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Disappointment was evident in Bob Arum’s voice over the phone from Tijuana. The normally gabby boxing promoter refrained from comment Friday when I called him concerning the laboratory confirmation that “elements of Plaster of Paris” were found in Antonio Margarito’s handwraps.
For a brief time there was an upstart promotional firm which had the audacity to call itself Guilty Promotions. In his strident, over the top advocacy for the fighter from Tijuana, it is Arum and his Top Rank outfit which is guilty.
Remember Arum’s ridiculous cry of Mexican bashing after the California commission slapped Margo and equally guilty if not more so trainer Javier Capetillo with a one year suspension of their licenses?
He's almost 80 so I don't think Arum is gullible. But he went completely overboardin defending Margacheato.
It’s one thing to have some egg on your face, Uncle Bob, but you’ve huevos rancheros con salsa all over your wizened mug with this revelation from the Cali crime lab.
Arum did so much ranting and raving that he drove an unintended wedge between himself and another of his hot fistic properties, Puerto Rican star Miguel Cottouello who strongly suspects—can you blame him?—that Margarito may have used illegal handwraps when he stopped him in their Las Vegas bout.
But, on Friday afternoon, Arum adopted the stony silence of a prosecutor who has just been disappointed by an important verdict. Arum said he would make no comment until he has carefully perused the report.
You’ve seen them on TV, moping and issuing the terse “the jury has spoken” comment to the waiting media.
In this case, the laboratory has spoken so loudly that Arum has no retort.
Trust me, fans, Arum is going to radio silence on his Margarito crusade now. Why waste time and money on expensive legal fees for a dead case?
There is only viable course of action for Margarito now. That is to sit on the sidelines or have a bout in Mexico. I don’t see how fighting across the border will fit in with the show of remorse and contrition the California panel will want to see next January, though.
It might be taken as a bit of defiance, of a situation where the fighter didn’t readily accept his punishment for serious misconduct.
No, Margy’s best bet is to eschew any fights and sit until he goes back before the panel with hat in hand and can make a convincing “mea culpa, mea maxima culpa” pitch to them.
Unlike ESPN oracle Dan Rafael, I think the commissioners will show some compassion after the year has gone by. Compassion for the fighter and less so for Capetillo.
It would be simple for a conscientious commissioner to reason, after 12 months, that Margarito’s finite career is winding down and he must make up for lost time. Capetillo can work for many years as a trainer and my guess is he’ll working someone’s corner on Arum’s JC Chavez Jr. PPV show from TJ Saturday night.
California could relicense Tone Loc and let Capetillo sit and stew for a second year.
As for Arum, on the subject of Margarito, his lips are thankfully sealed.
He’s done enough damage with his uncontrolled and misdirected advocacy already.
For a brief time there was an upstart promotional firm which had the audacity to call itself Guilty Promotions. In his strident, over the top advocacy for the fighter from Tijuana, it is Arum and his Top Rank outfit which is guilty.
Remember Arum’s ridiculous cry of Mexican bashing after the California commission slapped Margo and equally guilty if not more so trainer Javier Capetillo with a one year suspension of their licenses?
He's almost 80 so I don't think Arum is gullible. But he went completely overboardin defending Margacheato.
It’s one thing to have some egg on your face, Uncle Bob, but you’ve huevos rancheros con salsa all over your wizened mug with this revelation from the Cali crime lab.
Arum did so much ranting and raving that he drove an unintended wedge between himself and another of his hot fistic properties, Puerto Rican star Miguel Cottouello who strongly suspects—can you blame him?—that Margarito may have used illegal handwraps when he stopped him in their Las Vegas bout.
But, on Friday afternoon, Arum adopted the stony silence of a prosecutor who has just been disappointed by an important verdict. Arum said he would make no comment until he has carefully perused the report.
You’ve seen them on TV, moping and issuing the terse “the jury has spoken” comment to the waiting media.
In this case, the laboratory has spoken so loudly that Arum has no retort.
Trust me, fans, Arum is going to radio silence on his Margarito crusade now. Why waste time and money on expensive legal fees for a dead case?
There is only viable course of action for Margarito now. That is to sit on the sidelines or have a bout in Mexico. I don’t see how fighting across the border will fit in with the show of remorse and contrition the California panel will want to see next January, though.
It might be taken as a bit of defiance, of a situation where the fighter didn’t readily accept his punishment for serious misconduct.
No, Margy’s best bet is to eschew any fights and sit until he goes back before the panel with hat in hand and can make a convincing “mea culpa, mea maxima culpa” pitch to them.
Unlike ESPN oracle Dan Rafael, I think the commissioners will show some compassion after the year has gone by. Compassion for the fighter and less so for Capetillo.
It would be simple for a conscientious commissioner to reason, after 12 months, that Margarito’s finite career is winding down and he must make up for lost time. Capetillo can work for many years as a trainer and my guess is he’ll working someone’s corner on Arum’s JC Chavez Jr. PPV show from TJ Saturday night.
California could relicense Tone Loc and let Capetillo sit and stew for a second year.
As for Arum, on the subject of Margarito, his lips are thankfully sealed.
He’s done enough damage with his uncontrolled and misdirected advocacy already.
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