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The tragedy of Collins and Resto, and what it could mean for Margarito

Billycollins_medium For anyone that thinks people that are concerned are maybe getting a bit too crazy about the Margarito wraps controversy, tell Billy Collins Sr. about it. I know I said the other day that we "didn't have to" get into this again, but maybe we do. Maybe it's best to bring up the horrible, tragic story of this infamous fight.

Just under 25 years ago, his son, Billy Jr. (pictured right), died near Antioch, Tennessee, when he drove his car off of a cliff. The unbeaten prospect hadn't fought in nine months, because he couldn't fight anymore. Nine months earlier at Madison Square Garden, Collins had been beaten so severely that the injuries suffered in the fight ruined his eyesight and halted what had been a promising career.

That night in New York -- June 16, 1983 -- Collins was to face Luis Resto, a light-punching, six-year pro of little note. Resto came into the fight with a 20-8-2 record, with eight knockouts. Collins was -- and still is -- 14-0 with 11 KOs.

Resto so thoroughly battered Collins that it still strikes me as almost inhuman that Collins survived the fight without being knocked out. If you really want to see the fight, which is hard to watch, it is available online. Perhaps to truly understand the weight of the issue in the ongoing case, it has to be seen.

After the fight, Collins' dad, Billy Sr., went to shake Resto's hand, and immediately noticed something wrong. He held on to Resto's glove, as Resto tried to shake Collins' grip loose.

"All the padding's out of the goddamn glove!" the senior Collins shouted.

The New York State Athletic Commission seized the gloves, took them in for evidence, and soon enough, the verdict came back: Luis Resto and Panama Lewis were found guilty of tampering with the gloves, removing padding from each hand.

On July 1, Panama Lewis had his license revoked in the state of New York, and he never had an official role in another American fight. Resto was suspended for a year, and he never fought again.

In 1986, both Resto and Lewis were put on trial, and both were convicted of assault, conspiracy, and criminal possession of a weapon. Each man did two and a half years in prison.

Lewis to this day maintains that he didn't do anything, and that he's been banned unjustly for all these years. Resto, meanwhile, has lived rent-free in a basement of a boxing gym in New York, and after 15 years of efforts to get his license back in the state so that he could work corners, he was allowed to do so.

The former pug, now 48 years old, revealed in 2007 that not only had Lewis removed padding (and that he was aware of it), but the trainer had also soaked Resto's handwraps in plaster. The effect was, essentially, what Billy Collins Jr. reported during the fight: it was like he was being hit with bricks. The hand wraps had never even been investigated.

Resto went to the home of Collins' widow to apologize to her, saying he had been burdened by guilt for 25 years. He also admitted the full story of what had happened, including the plaster treatment of the wraps. He visited Collins' grave and said, "I'm sorry for what I did to you."

He also said it wasn't the first time that Lewis had tampered with his gloves.

Speaking with Wallace Matthews of Newsday, Billy Collins Sr. gave a rare interview yesterday. In it, he said the following:

"Shane Mosley was a lot luckier than my son was. At least they found out before the fight. Before he got hit with anything."

"They say time heals all wounds. That's a big old lie."

About the Cotto-Margarito fight:

"I knew Margarito was doing something. Cotto was beat up worse than my son was. He was cut up all to pieces. You can't do that kind of damage with a glove."

Here's the real point when discussing this fight in comparison. It's true that right now we don't know for sure -- only the guys investigating at the CSAC, Margarito, and Capetillo know for sure.

But if it comes back as bad as we can fear, Margarito will likely be finished. Capetillo will likely be finished. And it might be years -- decades, even -- before we ever know the full story, if we ever really do.

Again, I hate this story. I wish we could all just move on and talk about what else is going on in the sport, and praise Shane Mosley for his win, and keep moving forward. But this is going to cloud the entire sport until February 10, when the CSAC holds its hearing.

