Miguel Cotto vs Antonio Margarito III: WBC Champ Not in Favor of Third Showdown with 'The Tijuana Tornado'
World Boxing Council middleweight champion Miguel Cotto is not in favor of having a showdown again with Antonio Margarito. Thus, boxing fans should not wait for a third bout between Cotto and "The Tijuana Tornado."
The Puerto Rican warrior, Cotto, believed that Margarito was unable to clear his name of cheating accusations thrown at him during their first fight, Boxing Scene noted.
"Margarito already had his chance to show the entire world that he didn't have anything in his wraps in our first fight, which as we all know wasn't the case, and he failed [in proving that in our rematch]," Cotto said.
Cotto and Margarito collided for the first time in 2008 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas during the Caguas-born boxer's fifth defense of his World Boxing Association welterweight title, per BoxRec. It was Margarito who walked away with the WBA crown via an 11th-round stoppage.
Two years after, Cotto was able to avenge his loss when he came out of a ninth-round knockout win to successfully defend his WBA super welterweight title from Margarito.
Yet, that victory against Margarito was not enough for Cotto. "Illegal inserts" were reportedly found prior to his bout with Shane Mosley in 2009. However, the fight continued with "Sugar" crushing Margarito via a ninth-round knockout in front of almost 21,000 fans at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, ESPN noted.
Although Margarito was penalized for what he did, Team Cotto believed that Margarito also used "illegally hardened hand wraps" during their first fight, basing on a photo showing a red spot on Margarito's wrap, Los Angeles Times reported. See the photo in question featured on Bad Left Hook.
Cotto's trainer Joe Santiago said in 2009 that he felt that Margarito really committed the act.
"There's no doubt. Look at Miguel's face after that fight," said Santiago.
Margarito's camp denied it, saying it could have been a stain from their boxer's red glove.
Margarito's Return
Margarito retired after his 2011 match against Cotto because of an eye injury he reportedly sustained during his bout against eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao in 2010.
In June, Margarito announced his plan to come back, Boxing Scene noted. He reportedly wanted to be back in the ring with today's great boxers, noted Boxing Scene.
"[Middleweight and junior middleweight] are by far the most interesting divisions...Obviously I'd like to go against the elite, with anyone...Cotto, Canelo, those who say they are the best," Margarito said.
With Cotto refusing to fight him again, Margarito should just move forward by dropping the Puerto Rican's name on his list.
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