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 Margarito gets Golden shot on Mosley-Cotto card at the Garden
Photo and Article By German Villasenor (Oct 15, 2007)
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“The Tijuana Tornado”, Antonio Margarito, coming off a heartbreaking title loss at the hands of Paul Williams in which Margarito’s nearly five year WBO welterweight title reign came to an end, gets right back on the horse on November 10th, landing on the same Madison Square Garden card on which Miguel Cotto, whom he was supposed to fight after the Williams defense, will be fighting three-time world champion ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley.
Trying to stay active before the year ended, Margarito’s manager Sergio Diaz Jr. told Maxboxing.com that Top Rank put his charge up against the experienced Golden Johnson in a bout for the WBO intercontinental welterweight title.
“I had been in contact with Top Rank, speaking about a possible (Kermit) Cintron fight, but then this fight opened up and we took it. He (Johnson) holds a title, so it’s good as puts us on the cusp of another title shot,” said Diaz.
The fringe title is a small step away from another world title shot for the Tijuana fighter, who’s itching to place himself among the elite once again; a place where he believes he belongs despite his most recent setback.
Margarito, who doesn’t speak too much English, nonetheless took the opportunity to speak to his promoter Bob Arum at the recent Jorge Arce fight, trying to see what was in store for him.
“While at the Arce fight last week I spoke to Arum as best as I could, and he told me that Dan (Goossen) called him last week and wanted to speak about a rematch against Williams. He told me they were going to speak about it again, but then this fight finally got made,” said Margarito, who is still irked at the decision that took his title away.
“Right after the fight, I really felt that I didn’t lose and I still feel so, it’s just that while fighting I never felt I was behind on the scorecards,” he said. “Yeah, he was throwing a lot of punches, but he wasn’t hitting me as much as I guess the judges thought. After all, this isn’t the amateurs, which is how he fought. Still, after seeing the fight on TV, I can see, and I’ve been told, that I start a little too cold. Everyone knows that, but I will start faster from now on and pressure from the start, just like I did against Williams in the eleventh round. If there is a rematch, I will knock him out.
And what are Margarito’s thoughts about his next assignment?
“I’m very happy with my management and promoter for getting me this fight, this quick, as my management (Sergio Diaz Jr. and Francisco Espinoza) has been in contact with Top Rank since the last fight, pointing out that I want to fight right away, as I came out clean and unscathed from that fight,” he said. “I’m glad that I get to fight almost right away on the November 10th card. I want to stay active, not like before, with stretches of time in-between fights.”
With so much at stake, who does he see as the winner of the Cotto-Mosley fight?
“Mosley,” said Margarito. “He is too quick and throws many combinations; plus, I don’t think he will stand in there too long waiting for Cotto to land his body shots. I see Mosley winning that fight.”
But first up is Johnson, who is no slouch himself, having fought a who’s who from 135 to 147 pounds, such as Shane Mosley, Teddy Reid, Freddy Hernandez, Vivian Harris, Cosme Rivera, Ben Tackie, Larry Mosley and Oscar Diaz, whom the Texan stopped in the eleventh round for the title in his last outing.
“I’ve seen Johnson only once, a long time ago on TV,” said Margarito. “I can’t remember against whom, but I will be ready for him. This title gets me a step closer to another title shot; hopefully it will put me in line against Mosley for the title, but of course, I would love to fight whoever actually wins it. Bring them on, Mosley, Cotto, Cintron or Williams, I will be ready for anyone of them.”
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