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Seriously

I have to agree with him on the Cotto situation. You take a look at Pacman, Marquez, Vazquez, and that kid that died in a motorcycle accident [always forget his name]. They’ve gone [and are not the only ones] to war with other fighters in the ring and have barely ever come out of there looking like this.

<img src=“”http://www.flickr.com/photos/33107668@N03/3238317773/" title=“cotto777411 by crazedang1280, on Flickr”>cotto77741[1]"/>I’m speech less right now.

Watching Manny Pacquiao fight live--great...
Watching Manny Pacquiao shadow boxing on the roof of an abandoned building--priceless

by CRAZEDANG1280 on Jan 30, 2009 9:53 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Chico Corrales

is the name you’re missing.

One other one: Sebastian Lujan, after his fight with Margarito:

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 30, 2009 12:30 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Yes. Thanx.

Watching Manny Pacquiao fight live--great...
Watching Manny Pacquiao shadow boxing on the roof of an abandoned building--priceless

by CRAZEDANG1280 on Jan 30, 2009 12:42 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

r.i.p

chico

"After this, I'm gonna kick Bob Arum's ass."
-George Lopez

by thebitb on Jan 30, 2009 2:59 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

also, gatti has never looked that bad! and he took some shots!

by cylee1180 on Jan 31, 2009 6:35 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Really

You acn’t do that damage with gloves, didin’t Mosley did much worse to Vargas eye, Marquez vs Vasquez,Gatti vs Ward, De La Hoya vs Vargas,Corrales vs Castillo,alot of Hatton fights it’s boxing. Mr Evangelista Cotto did check Margaritos gloves before the fight and didn’t notice nothing unusual. After the Castillo fight Corrales fougt Cassamayor lost and then fought Clottey and lost, he fought some wars, just like Barrera,Morales,Pacquiao,Marquez,Vasquez,and Gatti.

by ralph1123 on Jan 30, 2009 10:00 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

several times on this site

“Mr Evangelista Cotto did check Margaritos gloves before the fight and didn’t notice nothing unusual.”- at least three times you’ve made this comment. What does it mean? Anything?

That DOES NOT mean that his hands weren’t wrapped in plaster of paris, with a saturated piece inside the palm. For lack of a better term Ralph, your level of ‘fundamentalism’ in backing Margo is scary. Should we not have an investigation because of what Evangelista Cotto said? Yes, he was there, but so were other cornermen and officials, none of whom noticed anything.

I read the Sports Illustrated that featured Billy Collins several years ago, it completely ruined his life and the people’s lives around him.

by lcollins1 on Jan 30, 2009 10:12 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

The funny thing is

The controversy here is the hand wraps not the gloves.

And like I mentioned a day ago… the real truth of this can only come out in the rematch.

Watching Manny Pacquiao fight live--great...
Watching Manny Pacquiao shadow boxing on the roof of an abandoned building--priceless

by CRAZEDANG1280 on Jan 30, 2009 10:16 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

what if Cotto's spent?

Then a rematch doesn’t mean a damn thing. Then, nothing close to the truth will come out in a rematch. Do you think if Billy Collins had fought against Luis Resto six months after the first fight, that would’ve been ‘the truth?’ No, that would’ve been worse.

Again, I’m operating from the mindset that Margo is a guilty man, which I do believe. This is not something someone does once in their prime: ‘I beat the shit out of the last guy I fought legally, I think I’ll cast my hands for this one’. No, that’s not a rational perspective.

Or….maybe I’m the fundamentalist.

by lcollins1 on Jan 30, 2009 10:25 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

I understand this is your opinion but seriously,

Do you think if Billy Collins had fought against Luis Resto six months after the first fight, that would’ve been ‘the truth?’ No, that would’ve been worse.

You have no argument. The truth was already out like white on rice there. But you’re “operating from the mindset that Margo is a guilty man, which [I] do believe,” so there’s really no real way of explaing this to you because you’re going to be trying to be right no matter what.



