Pacquiao, Margarito to begin US promo tour

A whirlwind press tour set next week jumpstarts the promotional hype for the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito showdown for the World Boxing Council (WBC) light middleweight crown. Pacquiao is now wrapping up his work at the Philippine House of Representatives prior to his departure for the U.S. by Monday to formally sign the contract for the November 13 fight and begin drumming up publicity with barely three months left before the title bout takes place at the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Margarito is signing the contract this weekend in what could easily be the richest fight of his 16-year pro career, just a year after being caught with loaded hand wraps prior to his title duel with Sugar Shane Mosley that caused his ban from boxing. Although the overwhelming underdog, the 32-year-old Mexican from Tijuana is likely to earn between $3 to $5 million in prize money while Pacquiao obviously will have the bulk of the purse, possibly $15 million or more. Following the contract signing, the two begin the three-city, week-long press tour that kicks off at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila). The following day, Pacquiao and Margarito are off to New York in Chelsea Piers-Pier 60, just within 23rd St. and the Hudson River. The tour ends on Friday with the personal appearance of both fighters at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The bout was finally put together Thursday (Friday, Manila time) when the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation granted Margarito a license, allowing him to finally fight in the U.S. for the first time since suffering that 9th round technical knockout loss to Mosley on January 9, 2009. Shortly after that loss, Margarito’s license was revoked and was banned from fighting for a year. It also led to the parting of ways between him and long-time trainer Javier Capetillo, the veteran corner man and father figure to Margarito, whom he accused of being responsible for the loaded hand wraps he had for the Mosley fight. But now, Margarito is back and set to face the fighter universally regarded as the best in the world, pound-for-pound. “I have dedicated my life to giving the fans of the sport entertainment and excitement. On November 13, this great opportunity will ultimately be fulfilled when I battle Manny Pacquiao," said Margarito. The Mexican also expressed his gratitude to the state of Texas for granting him a boxing license, after being denied by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) and the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) when he tried to re-apply shortly after his one-year suspension was over. “I want to thank the state of Texas for granting me a boxing license which enables me to continue my passion for the sport of boxing in the United States," added Margarito, whose first comeback fight following the lifting of his suspension was a 10-round unanimous decision against Roberto Garcia in Mexico. Unlike in the CSAC case when it held a hearing to determine Margarito’s fate, the Texas commission just went through the Mexican’s completed application, checked his proper medical paperwork and made him pay the $20 fee before being granted a license. “After a thorough review of his application it was determined Mr. Margarito met the requirements of the Texas Combative Sports Act and Rules," said Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation director William Kuntz. None was happy for Margarito than Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who holds the promotional rights on both the Mexican and Pacquiao. “For me, it was like a terrible nightmare, this whole thing, and now the sun is shining," said Arum in an interview by ESPN from France where he is currently vacationing. “I really believe that it will be a very competitive fight. One guy is much bigger and stronger (Margarito) and the other guy (Pacquiao) is quicker and hits with both hands. It will be a fascinating fight to watch." Arum already has contingency plans if and when Margarito fails to get a license in Texas, mentioning Mexico or Abu Dhabi as possible alternative sites for the fight. But with Texas granting Margarito the license, Arum is taking the fight at the Cowboys Stadium hoping to surpass the record crowd of 50,994 – one of the largest in U.S. boxing history – that watched Pacquiao’s lopsided win over Joshua Clottey last March for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown. “I think the crowd will be much bigger and Jerry (Jones) – owner of the Dallas Cowboys team – thinks it will also," said Arum. “The last fight (Pacquiao-Clottey) was not during football season. This one is, and we have all the Dallas Cowboys assets they use during the season to help this time. “We have a lot of stuff that we didn't have for the Clottey fight. With Margarito being Hispanic, and this is North Texas, which has a huge Hispanic population, that will make this even bigger." – JVP, GMANews.TV