I Think Margarito Took a Dive!

[Massage Queen]

His gameplan was he wanted to get knocked out. He took a dive

You really think that Margarito wanted to get KOed? I just don't believe it.
Well I guess you never know. It's boxing anything is possible, but I'm just having a really hard time believing it.

[Mr. Ryan]

You need to get Ryan's 2 cents on this makeshift BoxingScene investigation.

Here's my take:

Do I feel Margarito took a dive? Hell no. It's like when people tried to say that Archie Moore took a dive against Rocky Marciano. If he took a dive, why would he go out there and take a legitimate beating? Wouldn't he look for a soft spot on the canvas to rest his back instead?

There are many things that could have affected Margarito's performance. Thirty minutes before the fight they made him rewrap his hands because of some su****ious substance that had been discovered. He was coming off a sizable layoff following his biggest win and may have grown complacent with contentment.

Or maybe Shane Mosley was just that much better.

But to say that Margarito threw the fight off of the evidence we have, you can't really formulate anything conclusive.

In the post-fight interview Margarito made a statement saying that he wanted to be knocked out. I interpreted that, and I think I was right, as him saying that he wanted to go out on his shield like a warrior and be knocked out.

Which brings it back to Archie Moore, who made the same statement in his post-fight interview.

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Chat with Dan Rafael


Welcome to The Show! On Friday, ESPN.com's boxing writer, Dan Rafael, will log on to take your questions on all the latest news and notes from inside and outside the ring.
Send your questions now and join Dan on Friday at Noon ET!

Rafael Archive: Chats | Columns

Dan Rafael: (12:00 PM ET ) Greetings, Fight Freaks. Not a lot of fight action this weekend other than an excellent FNF main event tonight with Urango and Ngoudjo. But there's a lot going on with the fallout from Mosley-Margarito and lots of important fights coming up. Make sure to check out this week's blogs and there will be a huge notebook up shortly. Let's get to it.




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Robert Georgia: What up Dan the Man. Just wanted to get your take on two things. Buy or sell Mayweather comes out of retirement to fight Mosley. And why not Chris Arreola vs. Sam Peter?

Dan Rafael: (12:01 PM ET ) I have no idea what Floyd will do. I hope he does come out to fight Mosley this summer. I have wanted to see the fight for ages. Read my blog from yesterday for more on that. As for the other fight you mentioned, Peter's people would like to do it, but the Arreola people don't seem too interested. I'd like to see it.


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Shane Mosely (LA): Oh Floyyyyd - come out and plaaaaaaayyy!


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chris: Ok dan, great card on FNF tonight, who you got? i think Ngoudjo can outpoint him, but I dont know enough about Ngoudjo's chin

Dan Rafael: (12:01 PM ET ) I have to lean to Ngoudjo, especially because he's at home. But Urango has excellent power. I just hope it's a good fight.


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Craig (Detroit): DTM - It was announced that the Staples Center housed it's largest crowd EVER on Saturday night for Sugar Shane/Margarito. What a great night for boxing!!!

Dan Rafael: (12:02 PM ET ) It was awesome.


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Josh (Alexandria, VA): You're going head to head with self-proclaimed chat king Bill Simmons today. I say you take him out, Mosley style. What do you think? No big fights this weekend...I say you have the time to make your point.

Dan Rafael: (12:03 PM ET ) I'll smash him.


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Aaron (Hartford): Just when Margarito gets the spot light so to speak and gets a whole new crop of fans after the Cotto fight...this wrap incident comes up...thats dissapointing... your thoughts?

Dan Rafael: (12:03 PM ET ) I will reserve judgement until I hear the outcome of the California commission investigation. BUT if he tried to cheat, or his team tried to cheat, he gets what he deserves.


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Dan (Nutley, NJ): Who is Willy Blain?

Dan Rafael: (12:04 PM ET ) He could be Lamont Peterson's next opponent, possibly April 25 on HBO, for an interim title. Undefeated. From France. Was a great amateur. No power. He's 20-0 with only 3 KOs. But an excellent boxer.


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Greg(Los Angeles): Dan any chance that Jermain Taylor fights Allan Green on Showtime in March?

Dan Rafael: (12:04 PM ET ) It's one fight being discussed. The fight doesn't do anything for to tell you the truth.


