Antonio Margarito

Name: Antonio Margarito
Alias: El Tornado de Tijuana
Birth Name: Antonio Margarito Montiel
Hometown: Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Birthplace: Torrance, California, USA
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 180cm
Reach: 185cm
Pro Boxer: Record

• Trainers: Javier Capetillo (Margarito severed ties with Capetillo in 2009), Roberto Garcia (2010-2011)
• Managers: Francisco Espinoza, Sergio Diaz Jr.

Amateur Career

• Record: 18-3

Scandal and Suspension

Margarito's Seized Wraps

Prior to his January 24, 2009 bout with Shane Mosley, Nazim Richardson, Mosley's trainer, found what one doctor described as plaster hidden in the wrapped hands of Margarito, leading to accusations that Margarito may have been trying to cheat. At Richardson's demands, California State Inspector Dean Lohuis called for Margarito's hands to be rewrapped. According to Judd Burstein, the attorney for Mosley, Margarito had wet pads in the wrapping. Mosley's doctor, Robert Olvera, likened the material to the type of plaster used to make casts. Burstein said he seized the pad removed from the wrapping and another pad found in Margarito's dressing room. Both were placed in a sealed box that was given to Lohuis for further study. [1]

On January 28, the licenses of Margarito and his trainer, Javier Capetillo, were temporarily suspended by the California State Athletic Commission pending the outcome of an investigation. [2]

On February 11, the CSAC revoked their licenses. The revocations meant that neither Margarito nor Capetillo could participate in boxing in the United States for at least one year. After a year, both could reapply for their licenses in California, where they would have to go through another hearing. There would be no guarantee either would be relicensed.

"The conduct of both Mr. Margarito and Mr. Capetillo was unacceptable and threatened the health and safety of another licensee," Carrie Lopez, the director of the state's Department of Consumer Affairs, which licenses fighters, told The Associated Press. "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."

The panel rejected Margarito's plea of ignorance -- he told the panel that he just held up his hands to be wrapped -- and Capetillo's insistence that he had simply made a mistake during a hearing that lasted more than five hours in Van Nuys.

Che Guevara, the inspector responsible for supervising Margarito's hand wrapping, testified that he had never seen that sort of pad used before, apparently missing it being slipped into the initial wrap before Richardson's objections.

Another inspector, Mike Bray, said during questioning that he had seen the pads and that they were "moist and dirty looking with a white substance smeared across the pad, like a cast plaster." [3]

A Department of Justice senior criminalist who inspected the wrappings under stereomicroscope and X-ray flourescence spectrometer reported calcium and sulfur were discovered, noting the elements make plaster of Paris with the addition of oxygen. The report was dated March 19. "The commission's decision appears to be supported by that report," said Karen Chappelle, the state supervising deputy attorney general for licensing who urged the California commission to revoke the fighter and trainer's licenses. "The only things that are allowed in hand wraps are gauze and tape and those items aren't gauze and tape." [4]

Professional Career

• Has defeated 9 opponents (7 by KO) in World Title fights.
• Has a record of 10-5 1 NC (8 KO) in World Title fights.
• Has a record of 7-5 1 NC (6 KO) against former or current world titleists.
  • Won against Sergio Gabriel Martinez, Frankie Randall, Andrew Lewis, Kermit Cintron (twice), Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto.
  • Lost against Daniel Santos, Paul Williams, Shane Mosley, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto.
  • No contest with Daniel Santos.

Titles Held

• World Boxing Association Welterweight Title (2008-09)
• International Boxing Federation Welterweight Title (2008)
• WBO Intercontinental Welterweight Title (2007)
• World Boxing Organization Welterweight Title (2002-07)
• WBO NABO Welterweight Title (2000)

Preceded by: Daniel Santos Vacated	WBO Welterweight Champion 2002 Mar 16 – 2007 Jul 14	Succeeded by: Paul Williams
Preceded by: Kermit Cintron	IBF Welterweight Champion 2008 Apr 12 – 2008 Jul Stripped	Succeeded by: Joshua Clottey
Preceded by: Miguel Angel Cotto	WBA Welterweight Champion 2008 Jul 26 – 2008 Oct 3 Upgraded to Super Champion 2008 Oct 3 – 2009 Jan 24 Super Champion	Succeeded by: Yuriy Nuzhnenko Regular Champion Shane Mosley Super Champion