ARLINGTON, TX (August 31, 2010) – Ten-time world champions CONGRESSMAN MANNY PACQUIAO and ANTONIO MARGARITO, of the Philippines and México, respectively, collide in the most exciting and intriguing fight of the year with the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight championship and the No. 1 pound for pound title at stake.
Pacquiao and Margarito boast a combined record of 89-9-2 (65 KOs) — a winning percentage of 89% and a victory by knockout ratio of 73%.
Jerry Jones and Bob Arum, owner of the Dallas Cowboys and chairman of Top Rank, respectively, announced today that Cowboys Stadium would be the site of MANNY PACQUIAO vs. ANTONIO MARGARITO, World Super Welterweight Championship. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Cowboys Stadium, and MP Promotions, Pacquiao vs. Margarito will take place Saturday, November 13 and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at
9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Margarito, priced at $700, $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50, go on sale Saturday, September 18 and can be purchased in-person at the Cowboys Stadium ticket office in Arlington, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.
This marks Pacquiao’s second world championship headlining appearance at Cowboys Stadium. On March 13, professional boxing made its debut at Cowboys Stadium where close to 51,000 fans watched Pacquiao successfully defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against former world champion Joshua Clottey. Call it Mannyfist Destiny, Pacquiao, no stranger to making history, will not only be looking to expand his trophy case by winning an unprecedented eighth world title in as many different weight divisions, but he will also be the first elected official to fight for a world championship, much less headline a major international pay-per-view promotion. He won a seat in his country’s Congress, winning the lone seat from the province of Sarangani, in a landslide in the May 10 election.
“It was an honor to fight in the first world championship held at Cowboys Stadium. Jerry Jones was a wonderful host,” said Pacquiao. “I look forward to returning to Cowboys Stadium and fighting before the wonderful fans in North Texas. I know Antonio Margarito poses great challenges for me but Freddie Roach and I will train our hardest to win. I am fighting for more than pride or history. I am fighting for the glory of the Philippines.”
For Margarito, a three-time world welterweight champion, this will be his second attempt at a world super welterweight title. Margarito’s resume includes victories over six former or current world champions. Known as the “Tijuana Tornado,” the hard-hitting Margarito is the WBC’s International super welterweight champion and its No. 1 super welterweight contender.
“I look forward to this fight with Manny Pacquiao to prove once again that I am one of the best fighters in the world,” said Margarito. “Pacquiao has stopped some of the best Mexican fighters in the world, but he won’t be able to stop this Mexican.”
“Cowboys Stadium was built for Super Bowls and super fights. Pacquiao vs. Margarito combines the best elements of both,” said Jones. “The fans of North Texas embraced Manny Pacquiao as boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound attraction when he fought here in March and we cannot wait to extend our hospitality to him again and to
fellow world champion Antonio Margarito. This is a great fight, and it is one we can showcase to the fullest in Cowboys Stadium.”
Cowboys Stadium will be configured for over 50,000 fans for Pacquiao vs. Margarito, with elevated floor seating similar to NBA games.
“Jerry Jones has ushered in a new era in boxing as 51,000 fans witnessed at Cowboys Stadium last March when Manny defended his welterweight title,” said Arum.
“Jerry knows exactly how to present an event of this magnitude which is why it is so easy to work together again. Manny and Antonio have never backed away from a challenge. They don’t go around obstacles they meet them head-on, which is exactly what they will do on November 13 when they face each other in the ring for the world title. It’s going to be a night to remember for the fans in North Texas and those watching on pay-per-view around the world.
“Manny Pacquiao is a boxing superstar and a world figure,” said Mark Taffet of HBO Pay-Per-View. “Cowboy Stadium is a world-class venue. We look forward to bringing sports fans another big night with the Pacquiao-Margarito telecast on November 13.”
Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, returns to the ring after successfully defending his WBO welterweight title via a dominant unanimous decision over former International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion Clottey. Pacquiao captured the WBO welterweight title last November with a brilliant 12th round knockout of four-time world champion Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao’s victory made him the first man to win seven titles in as many different weight divisions, with his last three world championships coming by way of knockout. The consensus Fighter of the Year for the third time in the past four years and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Cotto. His knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton made him the 2009 pay-per-view king, exceeding two million buys combined, while no boxer has sold more live tickets than Pacquiao in 2010.
Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs), a native of Tijuana, México, captured his first world title in 2002, winning the vacant WBO welterweight title with a tenth-round TKO of Antonio Diaz. He reigned as WBO champion for five years, successfully defending his title seven times – five by knockout – including victories over world champions Kermit
Cintron, Andrew Lewis and Clottey. After losing the title to Paul Williams in 2007, Margarito dethroned IBF welterweight champion Cintron in a rematch, knocking him out in their 2008 fight. Margarito claimed his third welterweight title when he stopped undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion Miguel Cotto in the eleventh round of their July 2008 battle, arguably the fight of the year.
The Pacquiao vs. Margarito pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET /
6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive
HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Pacquiao vs. Margarito fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com or www.toprank.com .