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Joel (NY): Notebook today?

Dan Rafael: (12:05 PM ET ) Yes.


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Rick, Marina, Ca: What up Dan, I was very impressed and very dissappointed on Saturday, Impressed by how easy Mosley made it look to topple the iron chinned warrior and dissappointed by Margo's performance or lack of and the whole hand wrap thing that I think has been blown out porportion.

Dan Rafael: (12:05 PM ET ) It hasn't been blown out of proportion. The allegations are very, very serious.


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Diego (Gilroy): Dan, Did you see the termendous body shot Guerrero landed on Ruiz? it was a great shot. HBO showed it at the end of their telecast. Who are the names being thrown to be Guerreros next opponent in March?

Dan Rafael: (12:06 PM ET ) Guerrero looked good smashing a shmear. But it was good to see the Ghost back in the ring. His opponent is still TBA. Golden Boy says it offered Jesus Chavez the fight but he turned it down. So they are looking.


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rob (jersey): Hey Dan - chances of RAD after VIC/Arce next weekend? Or will you be in attendance?

Dan Rafael: (12:06 PM ET ) I am not going to that fight, so there is a good chance.


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Joel (NY): Dan, it shows on Showtime.com, they picked up Lucian Bute's March fight, thats awesome!

Dan Rafael: (12:06 PM ET ) Yes, they did. I have a note about in today's notebook. Excellent of Showtime to pick up the fight.


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Patrick (Woodside, NY): Any possible truth to the internet rumor that Margarito took a dive in the fight on Saturday?

Dan Rafael: (12:07 PM ET ) What moron wrote that? No chance whatsoever. If you're going to dive, you don't get the crap kicked out of you first for nine rounds. People are so ****** sometimes.

CAN YOU BELIVE SOME ASK THIS ?

[HappyBoxingFan]

Dan Rafael's take:
Patrick (Woodside, NY): Any possible truth to the internet rumor that Margarito took a dive in the fight on Saturday?

Dan Rafael: (12:07 PM ET ) What moron wrote that? No chance whatsoever. If you're going to dive, you don't get the crap kicked out of you first for nine rounds. People are so ****** sometimes.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=24811

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DrewWoodside DID YOU ASK DAN FROM ESPN ABOUT THIS

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dan rafael's take:
Patrick (woodside, ny): Any possible truth to the internet rumor that margarito took a dive in the fight on saturday?

Dan rafael: (12:07 pm et ) what moron wrote that? No chance whatsoever. If you're going to dive, you don't get the crap kicked out of you first for nine rounds. People are so ****** sometimes.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatespn?event_id=24811

was that you

[IwatchBoxing]

Maybe it was his way of taking a knee, but he didnt want to quit outta fustration like Roberto Duran and just went down with a smirk on his face. Or Ashamed that his biggest night ever infront of his home crowd as a muda***in HERO, most ever at the LA Arena and hes their Plaster-less.

[BrendanWoodside]

Dan Rafael's take:
Patrick (Woodside, NY): Any possible truth to the internet rumor that Margarito took a dive in the fight on Saturday?

Dan Rafael: (12:07 PM ET ) What moron wrote that? No chance whatsoever. If you're going to dive, you don't get the crap kicked out of you first for nine rounds. People are so ****** sometimes.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=24811

They are callin for your head in there Pat. No answers to my zelenoff questions yet

[Maxshayne]

There`s no doubt in my mind that some fights are fixed and Margarito did`nt look like his usual self.It could be he was afraid of being countered cause almost every time he threw a punch Shane countered.And plus Why would Marg load his gloves up if it was a fix?

Unless ****m Richardson was in on it.Cause he`s the one that caught the plaster.

If the fight is a fix,the plaster is probably so people don`t suspect the fight was a fix.


But Shane conditioning was much better then in his last two fights.

Most likely it was`nt a fix but you never know.

I remember when Suger Ray Robinson said the mob came to him and threaten him to get him to fix a fight and Robinson said No.And they did`nt do nothing to Robinson.

I don`t buy the story that Cus Damato (Tyson`s first trainer /Mentor)Kicked the mob out of boxing.How is one man going to kick the mob out of boxing when they could easily kill him?

I think that story was purposely planted so we could think boxing is free of them.

[Squabbles94806]

Real men don't make excuses.