Antonio Margarito and the “Faulty” Wraps
The reports of Naazim Richardson cathing Antonio Margarito’s alleged “irregular” hand wraps prior to the Sugar Shane Mosley fight, it is not hard to take a look back in history in Billy Collins Jr. who was a victim of one of the ugliest episodes in boxing history. In 1983 after Billy Collins Jr. was beat into a pulp by Luis Resto, it was then discovered that his trainer Panama Lewis had removed some of the padding in Luis Resto’s gloves. Years later Luis Resto then admitted that Panama Lewis had also placed plaster under his hand wraps. Billy Collins Jr. was left with permanently blurred vision and had to retire and drove his car over a cliff. The assumption was that Billy Collins Jr. committed suicide because he could no longer fight at the age of 22.
“He could’ve killed Shane,” said Naazim Richardson “We’ve seen guys die on the up and up. You can kill him. That s— is ridiculous.”
It was fortunate for Sugar Shane Mosley suffered a different fate against Antonio Margarito last Saturday in Staples Center, Los Angeles. However if the allegations are proven true then it had a great chance that history would be repeating itself. Sugar Shane Mosley could’ve suffered the same fate as Billy Collins Jr. Prior to the fight Naazim Richardson, Sugar Shane Mosley’s astute trainer was doing his obligation by watching carefully as Javier Capetillo, Antonio Margarito’s trainer wrapped the hands of his fighter. Then, when time came to place a protective gauze pad over Antonio Margarito’s knuckles Naazim Richardson felt and could tell then and there immediately that it was harder than usual and Robert Olvera, Sugar Shane Mosley’s doctor, reportedly noticed a flaky substance on the pads that reminded him of the plaster doctors use to make casts.
“From there, I said, ‘Listen, this isn’t cool,’” Richardson said.
The alleged “faulty” pads were impounded by the California State Athletic Commission in which they are conducting an investigation. Investigators will determine that the pads weren’t “unusually” hard after all. However if it does prove to be true then Naazim Richardson allowed for the possibility that Antonio Margarito wasn’t fully aware of what was in his gloves. With that said Naazim Richardson has no doubt that he felt a hard pad that could have seriously injured Sugar Shane Mosley.
Antonio Margarito is not known as a one-punch knockout artist. If he batters Sugar Shane Mosley from the opening bell with gloves as hard as his head then things would have turned out different.
“You’ll have to kill me to beat me.” He’d never give up. Now imagine it’s late in the fight as Naazim Richardson the trainer of Sugar Shane Mosley suggested, then the plaster had then become more compact and even harder. Then boxing fans could have been on their knees saying prayers for the fast recovery of one of the century’s greatest boxing superstars. Good thing it did not happen, yet again that could’ve happened.
“I think Shane would’ve beaten him even if he had the (hard) pads,” Richardson said. “It would’ve been a tougher fight, though. I’ll tell you this: I wouldn’t want to find out. He could’ve endangered somebody’s life.
With all that has been said and done could the Tijuana Tornado be packing something that blinded most of the boxing community? Better yet now that this is out and if proven true then all the fights that Antonio Margarito was involved in would be in question. The Journey man’s travels are cut short and ended with a very disappointing turn of events that instead of making a legacy would further belittle Mexican boxers now that their last great hope has faltered. Then maybe the fantasy fight between him and Manny Pacquiao would then have different results even with the boxing betting community.
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