“Common hand cream” could have caused the controversy?
“…Read the report. The report says that they have this piece of gauze and they say they found calcium and sodium which is present in plaster paris,” said Bob Arum on Tuesday. “Well, they had the whole ****** piece so they’re not saying it’s plaster of paris. What they didn’t say is that common hand cream that is used by fighters, has sodium and calcium in it. And they said in the report sodium and calcium is in plaster of paris but it’s in a lot of other substances. So that report supports Margarito’s position, doesn’t re-affirm the State’s position. And an appeal will be filed this week and it will be reversed. It has to be reversed.”
Arum continued: “What they did to Margarito was a complete violation of due process. They applied the standard that if you’re the boss, you’re responsible for what your underlings do. Now that is only law in certain areas. If you own a bar and your bartender violates the law, you, as the bar owner, are responsible. Why? Because the bartender is not licensed. You’re licensed. But when you have a trainer and a second and they’re licensed by the State, just as you the boxer is, that doesn’t apply. Yes, if something is wrong, get the wrong-doer but not the guy who is innocent.”
Arum went on some more: “Let’s assume the decision is overpowered, and you then book him in his next fight against the winner of Cotto and Clottey. And you have television cameras and everything in at the wrapping, so you assure that everything is kosher, right? And then if he wins, his reputation is restored.”
To play devil’s advocate, I popped Arum with this question: It’s almost like Margarito’s acting like a guilty guy though, he’s almost gone kind of into hiding.
Arum’s response: “That’s bullshit.”
I countered: He hasn’t come out proclaiming his innocence if he’s really innocent. He fired the trainer (Javier Capetillo).
Arum: “That’s not true. That’s not true. You have to understand he is being represented by the best lawyers in Los Angeles. And what he says and doesn’t say is guided by them.
So there you have it. After the controversy from the Shane Mosley hand-wrapping incident before the fight on Jan. 24, Antonio Margarito may soon be next in line for the winner of Cotto vs. Clottey, later in 2009. He might even get his punishment (boxing license suspended for one year on Feb. 11) reversed in the coming weeks after an appeal is filed later this week.
