Pacquiao's Adviser: We're Still Willing To Fight Margarito

By Lem Satterfield

Despite Friday's decision by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, seven-division champion Manny Pacquiao would still consider Antonio Margarito as the opponent for November 13 - if Floyd Mayweather Jr. fails to accept a fight proposal by mid-July.

Margarito has been unable to fight in the United States after the California State Athletic Commission revoked his license for a period of one-year last January. Prior to the fight with Shane Mosley in January 2009, Mosley's trainer, Naazim Richardson, discovered that Margarito's hand wrappings included a plaster-like substance that was subsequently removed and confiscated.

Margarito appeared before the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Friday, attempting to get a license to box in the state. The Nevada commission voted 4-1 to table Margarito's license application and directed the Mexican star to re-apply in California before attempting to fight anywhere in the United States.

Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz doesn't see the decision as a serious problem for Pacquiao's future plans. Margarito, along with WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, are the two frontrunners to replace Mayweather in November, should a deal to fight Floyd falls through.

According to Koncz, they were already looking at an overseas venue to fight Margarito and/or Cotto. There is also the chance that Margarito will get licensed in another state, like Texas, and the fight could head over there as well. Koncz says the decision only eliminates Las Vegas as a possible location.

"As a matter of fact, we are looking at a venue outside of the U.S., and it doesn't make a difference whether it's Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto. It's not Mexico, but until I have a concrete deal in place, I don't want to divulge what country that is," said Koncz. "But we're waiting on our options with Floyd Mayweather before considering either of those two as opponents. And we have not made a decision as to whether Manny would be going to fight Cotto or Margarito."

"The decision that the commission made on Margarito has a small bearing, obviously, in that it just eliminates Nevada from the picture. But it doesn't eliminate a possible fight with Manny. If Manny decides to fight Margarito, just because he got denied in Nevada -- that's not going to squash the fight."

Lem Satterfield is the boxing editor at AOL FanHouse and the news editor at BoxingScene.com. To read more from Lem Satterfield, go to AOL FanHouse by Clicking Here.