Antonio Margarito wins technical decision over Carson Jones

Antonio Margarito and controversy go together like hand wraps and plaster of Paris. The 39-year-old veteran picked up his most significant victory in years yesterday with a fishy technical decision over Carson Jones.

Margarito (41-8, 27 KO) started strong, but soon slowed down in the face of Jones’ (40-12-3, 30 KO) power. Jones lost a point for leading with his head in the fifth round, by which point he’d begun landing pretty much everything he threw. Margarito, mouth open, showed that he can still absorb ludicrous amounts of punishment but offered nothing to suggest his dream trilogy fight with Miguel Cotto would be anything but a slaughter.

Jones’ head wound up doing him in, however. Margarito appeared to call it quits after the seventh round, but the referee called for a technical decision due to a cut on Margarito’s oft-damaged eye that he determined to be the product of a headbutt. The judges sided with Margarito with a 68-64 scorecard and two 67-65s. Box Azteca had it 66-66.

You can watch the whole fight here.

Full disclosure: I had some of my leftover May/Mac betting money on Jones. I am miffed.