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source: Fighthits News
t appears that Antonio Margarito is the frontrunner to face Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 13 for the vacant WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) title either in Las Vegas, if Margarito's license is renewed there, or Monterrey, Mex., according to a report by Kevin Iole of Yahoo!Sports.
Pacquiao would be choosing the 32-year-old Margarito (38-6, 27 knockouts) over WBA king Miguel Cotto (35-2, 28 knockouts), whom Pacquiao dethroned by 12th-round knockout in November for his current WBO welterweight (147 pounds) crown.
A victory over either Margarito or Cotto would earn Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) an unprecedented eighth crown in as many different weight classes. Cotto also has been knocked out by Margarito in the 11th round.
Both of the proposals for Margarito and Cotto still must be taken to the Philippines and presented to Pacquiao for his approval.
But an agreement to face Margarito also rules out a potential mega bout with Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), at least until 2011. Mayweather's past two victories have been promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
"Cotto was beaten and even with [Hall of Fame trainer] Emanuel Steward now with him, I don't think people believe that it's enough to make a difference and I'm not sure they would buy it as competitive," Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told Iole.
"But putting aside the controversy about the wraps, the one thing you know for sure with a Margarito fight is that it will be a hell of a fight for however long it lasts. Margarito knows only one way to fight, and that's coming forward. They're going to get in there and fight. That's what people want to see."
Arum could not be reached by FanHouse for further comment.
In another potential development, Cotto could be a consideration for a match opposite WBC welterweight king Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KOs).
"It's also about who is going to fight [Berto.] I'd like to see him fight Miguel Cotto," Berto's promoter, Lou DiBella, told FanHouse earlier this week. "But Bob Arum appears to want to put his guys against his guys. So I don't know if that fight is possible."
But according to BoxingScene.com's Rick Reeno, DiBella has discussed matching the 5-foot-8 Berto against the 5-7 Cotto several times with Top Rank Promotions, specifically for the fall.
Berto would move up in weight to meet Cotto, whom Berto had considered as an opponent when Cotto still was competing at 147.
Cotto dethroned then-WBA titlist, Yuri Foreman (28-1, eight KOs) by ninth-round knockout last month at the new Yankee Stadium.
"We've [DiBella and Arum] discussed it several times. Based on their styles, there is no better fight to put live on HBO than a fight between Berto and Miguel Cotto," DiBella told BoxingScene.com. "Andre Berto wants the fight. We're going to discuss it and I think there is no better fight to put live on HBO in the fall."
Read more this article here!
t appears that Antonio Margarito is the frontrunner to face Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 13 for the vacant WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) title either in Las Vegas, if Margarito's license is renewed there, or Monterrey, Mex., according to a report by Kevin Iole of Yahoo!Sports.
Pacquiao would be choosing the 32-year-old Margarito (38-6, 27 knockouts) over WBA king Miguel Cotto (35-2, 28 knockouts), whom Pacquiao dethroned by 12th-round knockout in November for his current WBO welterweight (147 pounds) crown.
A victory over either Margarito or Cotto would earn Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) an unprecedented eighth crown in as many different weight classes. Cotto also has been knocked out by Margarito in the 11th round.
Both of the proposals for Margarito and Cotto still must be taken to the Philippines and presented to Pacquiao for his approval.
But an agreement to face Margarito also rules out a potential mega bout with Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), at least until 2011. Mayweather's past two victories have been promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
"Cotto was beaten and even with [Hall of Fame trainer] Emanuel Steward now with him, I don't think people believe that it's enough to make a difference and I'm not sure they would buy it as competitive," Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told Iole.
"But putting aside the controversy about the wraps, the one thing you know for sure with a Margarito fight is that it will be a hell of a fight for however long it lasts. Margarito knows only one way to fight, and that's coming forward. They're going to get in there and fight. That's what people want to see."
Arum could not be reached by FanHouse for further comment.
In another potential development, Cotto could be a consideration for a match opposite WBC welterweight king Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KOs).
"It's also about who is going to fight [Berto.] I'd like to see him fight Miguel Cotto," Berto's promoter, Lou DiBella, told FanHouse earlier this week. "But Bob Arum appears to want to put his guys against his guys. So I don't know if that fight is possible."
But according to BoxingScene.com's Rick Reeno, DiBella has discussed matching the 5-foot-8 Berto against the 5-7 Cotto several times with Top Rank Promotions, specifically for the fall.
Berto would move up in weight to meet Cotto, whom Berto had considered as an opponent when Cotto still was competing at 147.
Cotto dethroned then-WBA titlist, Yuri Foreman (28-1, eight KOs) by ninth-round knockout last month at the new Yankee Stadium.
"We've [DiBella and Arum] discussed it several times. Based on their styles, there is no better fight to put live on HBO than a fight between Berto and Miguel Cotto," DiBella told BoxingScene.com. "Andre Berto wants the fight. We're going to discuss it and I think there is no better fight to put live on HBO in the fall."
Read more this article here!
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