s) if the mega fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather doesn’t take place. Pacquiao, Arum and trainer Freddie Roach have been exerting pressure on Mayweather in the media recently about him not agreeing to a fight after Pacquiao agreed to the 14 day cutoff for the Olympic style blood tests that Mayweather had previously asked during their negotiations in few months ago.
Margarito not interested in rematch with Sergio Martinez – News
By Eric Thomas: Former WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito isn’t interested in fighting a rematch with middleweight Sergio Martinez, according to Boxing Talk. Margarito stopped Martinez in the 7th round 10 years ago in 2000, and Martinez, the WBC/WBO middleweight champion, recently expressed interest in wanting to avenge his defeat. It’s a fight that would have done really well and Margarito’s promoter Bob Arum could have put the fight at the Cowboy and it probably would have would have sold well.