• Boxing

Pacquiao believes Margarito knew he was cheating

ESPN staff
September 2, 2010
Manny Pacquaio on fighting Antonio Margarito

Manny Pacquiao has accused next opponent Antonio Margarito of deliberately cheating during his controversial bout with Shane Mosley in January 2009.

Margarito was banned from fighting in America for using illegal hand wraps against Mosley, but the Texas athletic commission has granted him a licence to battle Pacquaio for the vacant WBC light-middleweight title on November 13.

The Mexican, who maintains his innocence, has appeared in the ring just once - beating Roberto Garcia in Mexico - since the Mosley row erupted. Now Pacquiao is insisting it is imperative that he is given a chance to return to the ring for a high-profile bout.

"[It is] unfair to him [if] we don't give him a chance," he said. "We have to give him a chance because we're just human, we're not perfect and he wants to show that he is clean.

"Of course he knew that [he had illegal wraps]. He is just making alibis but he badly wants to fight again and to entertain people."

Pacquaio's proposed super-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jnr continues to look dead, meanwhile. When questioned on the subject, the Filipino urged fight fans to "forget about" the potential bout.

"I'm happy because I'm fighting a tall guy, a good fighter, I'm not disappointed to not pursue the fight against Mayweather," he said. "I don't want to talk about that fight, forget about that."

Pacquiao will become an eight-weight world champion if he defeats Margarito at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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