Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reports that disgraced former welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito is expected to be given a license to box by the state of Texas, one year after the California State Athletic Commission revoked his license and the license of his trainer, Javier Capetillo. Margarito and Capetillo were caught attempting to load a foreign substance into the fighter's hand wraps in the dressing room before their January 24, 2009 fight with Shane Mosley.
"We cleared everything with the [Association of Boxing Commissions] and we're hopeful that the Texas commission will approve his application, which we're very optimistic about," [promoter Bob] Arum said. "The ABC had to give the OK that an athletic commission is free to license Margarito if they so feel and that the California revocation does not prevent them from doing it in 2010, which it might have in 2009 [before a year was up]. Texas has a letter from the ABC. Now it's up to the Texas commission."
There have been a few folks on our site that have talked about boycotting the Pacquiao-Clottey show if Margarito is included. It looks like Margarito is going to be included. As for me, I'll still order the show. I really don't know how I feel about Margarito returning to the sport. I have zero proof that he ever tried to cheat before, or that he ever did. It's my gut feeling he did, but my gut feeling picked Ricky Hatton to beat Manny Pacquiao. To quote High Fidelity (an original thing to do on the internet, I know), "My guts have s**t for brains."
Still, the fact that it would be the Texas commission doing the licensing really reeks. This is the state that licensed Tommy Morrison, who has HIV. The state that licensed Evander Holyfield's seriously ill-advised comeback after New York suspended his license because he was, in their opinion, no longer fit to fight. The state that gave Edwin Valero a license, which Nevada will not due to medical concerns.
So is it really any surprise that Top Rank is looking to this commission to re-license Margarito? Of course not. Texas lets Laurence Cole referee major fights despite his obvious incompetence over the years. Their commission is a joke.
What's next? Re-examining the case of Panama Lewis? And on the trainer side, there's been no talk of looking into Capetillo's status, at least not yet. You will recall that Capetillo was the intended fall guy, thrown under the bus by Top Rank and the lawyers. I see no one clamoring for his reinstatement, what with him being Saruman Capetillo unleashing his dark arts on the poor and unsuspecting Margarito. For shame, Javier, for shame. Truth is, nobody makes money on Capetillo being on a fight card, and Margarito's presence might. Simple as that.
What's your stance on this?