Luke
02-10-2009, 09:19 PM
The California State Athletic Commission revoked the licenses of former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito and trainer Javier Capetillo on Tuesday after a foreign plaster-like substance was discovered inside the boxer's hand wraps before he faced Shane Mosley at the Staples Center in Los Angles on Jan. 24.
The panel rejected Margarito's plea of ignorance and Capetillo's insistence that he had simply made a mistake, voting 7-0 on both revocations.
The revocation means that neither can participate in boxing in the United States for at least one year. After a year, both would have to reapply for their licenses in California, where they would have to go through another hearing. There is no guarantee either would be re-licensed.
The punishment extends throughout the nation because commissions honor suspensions and revocations in other jurisdictions.
"The conduct of both Mr. Margarito and Mr. Capetillo was unacceptable and threatened the health and safety of another licensee," said Carrie Lopez, the director of the state's Department of Consumer Affairs, which licenses fighters. "Today's action shows that both the Department of Consumer Affairs and the California State Athletic Commission take the issue of boxer safety very seriously, and will move quickly when a licensee's actions threaten the safety of others."
It is possible that Margarito could fight, and Capetillo could train, in another country, where regulators do not necessarily honor U.S. rules, such as in Mexico.
Before Margarito was knocked out in the ninth round, Mosley's trainer, Naazim Richardson, objected to the way Margarito's hands were wrapped.
When the wraps were cut off to be reapplied, officials found what was deemed a plaster-like substance inside each wrap. Margarito had his hands rewrapped and went on to lose the fight.
The CSAC's decision stunned and infuriated Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who attended the hearing in Sacramento. Arum, Capetillo and Margarito all insisted the boxer had no knowledge of the illegal nature of the wraps.
"It's an absolute outrage," Arum told The Associated Press. "It's something that I never thought would happen in the United States, where somebody who is totally and completely innocent, has no knowledge what happened, and didn't do anything wrong, gets his license taken away because his trainer allegedly did something wrong. Everybody is blown away. It's absolutely crazy."
Arum said it's more likely Margarito's next fight will be in Mexico, where several cities already had contacted him about hosting one of the nation's most popular fighters despite his recent loss.
"There are legal remedies, but there are practical remedies that would keep him fighting," Arum said.
Arum doesn't expect Margarito to be back in the ring until June at the earliest after absorbing ample punishment from Mosley, who won every round on many observers' scorecards in an upset victory. The result was shocking to fans who watched Margarito's punishment of previously undefeated Miguel Cotto last summer to win the WBA belt.
The panel rejected Margarito's plea of ignorance and Capetillo's insistence that he had simply made a mistake, voting 7-0 on both revocations.
The revocation means that neither can participate in boxing in the United States for at least one year. After a year, both would have to reapply for their licenses in California, where they would have to go through another hearing. There is no guarantee either would be re-licensed.
The punishment extends throughout the nation because commissions honor suspensions and revocations in other jurisdictions.
"The conduct of both Mr. Margarito and Mr. Capetillo was unacceptable and threatened the health and safety of another licensee," said Carrie Lopez, the director of the state's Department of Consumer Affairs, which licenses fighters. "Today's action shows that both the Department of Consumer Affairs and the California State Athletic Commission take the issue of boxer safety very seriously, and will move quickly when a licensee's actions threaten the safety of others."
It is possible that Margarito could fight, and Capetillo could train, in another country, where regulators do not necessarily honor U.S. rules, such as in Mexico.
Before Margarito was knocked out in the ninth round, Mosley's trainer, Naazim Richardson, objected to the way Margarito's hands were wrapped.
When the wraps were cut off to be reapplied, officials found what was deemed a plaster-like substance inside each wrap. Margarito had his hands rewrapped and went on to lose the fight.
The CSAC's decision stunned and infuriated Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who attended the hearing in Sacramento. Arum, Capetillo and Margarito all insisted the boxer had no knowledge of the illegal nature of the wraps.
"It's an absolute outrage," Arum told The Associated Press. "It's something that I never thought would happen in the United States, where somebody who is totally and completely innocent, has no knowledge what happened, and didn't do anything wrong, gets his license taken away because his trainer allegedly did something wrong. Everybody is blown away. It's absolutely crazy."
Arum said it's more likely Margarito's next fight will be in Mexico, where several cities already had contacted him about hosting one of the nation's most popular fighters despite his recent loss.
"There are legal remedies, but there are practical remedies that would keep him fighting," Arum said.
Arum doesn't expect Margarito to be back in the ring until June at the earliest after absorbing ample punishment from Mosley, who won every round on many observers' scorecards in an upset victory. The result was shocking to fans who watched Margarito's punishment of previously undefeated Miguel Cotto last summer to win the WBA belt.