Countdown to Pacquiao-Margarito

SI Staff | Oct 20, 2010

Countdown to Pacquiao-Margarito

AP

Manny Pacquiao is fighting Antonio Margarito for the WBA super welterweight championship on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Pacquiao is gunning for a world championship in a record eighth different weight division. The fight will take place at a catch-weight of 150 pounds.

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Pacquiao is entering the ninth year of a partnership with Freddie Roach (left), a four-time BWAA Trainer of the Year and one of the most respected corner men in the sport.

AP

The fight will mark the second boxing event in Cowboys Stadium history after Pacquiao's lopsided decision victory over Josh Clottey on March 13. Nearly 51,000 fans turned out for Pacquiao's 51st professional victory.

AP

Margarito was one of boxing's ascendant superstars after winning the WBA welterweight title in July 2008. But a swift downfall began with his first title defense against Shane Mosley in January 2009, when Mosley's trainer noticed a plaster-like substance on Margarito's hand wraps during pre-fight preparations. Within hours, the underdog Mosley (left) had taken Margarito's title on an emphatic ninth-round TKO, and, within weeks the California State Athletic Commission had revoked his license to fight in the United States.

AP

Pacquiao's résumé includes victories over future Hall of Famers such as Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez. With a dramatic 12th-round stoppage of Miguel Cotto in November 2009, Pacquiao captured the WBO welterweight title and became the first fighter to collect world championships in seven different weight classes, between 112 to 147 pounds.

AP

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, something 51,000 fans witnessed at Cowboys Stadium last March when Manny defended his welterweight title," Top Rank president Bob Arum said.

AP

"Cowboys Stadium was built for Super Bowls and super fights. Pacquiao vs. Margarito combines the best elements of both," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "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."

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Margarito has fought just once since his suspension, earning a unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia on May 8 in Aguascalientes, Mexico. "Pacquiao has stopped some of the best Mexican fighters in the world, but he won't be able to stop this Mexican," Margarito said.

AP

Pacquiao's boxing exploits have elevated him to a god-like status in his native Philippines, where he won congressional seat in the May 10 elections from the province of Sarangani.

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"It was an honor to fight in the first world championship held at Cowboys Stadium. Jerry Jones was a wonderful host," said Pacquiao, who was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000s by the Boxing Writers Association of America. "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."