The rematch between Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto WILL go ahead in New York on December 3rd.
Mexican finally granted licence to fight in New York
The rematch between Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto WILL go ahead in New York.
Their Madison Square Garden showdown was in serious jeopardy with just over three weeks to go because Margarito had no licence to box in the state.
The New York State Athletic Commission finally granted his request at a hearing on Tuesday afternoon and it means one of the sport's most talked-about rematches will now happen at it's original venue.
An injury to Margarito's eye had plunged the fight into doubt. He was forced to have an operation on his damaged right eye following his last fight, with Manny Pacquiao a year ago, and could not obtain a licence until he was passed fit to fight.
The NYSAC's three-man panel had heard evidence from three doctors, including the one that carried out the surgery to remove a cataract and insert an artificial lense, before finally giving Margarito permission to fight at Madison Square Garden, which is expected to be sold out on December 3rd.
Cotto had refused to fight anywhere other than New York and says he will have no problem targeting the eye when they finally meet again.
"I'm going to use any kind of advantage I feel I have over him, everything I have in the ring," said the Puerto Rican.
"I'm going to fight like always, with my heart and my soul. I'm going to do my work."
Criminal
The hearing also took into account Margarito's suspension for being found guilty of having illegal handwraps in his 2009 fight with Shane Mosley.
He was banned from the sport for 16 months but many still believe there was an issue with his gloves in the first meeting with Cotto in July 2008. The Puerto Rican's face face was left a blooded mess before he was stopped in the 11th.
"Playing with the health of somebody else, attempting to kill - he used plaster on his wraps, he used a weapon on me - he has to be treated like a criminal," said Cotto.
"In sports we use only our skills and conditioning.
"I've carried my loss like a man for the last three years. I didn't ask for the people to erase the defeat. That's not the issue. He has to accept what he used and what he did in 2008."
