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The return of the Tijuana Tornado
by Cuauhtemoc1496
Every boxing fan knows, has heard and understands what has happened to Antonio Margarito in the last year or so. How he was caught loading his gloves, well as he put it, his trainer loaded his gloves and he had no knowledge of it. He had a huge fan base, not just from Mexicans who support their own but with the boxing fan that loves a warrior. A fighter who never takes a step back and is all blood and guts so to speak.
Well fast forward to May 8th and Latin Fury,(sort of sounds like one of those movies you might rent late at night in a hotel room if you ask me). Margarito is set to enter the ring against Robert Garcia, not a great fighter but what most believe is a good, tough opponent.
I was curious to see what Margarito would look like, being a former boxer and a current trainer, I understand ring rust is real. You can spar all you want, you can spend hours on end in the gym but unless you are fighting frequently, you will look rusty......and....
Margarito looked rusty, slow and it was odd seeing him adapt to his new style. Trying to be more of a defensive fighter, trying to counter instead of coming forward and breaking his opponents will. I don't think it was all bad though, you do have to take the fact he's been inactive for so long, has a new trainer and style and wasn't just fighting some bum. I mean Robert Garcia isn't a great fighter but he is a decent opponent who can punch.
Nevertheless, Margarito won, even scoring a good knock down in the first, then proceeded to clown around which is something very out of character for him. When you think of Margarito you think blue collar, hard working and yes, you think of a cheat.
I guess you either love the guy or hate the guy, that's what most boxing fans seem to be saying, for me I don't know yet. I can honestly say that as long as I have been around the sport of boxing, and have wrapped countless hands and had my hands wrapped countless times, it's hard for me to believe he didn't know what was going on. It's a shame because great performances like he had vs Cotto, Johnson, Williams and Cintron are now in serious question.
We honestly don't know if he cheated, we know he attempted to cheat vs Mosley and was caught by the keen eye of Nazzim Richardson. What I do know know is that Margarito's appeal was of his fighting style, his "take no prisoner" type approach to the sport. He fit the mold of the stereo typical Mexican fighter that doesn't back down and is as tough as nails.
I didn't see that Margarito on May 8th, I saw an old, (well older) dog trying to learn new tricks. I guess it makes sense from the point of view of, if he's trying to get a fight with Mayweather or Pacquaio, he will need to box more. Those two are about as fast as you get in the sport of boxing and you don't think of speed or defense when thinking about Margarito. I still don't know how long this new style will last though, fighters seem to revert to what they know best and Margarito knows how to brawl best of all.
I don't know what will happen to Margarito and where his career will go from here, I do know that he's determined, he's focused and wants to get back in th mix of things at 147lbs or 154lbs. Maybe a possible match with Martinez, Paul Williams, Pacquaio or even a return match with Cotto, if Cotto would even entertain that thought.
What I do know is that Margarito is back and to some that's a good thing, some a bad thing but he definitely is back. Will we see the return of the Tornado, or will it only be a slight breeze that comes through the boxing world this second time around? I don't know about you, even through all the controversy I can't look away. It's like slowing down to see a car accident, you don't know what you will see but you can't close your eyes.
by Cuauhtemoc1496
Every boxing fan knows, has heard and understands what has happened to Antonio Margarito in the last year or so. How he was caught loading his gloves, well as he put it, his trainer loaded his gloves and he had no knowledge of it. He had a huge fan base, not just from Mexicans who support their own but with the boxing fan that loves a warrior. A fighter who never takes a step back and is all blood and guts so to speak.
Well fast forward to May 8th and Latin Fury,(sort of sounds like one of those movies you might rent late at night in a hotel room if you ask me). Margarito is set to enter the ring against Robert Garcia, not a great fighter but what most believe is a good, tough opponent.
I was curious to see what Margarito would look like, being a former boxer and a current trainer, I understand ring rust is real. You can spar all you want, you can spend hours on end in the gym but unless you are fighting frequently, you will look rusty......and....
Margarito looked rusty, slow and it was odd seeing him adapt to his new style. Trying to be more of a defensive fighter, trying to counter instead of coming forward and breaking his opponents will. I don't think it was all bad though, you do have to take the fact he's been inactive for so long, has a new trainer and style and wasn't just fighting some bum. I mean Robert Garcia isn't a great fighter but he is a decent opponent who can punch.
Nevertheless, Margarito won, even scoring a good knock down in the first, then proceeded to clown around which is something very out of character for him. When you think of Margarito you think blue collar, hard working and yes, you think of a cheat.
I guess you either love the guy or hate the guy, that's what most boxing fans seem to be saying, for me I don't know yet. I can honestly say that as long as I have been around the sport of boxing, and have wrapped countless hands and had my hands wrapped countless times, it's hard for me to believe he didn't know what was going on. It's a shame because great performances like he had vs Cotto, Johnson, Williams and Cintron are now in serious question.
We honestly don't know if he cheated, we know he attempted to cheat vs Mosley and was caught by the keen eye of Nazzim Richardson. What I do know know is that Margarito's appeal was of his fighting style, his "take no prisoner" type approach to the sport. He fit the mold of the stereo typical Mexican fighter that doesn't back down and is as tough as nails.
I didn't see that Margarito on May 8th, I saw an old, (well older) dog trying to learn new tricks. I guess it makes sense from the point of view of, if he's trying to get a fight with Mayweather or Pacquaio, he will need to box more. Those two are about as fast as you get in the sport of boxing and you don't think of speed or defense when thinking about Margarito. I still don't know how long this new style will last though, fighters seem to revert to what they know best and Margarito knows how to brawl best of all.
I don't know what will happen to Margarito and where his career will go from here, I do know that he's determined, he's focused and wants to get back in th mix of things at 147lbs or 154lbs. Maybe a possible match with Martinez, Paul Williams, Pacquaio or even a return match with Cotto, if Cotto would even entertain that thought.
What I do know is that Margarito is back and to some that's a good thing, some a bad thing but he definitely is back. Will we see the return of the Tornado, or will it only be a slight breeze that comes through the boxing world this second time around? I don't know about you, even through all the controversy I can't look away. It's like slowing down to see a car accident, you don't know what you will see but you can't close your eyes.
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