Not only is Texas ready and willing to play host to Antonio Margarito as he takes on Manny Pacquiao Nov. 13, but from the looks of things, it may even be willing to do some publicity work for Margarito’s damaged public image.
The state commission announced Thursday that it granted Margarito's request for a license. Margarito's license was suspended in California last year after a substance similar to plaster was found in his handwraps before his January loss to Shane Mosley. Other U.S. commissions had previously gone along with California's ban.
Last week, the California State Athletic Commission voted five to one to uphold its revocation of Margarito’s license based on its feelings that the fighter hadn’t put forth the minimal effort to acknowledge his transgressions and rehabilitate his professional conduct. But the hearing was a mere formality as per the Association of Boxing Commissions statement, Margarito is now “free to pursue licensure with any ABC member commission” after making the effort to be reinstated by the commission that initially leveled the punishment.
There are a lot of interested parties who wanted the fight to be in Texas, including Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. The fight will likely be in his palatial new Cowboys Stadium and Pacquiao drew more than 50,000 there in March. Filling seats with Pacquiao and a disgraced boxer seemingly doesn't offend his sensibilities or those of most Texas athletic commission officials.
While some states may still have reluctance in licensing boxing’s modern-day pariah, the Texas commission has never been one to suffer from a guilty conscience or ethical dilemmas.
Dickie Cole, Texas’ program manager of combat sports, told the Los Angeles Times before the decision to give Margarito a license was approved: “If a man serves his time for his crime, he’s served his time and needs to be released.”
Texas is doing nothing to change its reputation as the wild west of athletic commissions.
The state had no problem licensing Edwin Valero, who had bleeding on the brain and was unable to get licensed anywhere in the U.S. And it surely didn't have a problem with issuing a license to Margarito. Cole also told the Times that the tainted handwraps might have been there only to protect Margarito’s hands.
After seeing how they do business and hearing the sewage seeping from a leading official's mouth, Texas may be the perfect home for Margarito after all.
