We are a little over a week away from a fight that many in the boxing world don’t see why it is happening. Obviously those that belittle the fight might be those that really don’t understand the business of boxing beyond what goes down inside the ring but at sometimes and if not most of the time, what happens inside the ring is dictated by what happens outside of it. On Saturday, March 5th, from the Mexico City Arena and broadcast live on the Azteca channel in Mexico and Bein Sports in Español in the United States, former three-time welterweight champion Antonio Margarito will face veteran Jorge “Maromerito” Paez Jr in a ten round super welterweight contest.
The fight marks the first time Margarito of Tijuana has not climbed into a ring as professional in over four years. Yes, the same Margarito that was suspended for over a year for allegedly using loaded hand wraps back in 2008 and yes, the same Margarito who had his right eye nearly blown out of its socket by the constant attack of one Manny Pacquiao in Dallas back in 2010. In his last five, Margarito has gone 2-3 with wins over Miguel Cotto and Roberto Garcia with his losses to the aforementioned Mosley, Pacquiao and Cotto. Five fights in the last eight years.
Paez Jr has been much more active since he is nine years Margarito’s junior and has not been suspended or suffered any major injuries. His luck has not been all that much better going 2-2-1 in his last five outings with wins over Ronald Montes and Daniel Echeverria while losing to Jose Benavidez in a bid for the interim WBA light welterweight title and a decision to nineteen year old up and coming prospect Carlos “Chema” Ocampo in his last fight. The draw came against Aaron “La Joya” Herrera back in 2014.
Many think Margarito at thirty-seven years old is too old for the game including his opponent next Saturday night. Yes, he has gone through his own share of wars against Paul Williams and the first Cotto fight while also received some devastating beatings against Mosley and Pacquiao. One thing Margarito has always prided himself for, except for his fight against Mosley, was his supreme conditioning and always been in shape for his fights. He had too be since he didn’t possess much technique or talent, he won the WBO welterweight on sheer will, activity and a ton of the product chickens are known for, in other workds, huevos.
Margarito has stated if he loses to Paez Jr he will be sure of his retirement.
He says his comeback is not prompted by lack of money or fame but more his desire to show his two young children what dad does to earn a living. That and in his opinion a shortage of real fights with Mexicans as its stars is the reason why he wants to see if the “Tijuana Tornado” still is devastating natural disaster or just a strong gust of wind. Us fans are dying to know too.
