Margarito's fall from grace
Antonio Margarito, who came out of nowhere to enjoy a brief moment of stardom after demolishing Miguel Cotto, was just as quickly forgotten after Shane Mosely made him look like he was out of his league.The most interesting thing about the Mosely/Margarito fight wasn't what happened inside the squared circle, it was what happened during the pre-fight check of Margarito's handwraps.
Officials found a hardening agent (probably plaster of paris) on his wraps. He was forced to re-wrap his hands, then later suspended for a year.
No record of prior cheating
There were no credible whispers of doubt about Margarito's handwraps prior to the Margarito/Mosely fiasco.
Antonio Margarito was known as an iron-chinned competitor with unbelievable stamina but unschooled technique. His punches came in bunches but they weren't pretty, and he was just as likely to lead with his chin as with a jab.
Most of the elite boxers seemed to be ducking Margarito -- Mayweather wouldn't go near him with a 10-foot pole -- and it was to Cotto's credit that he agreed to a fight that offered all risk and very little reward.
After Margarito beat Cotto into the canvas, nobody suspected any foul play.
It wasn't until after the Mosely fight that anyone thought to question the Cotto/Margarito result.
Why would Margarito adulterate his handwraps?
It's tempting to look for answers other than the obvious: he wanted to win.
Margarito -- undoubtedly possessed of a lot of heart -- doesn't have much skill. He punches like a madman, all the while shrugging off his opponent's best shots. He wins wars of attrition rather than well-fought strategic clashes.
When fighters throw massive barrages of wild punches, they inevitably develop hand problems. Proper technique does more for a fighter than just make him look pretty, it protects his hands from damage. Unsurprisingly, Margarito has acknowledged hand problems in the past.
It stands to reason that he would protect his hands in training by using plaster-soaked wraps. From there, it's tempting to do the same during a boxing match, despite the unethical aspects of such a practice.
With potentially millions of dollars at stake, it doesn't surprise me that Margarito and his team would resort to cheating. It's just a shame that he couldn't resist the temptation of this sort of Faustian bargain.
Who is to blame?
Aside from the obvious answer, that is.
The blame lies in the coach who had a young Antonio Margarito, a kid with immeasurable potential, and who rushed him into professional competition without ensuring that there was a basic level of boxing skill present.
If Margario had learned half the technique that Miguel Cotto has, he might have been able to protect his hands better during his career. Cheating would have been unnecessary.
It's not enough to just hit hard and be a tough guy. If you don't have proper technique, you'll be a flash in the pan. Heart can only take you so far; technique won't desert you.
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