On Aug. 19, the day after Antonio Margarito was denied a boxing license for the second time by the California State Athletic Commission, Golden Boy Promotions' president Oscar De La Hoya, applauded the CSAC's decision during a conference call with selected members of the media.
Margarito had been unable to fight on American soil since his license was revoked by the CSAC following a January, 2009, ninth-round knockout loss to Shane Mosley.Margarito, whose suspension officially ended on Feb. 11, had tried to file for a license with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. But the NSAC directed Margarito to return to the CSAC for a ruling, where, after a nearly six-hour hearing on Aug. 18, the Mexican-born fighter was turned down yet again.
Margarito has since been licensed in Texas for an HBO-televised, Top Rank Promotions Nov. 13 clash with WBO welterweight (147 pounds) Manny Pacquiao for the WBC's vacant junior middleweight (154 pounds) title to be contested at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, even as he believes that De La Hoya may have influenced the CSAC's decision.
Although De La Hoya's company is based in Los Angeles, the former world champion denied having had any pull with the CSAC while reiterating his assertions during a Wednesday conference call promoting a Sept. 18 junior middleweight bout between Saul Alvarez of Mexico and former world titlist Carlos Baldomir of Argentina.
"Well, obviously, people know the way that I feel about that situation, but I've never spoken to the commission. The commission's never spoken to me. I'm just a voice for everyone who feels the way that I do," said De La Hoya during Wednesday's call.
"Obviously, nobody wants to say what they feel. I'm just a voice speaking my mind. So it's my opinion on what I feel about the situation," said De La Hoya. "Because I love this sport. I have passion for this sport. And I don't want to see anybody try to cheat this sport. So that's all that I would say."
Oscar De La Hoya's comments about Antonio Margarito on Aug. 19.
"I've been very vocal on the whole Margarito situation. And, you know, my feelings have not changed. Obviously, I don't want to make this call the whole Margarito situation. But you know where I stand. We don't know what's going to happen with Margarito. Obviously, he's not going to be fighting in California.
But it goes down to what the right thing is. What's the right thing for the fans and for the sport? I've always felt that if the right thing is done there, then there is going to be no license. That was always my hunch feeling. Obviously, we all witnessed what happened.
I mean, look, I've already stated what I've said, and I'm going to stick to what I believe. I mean, my sport of boxing, which we all appreciate and which I love, and which I participated in inside of that ring for many years, you know, this is a dangerous sport.
And if any body in any which way tries to tamper with anything having to do with the fists or the gloves, you know what? You should be banned for life. That's my stance and that's my position. There's no if's or buts. Like, 'Oh, I've learned from my mistakes.'
Well, what if you would have killed somebody. What? So you should fight again because you learned from your mistakes? That's total nonsense, and my stance will always be that. You do not mess with somebody's life up inside of that ring.
Obviously, the whole world found out about the illegal hand wraps on the night of the fight. I was actually at a different event that night, so I wasn't even aware of what was going on until afterward. I was promoting a different event that same night."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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