by: Ed Tolentino
Much like his nickname “Tornado,” Mexican Antonio Margarito loves to huff, puff and blow away his opponents with vicious haymakers. Since turning professional in 1994, Margarito has compiled a record of 38-6 with 27 knockouts. Margarito’s 60 knockout percentage underlines his search and destroy persona in the ring. The former two-time world welterweight champion comes to the ring offering little science in his style, preferring to rumble regardless of the consequences.
Margarito’s devil-may-care approach in the ring actually mirrors his personal life. “When you live in a border town [Tijuana], everything is always a little tougher,” said Margarito. “Everything in life is a little tougher. You have to work hard for everything you get. I think it shows in everything, especially in boxing.”
One of five children (three sisters, two brothers), Antonio Margarito Montiel was born on March 18, 1978 in Torrance, California but grew up in Tijuana. To provide food on the table, Margarito’s father sold mattresses. As a toddler, Margarito played soccer and basketball, but started developing an interest in boxing at age 8, after his father brought him to several fights.
“My father was a big boxing fan, and he took me to the fights” said Margarito. “That’s how I became interested in boxing. I started soon after that. I had 21 amateur fights, with a record of 18 wins and 3 losses.”
Margarito turned professional in January 1994, scoring a four-round decision win over Jose Trujillo. He won his first five fights before suffering his first loss in October 1994 by way of a decision loss to Victor Loyoza.
Margarito fought his first 10 fights in Tijuana before relocating to California, USA to pursue his fistic dreams. “My father doesn’t have the papers to cross the border,” said Margarito. “He has never seen me fight in person.”
Life away from Mexico was struggle early on for Margarito. He remembers one fight where he climbed the ring shortly after being informed that his brother had been murdered. As if things cannot get any worse, Margarito, owing to his size (5’11”) and fearsome punching power, was avoided like a disease by the champions in the welterweight division.
Margarito did not win a world title until March 2002, when he stopped Antonio Diaz in 10 rounds for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title. Margarito lost the belt on points to Paul Williams in July 2007. Unperturbed, he became a champion again in April 2008, stopping Kermit Cintron with a debilitating body shot in the sixth round for the International Boxing Federation welter plum. Margarito added the World Boxing Association welterweight title to his collection in July 2008, when he knocked out Miguel Cotto in 11 rounds.
Just when it seemed his career was finally taking off, Margarito hit a huge roadblock in January 2009, when the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) discovered that he had tried to use tampered gloves before his title defense against American Shane Mosley. Margarito’s hands were rewrapped, but he lost his focus and was stopped in nine rounds by Mosley. Shortly after the fight, the CSAC suspended Margarito and revoked his boxing license.
Margarito’s career hit rock bottom. Banned from fighting in the US, he resurfaced on May 8 in Mexico, scoring a lackluster decision over Roberto Garcia.
Margarito was drifting into oblivion when promoter Bob Arum sought his services. When the proposed showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao fell through, Margarito emerged as a substitute foe for the Filipino. Margarito immediately sought his reinstatement in the US, but the CSAC denied his application for a boxing license. Surprisingly, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation ignored the CSAC’s ruling and issued the required boxing license to Margarito.
Margarito is heading to the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas looking at the fight with Pacquiao as his ticket to redemption. Margarito is a heavy underdog, but the Mexican couldn’t care less. As Margarito puts it, he has been through hell to be intimidated by the PacMan. Margarito has his eyes fixed on winning the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight title. For the record, it will be Margarito’s second attempt to win the 154-pound crown. In September 2004, Margarito lost by technical decision to Daniel Santos in a battle for the WBO super welterweight crown. The fight was stopped in the 10th round because of a deep cut in Margarito’s right eye. Santos was ahead on points at the time of the technical stoppage and was declared the winner.
“I’m still very hungry. I’ve always wanted to be a WBC champion. Pacquiao’s a great fighter. I expect a tough fight but I’m going to win this fight,” quipped the Tijuana Tornado.
Source: manilatimes.net
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