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MANILA, Philippines - A fight between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito is shaping up even faster than the one between the Filipino pound-for-pound champion and his predecessor, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Bob Arum, the ageless Top Rank chief, thinks that with all the obstacles standing between Pacquiao, Mayweather and the greatest fight of all time, a fight with Margarito would make more sense.
“I think the chances are very, very good, very, very good,” said Arum during a recent press conference in Los Angeles, announcing Margarito’s May 8 bout with WBC light-middleweight champ Roberto Garcia.
It will be Margarito’s first fight since he lost to Shane Mosley in January last year when he was caught using, without his knowledge as he claims, illegal hand wraps, leading to the suspension of his fight license in the United States.
The Margarito-Garcia fight will take place in Aguacalientes, Mexico, and depending on how Margarito does, a fight with Pacquiao, sometime in September until November, in Nevada, Texas or Florida, looms.
“I think that would be an interesting fight based on how he (Margarito) does in this fight and obviously if he fought Manny Pacquiao it would be in the United States,” said Arum, who also defended Margarito against the touchy hand wraps issue.
“And, if that would be his (Margarito) next fight then we will apply for a license in the state that the fight is going to take place and it couldn’t be in California for the reason that Manny Pacquiao won’t fight in California because of state taxes,” said Arum.
Only three states in the US can host a Pacquiao fight because of friendlier taxes, and they’re Nevada, Florida and the new favorite, Texas, following its successful staging of the Pacquiao-Clottey at the massive Cowboys Stadium last March.
If Margarito beats Garcia, he can stake the 154-lb crown against Pacquiao, and give Pacquiao a shot at an eighth wonder, an eighth world title in eight different weight divisions, with or without a catch weight.
Margarito, who stunned the world when he lost to Mosley, likes the idea.
“I love to get that fight (with Pacquiao). I think everybody’s talking about that. It’s a great possibility. We’re both with Top Rank so the possibility is always there,” he said through Top Rank pointman, Ricardo Jimenez.
Arum said Margarito deserves the fight with Pacquiao.
“Because I think a great injustice had been done and I’m not going to give in to idle speculations that he had to know (about the illegal wraps). What do you mean he had to know? Have somebody wrap your hands and put somebody put something in the (tape) and see if you know before you say ‘he had to know,’” said Arum.
Marv Dumon of The Examiner enumerated the reasons why a Pacquiao-Margarito fight would likely happen, and on top of the board is the great possibility of Mosley, the 38-year-old WBA welterweight champion, beating Mayweather.
If that happens, then Mayweather, 40-0, would most likely exercise the rematch clause stipulated in his fight contract with Mosley. Dumon said it would actually take Mosley two straight wins over Mayweather before he lands on Pacquiao’s lap, and by that time he’d be forty.
Pacquiao said he’s rooting for Mosley.
A Mayweather victory over Mosley does not clear the path for a fight with Pacquiao, a fight that could earn the boxers $40 million each, because of the drug-testing issue and the court case which Pacquiao had filed against the Mayweathers
Pacquiao can get as much as $20 million against Margarito, and that won’t be too bad.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=69
Bob Arum, the ageless Top Rank chief, thinks that with all the obstacles standing between Pacquiao, Mayweather and the greatest fight of all time, a fight with Margarito would make more sense.
“I think the chances are very, very good, very, very good,” said Arum during a recent press conference in Los Angeles, announcing Margarito’s May 8 bout with WBC light-middleweight champ Roberto Garcia.
It will be Margarito’s first fight since he lost to Shane Mosley in January last year when he was caught using, without his knowledge as he claims, illegal hand wraps, leading to the suspension of his fight license in the United States.
The Margarito-Garcia fight will take place in Aguacalientes, Mexico, and depending on how Margarito does, a fight with Pacquiao, sometime in September until November, in Nevada, Texas or Florida, looms.
“I think that would be an interesting fight based on how he (Margarito) does in this fight and obviously if he fought Manny Pacquiao it would be in the United States,” said Arum, who also defended Margarito against the touchy hand wraps issue.
“And, if that would be his (Margarito) next fight then we will apply for a license in the state that the fight is going to take place and it couldn’t be in California for the reason that Manny Pacquiao won’t fight in California because of state taxes,” said Arum.
Only three states in the US can host a Pacquiao fight because of friendlier taxes, and they’re Nevada, Florida and the new favorite, Texas, following its successful staging of the Pacquiao-Clottey at the massive Cowboys Stadium last March.
If Margarito beats Garcia, he can stake the 154-lb crown against Pacquiao, and give Pacquiao a shot at an eighth wonder, an eighth world title in eight different weight divisions, with or without a catch weight.
Margarito, who stunned the world when he lost to Mosley, likes the idea.
“I love to get that fight (with Pacquiao). I think everybody’s talking about that. It’s a great possibility. We’re both with Top Rank so the possibility is always there,” he said through Top Rank pointman, Ricardo Jimenez.
Arum said Margarito deserves the fight with Pacquiao.
“Because I think a great injustice had been done and I’m not going to give in to idle speculations that he had to know (about the illegal wraps). What do you mean he had to know? Have somebody wrap your hands and put somebody put something in the (tape) and see if you know before you say ‘he had to know,’” said Arum.
Marv Dumon of The Examiner enumerated the reasons why a Pacquiao-Margarito fight would likely happen, and on top of the board is the great possibility of Mosley, the 38-year-old WBA welterweight champion, beating Mayweather.
If that happens, then Mayweather, 40-0, would most likely exercise the rematch clause stipulated in his fight contract with Mosley. Dumon said it would actually take Mosley two straight wins over Mayweather before he lands on Pacquiao’s lap, and by that time he’d be forty.
Pacquiao said he’s rooting for Mosley.
A Mayweather victory over Mosley does not clear the path for a fight with Pacquiao, a fight that could earn the boxers $40 million each, because of the drug-testing issue and the court case which Pacquiao had filed against the Mayweathers
Pacquiao can get as much as $20 million against Margarito, and that won’t be too bad.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=69
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