My understanding is my understanding. Most of us are trying to be with him and also against him at the same time. We know he’s guilty for attempting to use such use during this fight, but are unaware of his previous attempts. People [fans of boxing] are having trouble asking themselves… "how is it possible that Cotto beats Mosley? Margarito beats Cotto? Then, Mosley beats Margarito? And the responses are endless. He’s [Margarito] is a tremendous fighter, and as a fan of his I trully hope everything comes out the way it should. And if he’s guilty then dammit he’s guilty.

Now, I have to say this because I am noticing this a lot lately. PLEASE! PEOPLE PLEASE! Learn to read a comment or the article for that matter before replying to it. You may find yourself writing about a cat and other think its about their dog.

Watching Manny Pacquiao fight live--great...
Watching Manny Pacquiao shadow boxing on the roof of an abandoned building--priceless

by CRAZEDANG1280 on Jan 30, 2009 10:58 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

I don't have

any trouble understanding the style match-ups that lead to Mosley beating Margo, I picked Mosley to beat Margo by a decision.

I have trouble seeing Margo’s attempt as an isolated incident, that’s what doesn’t add up to me.

If there’s one person I’d trust to be in my corner in a situation like this, it’d be someone trusted by B-Hop. Thank something for Naazim Richardson.

by lcollins1 on Jan 30, 2009 1:22 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

If Margarito did it in this fight

I find it hard to believe he didn’t do it in other fights. Can’t prove which ones, but it casts a cloud over all of his victories, and the Cotto and Lujan wins seem especially sketchy.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 30, 2009 12:38 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

You can do plenty of damage through gloves

(a) As the fight wears on, the padding naturally redistributes, especially with Reyes gloves.

(b) For a while before that fight, Vegas fights (135+ I think) required that the fighters use 10 ounce gloves. They actually suspended that rule specifically for that fight, and they wore 8 ounce gloves, which means less padding.

© Something harder in the wraps means the knuckles are better protected, so you’re able to punch harder for longer without hurting your hands.

To think that loading the wraps wouldn’t make a difference is ludicrous. Otherwise, people wouldn’t risk their entire careers to try to get that edge.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 30, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

especially those gloves

8 oz Reyes gloves are the tightest packed gloves on the market.

I’ve been in several gyms where they don’t allow 16 oz Reyes for sparring because of their tight ‘pack’. They’re legit gloves, I think the best, but it’s a thin, hard layer between fist and leather.

by lcollins1 on Jan 30, 2009 1:25 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

re: Evangelista checking the wraps

The California commission checked the wraps before the Margo fight as well and didn’t find anything. It took Nazim Richardson to figure out something was wrong, and frankly, Richardson is MUCH more experienced with these kinds of things than Evangelista is.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 30, 2009 12:40 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Really

Maragrito whipped Cotto’s ass and didn’t cheat to do it, he was a bigger man and took Cotto’s punches, unless your gonna say Margarito had metal in his chin. You will see on Feb 10th, he will be cleared and he WILL BE CHAMPION AGAIN!!!!

by ralph1123 on Jan 30, 2009 10:29 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Styles of boxing

Taylor beat Hopkins,Pavlik beat Taylor,Hopkins beat Pavlik, Fraizer beat Ali, Foreman beat Fraizer and Ali beat Foreman. If Margarito is found guilty then he is guilty and I will admit that I was wrong.

by ralph1123 on Jan 30, 2009 11:32 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

brickhaus

Wheres the picture of Vargas in the first Mosley fight.

by ralph1123 on Jan 30, 2009 12:52 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Welts happen

Cuts happen too, so I don’t think Cotto looking beat up is an indictment. But boxers’ ears generally don’t explode. The Lujan fight is the only boxing match where I’ve ever seen that happen. Happens sometimes in MMA, but a lot of those guys have cauliflower ears from years of wrestling.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 30, 2009 1:12 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

I started thinking about the Lujan fight too...

