By Mark Vester
The wheels are turning on both sides of the fence as WBA welterweight champ Antonio Margarito, and former champ Miguel Cotto, are already looking ahead to a repeat of their battle that was fought in July. Cotto controlled the first half of the fight, but it was Margarito who came on in the second-half to batter the Puerto Rican star into submission for an eleventh-round stoppage.
The day after Top Rank's Bob Arum revealed that he plans to stage a Margarito-Cotto rematch next June, the camps of both fighters welcomed Arum's plan with open arms. Francisco Espinoza, Margarito's co-manager, says Cotto deserves the rematch because he gave them the initial opportunity.
"We have no problem with giveing a rematch to Cotto because he deserves it, as he gave us the opportunity," Espinoza told Primera Hora. "Arum has mentioned the fight to us and we told him that he has to decide because he's our promoter."
Arum's plan is a televised doubleheader in early 2009 with Margarito and Cotto in separate fights, but each fight will be staged in a separate location. He wants Cotto to return to the ring in Puerto Rico and for Margarito to headline a card in Los Angeles. If both fighters win, without injury, he plans to make the rematch in June.
Espinoza says that Margarito has begun to train for his return and will pick up the pace in October.
"Antonio has begun to train very slowly, but now if he's going to fight at the beginning of next year, we have to increase the training," Espinoza said. "He will already fall into a rhythm by next month."
Cotto is also starting to do some light training and looks forward to his return, and the chance to get revenge for his first career loss by fighting Margarito next June.
"I'm not yet training in full swing, but yes I have been going to the gym to stay in shape," Cotto told El Nuevo Dia. "We will return at the beginning of next year. The same old Cotto will return to set his career right."
The idea of a rematch was logical, according to Cotto. It lived up to the hype and the boxing public was eager to see it again.
"I am very pleased and keen on the idea of a rematch. I know it still has to be signed, but it's something that was seen coming. The first fight was so exciting that it's somewhat logical," Cotto told Primera Hora. "There are just as many Mexicans as there are Boricuas who want the rematch and I'm positive they are going to see a true fight. This time I promise the result will be very different from the first fight. You don't lay down, you get up."
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