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This Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Antonio Margarito engages in the biggest fight of his career against the undefeated Miguel Cotto, and the stakes are high in what is the summer’s most anticipated event. For Margarito, after years and years of chasing the game’s marquee names, he finally gets his long-awaited opportunity to headline a major pay-per-view show. Defeating Cotto is a daunting task though, since 32 prior foes have tried with no success to topple the man who is just the latest boxing icon from Puerto Rico.
Some believe that it will take an effort beyond his own capabilities to down Cotto. Make no doubt about it, this is the best opponent he has ever faced. But it would not be accurate to say it's the most difficult circumstance he has ever fought under.
That distinction would have to be his fight against the noted journeyman Buck Smith on October 23rd, 1999 in Fort Worth, Texas. At that time, Margarito was still a fledgling prospect who, after some early losses, was coming in on a nine fight winning streak that had moved his overall record to 14-3. This bout versus Smith was expected to be just another routine outing to continue the development of the raw, heavy-handed slugger from Tijuana.
But on the night before the fight, this bout was put in jeopardy and Margarito's life was altered forever.
"We had just barely come back from the weigh-in, it was around 6:30, 7 o'clock, I remember we went for spaghetti and on the way back we stopped and said, 'Let's relax right here,' at the lobby. When suddenly I hear my name and they called me - it was Sergio," recalled Margarito's co-manager Francisco Espinoza. Sergio Diaz is the other co-manager.
The news wasn’t good. Margarito's wife Michelle, who was in Mexico, received word through her aunt in Southern California that Margarito’s beloved brother, Manuel, had been slain.
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Good read
Some believe that it will take an effort beyond his own capabilities to down Cotto. Make no doubt about it, this is the best opponent he has ever faced. But it would not be accurate to say it's the most difficult circumstance he has ever fought under.
That distinction would have to be his fight against the noted journeyman Buck Smith on October 23rd, 1999 in Fort Worth, Texas. At that time, Margarito was still a fledgling prospect who, after some early losses, was coming in on a nine fight winning streak that had moved his overall record to 14-3. This bout versus Smith was expected to be just another routine outing to continue the development of the raw, heavy-handed slugger from Tijuana.
But on the night before the fight, this bout was put in jeopardy and Margarito's life was altered forever.
"We had just barely come back from the weigh-in, it was around 6:30, 7 o'clock, I remember we went for spaghetti and on the way back we stopped and said, 'Let's relax right here,' at the lobby. When suddenly I hear my name and they called me - it was Sergio," recalled Margarito's co-manager Francisco Espinoza. Sergio Diaz is the other co-manager.
The news wasn’t good. Margarito's wife Michelle, who was in Mexico, received word through her aunt in Southern California that Margarito’s beloved brother, Manuel, had been slain.
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Good read
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