It’s just hard not to speculate. I’ve been re-watching Tony’s fights all week, and none of it has been fun. I keep scrutinizing every punch, wondering if the commission’s discovery is just that final piece of the puzzle that brings everything else about his fights into sharp focus. I’ve also been thinking about what will happen with the sport if the worst case scenario proves to be true. And if it does, I think I might hate Tony Margarito. Not in any boxing way, just sort of hate him as a person. Not looking forward to that.

Last night, my wife told me she was so disgusted that she has told me she doesn’t want to ever watch another bout with me, which I have to say really hurts a guy where he lives. She was a casual fan even before I met her, and over the last ten years she’s gradually become more and more interested in the sport. Not just in the big events, either but in going to smaller venues, trying to figure out who the next big prospects might be, talking about upcoming fights, etc. She was like a dream come true for me (and she still is), but it sort of broke my heart when she told me that. She said ishe thought it would be hard to watch another fight without wondering if she was watching a sport or some kind of a crime. I told her about Resto and Collins, and tried to tell her that these things happen from time-to-time, that its infrequent, that most of the corruption in boxing happens at the business level, all that stuff. But I can;t say I having been thinking a lot of the same things this week. It just sucks all around.

"I want to see ocean. I want to see black people. I want to see palms." - Wladimir Klitschko

by jrok on Jan 30, 2009 12:54 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

SC I am glad you are given the much needed attention this story deserves.

by Zocalo on Jan 30, 2009 2:39 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

great post, i’d actually forgotten about that….wasn’t that boxing corner guy nicknamed “Panama” caught doing some fishy with gloves at one point and banned from cornering fighters for a time?

Gatti.
Dekkers.
Pele.
Tadahiro Nomura.
Hidehiko Yoshida.
Aoki.
Kang.
Vanderlei.

by theworldsoldestsport on Jan 30, 2009 2:42 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Panama Lewis - He received a lifetime ban in the US

But he still trains some fighters outside of the country. Sultan Ibragamov immediately comes to mind.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jan 30, 2009 3:32 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Panama Lewis

Let’s not forget “the bottle” either.

"I want to see ocean. I want to see black people. I want to see palms." - Wladimir Klitschko

by jrok on Jan 30, 2009 2:44 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

My question remains

Why didn’t anyone else notice it except Richardson?

by missmanners on Jan 30, 2009 4:28 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

It’s a very valid question, and it doesn’t speak well of the California State Athletic Commission.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"I was trying to rob him. And he took my gun from me. And the gun was full of blanks. And he shot a blank into my eye. And now I cannot see from this eye ever again, the doctors say."

"Well to be honest it sounds like it's all your fault."

by SC on Jan 30, 2009 4:50 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Just watched the Collins-Resto fight

Grim viewing. Imagine if Collins Sr. hadn’t held Resto’s glove in that split second? Resto would have gotten away with it and Lewis would have no doubt prepped his hands again in that way for future fights.

RIP Billy Jr.

by strike4A on Jan 30, 2009 5:11 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

It bothers me that people take advantage of the good faith that people have on each other. Boxing is such a brutal sport, that it is beyond me why would anyone want to cheat when we all know what the results could be. One punch can honestly change a person life, so it is unacceptable to violate the rules that are in place for the safety of the boxers.

I saw the fight right now… and i didn’t feel good seeing it. It stuck with me how his dad knew something was wrong when he shook his hand after the fight.

by Zocalo on Jan 30, 2009 5:25 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah

That moment must have been surreal. Murder definitely would have been on my mind.

"I want to see ocean. I want to see black people. I want to see palms." - Wladimir Klitschko

by jrok on Jan 30, 2009 6:39 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

movie about this

www.youtube.com/ericdrath

Not sure if this came out yet or not

-Brian

by bp on Jan 30, 2009 7:54 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

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