Margarito has license revoked, KOing big bout

Antonio Margarito had his boxing license revoked Tuesday by the California State Athletic Commission, meaning at least a one-year ban for the Mexican fighter to knockout a planned major fight in June.

Also having his license revoked at the hearing was Javier Capetillo, Maragrito's trainer, who testified he accidentally implanted hard pads into the front of Margarito's gloves before his fight January 24 against Shane Mosley.

Margarito must go before the panel in a year to reapply for a license to fight in the state, which is effectively a nationwide ban since states honor bans from one to another.

But the decision would not keep Margarito, 37-6 with 27 knockouts, from fighting in his homeland.

The panel voted 7-0 after more than five hours of testimony to revoke the license.

That wiped out plans for a June 13 Margarito rematch with Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto, who lost the World Boxing Association welterweight crown to Maragarito last July.

Margarito's tainted gloves were discovered by Mosley trainer Nazim Richardson during the pre-fight taping and as a result the pads were removed before Mosley's ninth-round knockout of Margarito.

Capetillo claimed he accidentally pulled an insert from his bag and put it inside Margarito's knuckle wrapping.

"I committed a big mistake," Capetillo said. "I don't want this young man to have problems. I'm here to cover any responsibility. I take full responsibility. I committed this innocent mistake."

The panel could not believe that Margarito, represented by noted attorney Daniel Petrocelli, did not know about the foreign substance inside his gloves.

One insert was available for commissioners to examine. The other is with state officials who expect to determine the substance on it by mid-March. Inspectors described a hard substance that others have reported is similar to hardened plaster.

LOS ANGELES, Wednesday AFP