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Margarito ready for next foe
Mosley, Cotto or Clotty--The "Tijuana Tornado" is ready for another fight
Ever since the biggest win of his storied 14-year pro career over Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto this past July, WBA welterweight super champion Antonio Margarito (37-5, 27 KOs) has been logging in the frequent flyer miles travelling all over the western hemisphere to various fight cards in Las Vegas, Puerto Rico and Mexico City, and boxing events including the WBA annual convention in the Dominican Republic.
Along the way, he has met thousands of fans whom he does not hesitate to attend with a smile, an autograph and a photo opportunity.
"The truth is, the fans have treated me very well," says Margarito. "Whereever I go, the fans are happy to see me and that makes me happy. I am glad I am in the position that I am in that I have demonstrated who I am, and to keep showing the fans that I will be a champion for a long time."
A week after his eleventh round stoppage of the former undefeated Cotto, Margarito was in Las Vegas to take in the championship bout for the IBF title he vacated between Zab Judah and Joshua Clottey. Clottey stopped Judah in the ninth and it was rumored that, with the win, Clottey had set up a rematch with the only man that has beaten him in the last seven years. The bout never materialized.
"What happened was, they offered me that fight but I told Top Rank that I wouldn't be ready until December," explains Margarito. " Since I have been traveling, I haven't been training, so I asked if we could do it in December but there wasn't any TV dates. It wasn't to be, so now we have a date for the end of January--we don't have an exact date but it's for the end of January."
On his last trip, Margarito traveled to the Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic to receive his new belt and title of super champion from the World Boxing Association, as part of their annual convention. It was a ceremony that brings a smile to his face when mentioned.
"I am very happy," says Margarito. " Supposedly, that belt was for Cotto. That is how they had it planned, but I won the belt with my will and now I am the super champion."
With all his promotional obligations squared away, Margarito now has to concentrate on that date at the end of January. The fighter at the top of the list is 37 year old Shane Mosley.
"That is the fight that is being negotiated, but we have to wait to see if it will be against Mosley," says Margarito.
Within his travels, Margarito sat ringside for Mosley's KO of Ricardo Mayorga this past September, a performance that impressed the "Tijuana Tornado."
"Mosley demonstrated once again that he is a good fighter," says Margarito. " I think he did great in that fight."
While many boxing critics believed that Cotto's speed and boxing skill would be too much for the Mexican warrior, Margarito proved the ringside pundits wrong as he was able to systematically slow down the Puerto Rican. It's a strategy that Margarito feels would work against his next possible opponent.
"Their styles are very similar," he says. "I think that Mosley is a little faster than Cotto but we will work hard and come up with a good strategy for Mosley."
As always, Margarito does not take anything for granted. He does not believe that Mosley's speed is the only variable he needs to be ready for.
"No, I have to be ready for everything in the ring. We know that he is a fighter with a lot of experience but we will have a good strategy for whatever he brings."
But just as Margarito prepares for everything inside the ring, he is also ready for everything outside of it, including the chance of meeting inside the squared circle his last opponent.
"They have mentioned the possibility that if a fight against Mosley couldn't be made it, would be the rematch against Cotto. I am willing to grant the rematch. I just have to wait and see what my promoter Top Rank says.
"I am ready for anything, I am an employee of the company and if they want to do the rematch, we are ready."
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For more information about the San Diego/Tijuana boxing scene, visit www.SDfights.com
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