By Mark Vester
WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito is going to visit Puerto Rico at the end of the month to receive the WBA title that he won by knocking out Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto last Saturday in Las Vegas. He will also attend the August 30th rematch between stablemate Ivan Calderon and Hugo Cázares.
"Tony will go to Puerto Rico probably for the fight of Hugo Cázares and Calderon on August 30 and during that time he will receive the title there. He also wants to speak to the Puerto Rican boxing fans regarding the rumors being heard over there," said co-manager Francisco Espinoza to El Nuevo Dia.
The ugly talk that Espinoza is talking about, refers to a radio station in Puerto Rico that started a rumor that Margarito tested positive for anabolic steroids. The rumors are absurd since Margarito's test results have not been finalized and will not be revealed until next week.
Editor's Note: I personally spoke with the Nevada State Athletic Commission a few days ago and I can confirm that Margarito's test results will not come in until next week, so any person stating otherwise is committing slander that may result in future legal proceedings.
"I spoke to the laboratory in Las Vegas that did the tests and they told me that the results are not in yet. It's not fair that people try to place a dark cloud over a great win by one of the cleanest men in boxing, who does not smoke and doesn't take anything," Espinoza said. "We are very upset and we will proceed legally against that radio station. Margarito is very bothered by the situation."
Margarito's other co-manager, Sergio Diaz, recently spoke with BoxingScene.com, calling for Oscar De La Hoya to live up to his statements during a recent interview [where he said fighting "the winner of Cotto-Margarito would be a great way to end his career"]. Espinoza, like Diaz, can't believe that De La Hoya is going to avoid Margarito for a fight with Manny Pacquiao, who just entered the lightweight division. Both managers say that Margarito is on the hunt, ready and willing to fight De La Hoya on December 6 in Las Vegas.
"He said publicly that he was going to fight the winner of Margarito and Cotto and now he is nowhere to be seen, not even his shadow. Nobody can find him. Now he is boasting of a fight with Manny Pacquiao, who is 135-pounds. That fight is a farce that stains boxing. Before the fight De La Hoya said that Margarito had earned the fight, but now, what is he going to say," Espinoza said.
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