Roach mocks Margarito with hand wraps -- Philippine Star

By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach should carry a metal detector when he visits Antonio Margarito’s dressing room on fight night.

Margarito’s trainer, Robert Garcia, kept the mind game going when he put on brass knuckles during their recent media workout at the Fortune Gym in Hollywood.

“That’s [metal] what he [Richardson] found. Do you believe that? He [Margarito] got caught,” Garcia said in an article that came out of Fanhouse.com the other day.

It was Shane Mosley’s trainer, Naziim Richardson, who discovered the plaster-like substance in Margarito’s hand wraps before their fight in January of 2009.

It led to the one-year suspension of Margarito, who claimed he had no knowledge of what his former trainer, Javier Capetillo, had placed on his hands for the fight, which he lost by knockout.

“That’s what fell out when Naazim Richardson saw it,” Garcia said at the gym packed with mediamen.

“Manny, be careful,” he added. “Freddie Roach, you had better be in the dressing room like you said. You had better be there all of the time. Watch out, Freddie Roach.”

Margarito hit the mitts for a couple of rounds before the media, and his punches sounded heavy on video.

Roach had said he will personally be there when Margarito’s hands are wrapped, and make sure they’re clean.

“Yes, I will be there,” said Roach.

A day before Margarito staged his media workout, Pacquiao had his own time with the media a few blocks away at the Wild Card Gym.

And before the session started, Roach brought the house down when he wore a pair of armored gloves in mocking Margarito.

“I am going to make sure that Antonio Margarito wears hand wraps, not gift wraps, when he faces Manny Pacquiao,” Roach was quoted as saying.

Source: philstar.com

Margarito camp does not want to hear excuses -- 8CountNews

By Brad Cooney, 8CountNews.com

On November 14th team Margarito does not want to hear any excuses from anyone as to why their guy defeated Manny Pacquiao. Trainer Roberto Garcia recently spoke about wanting a top conditioned ready to go Manny Pacquiao. Garcia doesn't want to hear anything from the other side, no excuses, no explanations, nothing, he wants to bathe in the success of his fighter, Antonio Margarito knowing that his guy won fair and square.

Margarito and his team are very confident. Garcia recently talked about this fight and how it's looking easier the more he looks at Pacquiao film. The confidence is growing, and their camp has gone well. Tony Margarito is convinced that he will win, and so is his team. They feel as if Manny is just too small and will not be able to inflict as much damage on their guy as he has other opponents.

Last week 8countNews was invited to Oxnard, and got a first hand look at how the former 3 time world champion was doing. What I saw was an extremely focused fighter inside of the ring, and a very relaxed fighter outside of the ring. The energy in the gym was high, and so was the confidence. Nobody in that gym believes that Manny Pacquiao will win this fight.

Margarito is not stupid though. He knows that on November 13th, he will have his hands full. Margarito knows that he will have to figure out a way to deal with the blinding speed of Manny Pacquiao. He knows that he will have to figure out a way to avoid the punishment that Pacquiao had inflicted on his previous opponents. This is no small task, so Tony knows that he will have to put forth the greatest effort of his entire career.

Most of the folks that I spoke with in Oxnard feel as if Manny bit off more than he can chew by coming up to this weight class. Margarito has a huge size and reach advantage, and he has a chin like a brick. Margarito recently spoke about the differences in him and other Pacquiao opponents, " I am not Joshua Clottey, I will keep moving in and I will be throwing a lot of punches." What Margarito said is right, he is nothing like a Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao will have to deal with a big strong opponent that does like to move forward, and who does like to throw a plethora of punches.

Focus, pride, determination, something to prove, money, all at stake on November 13th. Margarito knows that he will never completely put to bed the hand-wrap situation, but a win over Manny Pacquiao will certainly make dealing with it easier. Not to mention adding a few zero's to his next paycheck.

This fight has the makings of fireworks early, but time will tell for how long.

Source: 8countnews.com