Pacquiao-Margarito Fight Week Erupts With Bang

12:15 AM // 0 comments // Ian Purugganan // Category: Margarito , Pacquiao //

[Lem Satterfield | BoxingScene.com] The most anticipated fight of the year is only a few days away. WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao will pursue an eight divisional title by rising to 150-pounds to face former title-holder Antonio Margarito on Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) vs. Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) will headline a four fight televised card on HBO pay per view.

Pacquiao has been unbeaten since March of 2005, when he dropped a twelve round unanimous decision to Erik Morales at super featherweight. Pacquiao returned to knock Morales out in the next two fights of their trilogy. On Saturday night, he will attempt to secure his 13th straight victory and the ninth knockout of his run.

"It's [moving up in weight] difficult, because I'm used to training and losing weight. When you train, you automatically lose weight. But I have to eat around 7,000 calories a day to keep the weight on. I have to get up in the middle of the night and eat eggs just to keep the weight on," said Pacquiao to FanHouse.

"So that's difficult. But then again, it's also nice, because I don't have to lose weight at the weigh in. It's fine for me to fight bigger guys or smaller guys, I'm just looking to fight. I weigh around 150 pounds right now. I do not have to lose any weight on the day of the weigh-in."

The fight has had it’s fair share of controversy and negative headlines. Before the state of Texas granted his application for a boxing license in the month of August, Margarito had been unable to fight in the United States as a result of a hand-wrapping scandal which stemmed from his ninth-round knockout loss to Shane Mosley in January of 2009. Margarito was previously turned down for a license renewal when he applied in California.

Mosley's trainer, Naazim Richardson, discovered two hard inserts with a plaster-like substance in Margarito's wraps and alerted an officer of the California State Athletic Commission. Margarito’s boxing license was revoked in February 2009 when he appeared before the commission in California. Despite Margarito’s claim that his former trainer, Javier Capetillo, planted the inserts without his knowledge, Pacquiao believes he was fully aware of what his trainer was doing. But, he also believes that Margarito served out his punishment and deserves to make a living.

"I think he [Margarito] knew what he was doing, but he's already been punished enough," said Pacquiao. "I can't say for sure what he did or didn't know, but I'm just a fighter, and I fight."

Even with the controversy, and the negative headlines over Margarito’s involvement in such a major event, thousands of fans are flocking to the state of Texas to attend the fight. Pacquiao’s fight in March, against Clottey, drew nearly 51,000 fans to Cowboys Stadium. Based on recent media events in Texas, Top Rank expects that number to be broken.

Margarito’s media functions, which took place on Sunday, were mobbed by thousands of fans who were eager to express their support for the Mexican fighter. The massive crowds even caught Team Margarito by surprise. After arriving in Dallas, Margarito was met by thousands of fans who turned out to greet him both at the Tamale Festival in Dallas, and, later, at the La Gran Plaza Shopping Mall in Fort Worth.

"Thousands of people showed up. But it's been this way everywhere that we've taken him. He's been getting big crowds," said Lee Samuels, Top Rank's head of public relations, who is in Dallas handling the promotion. "When he was at the Cowboys' Stadium the last time, we had trouble moving him around the stadium a few months ago. He's very popular."

Margarito's trainer, Robert Garcia, said the turnout was unbelievable.

"Oh, man, it was crazy. It was unbelievable. I couldn't believe how many people showed up. The thing is, there were a lot of people here for the Pacquiao-Clottey fight, but, you know, Clottey didn't have any fans here," said Garcia.

"Antonio was very, very grateful that the fans showed up, and to know that all of those people are behind him. I mean, you know, Antonio Margarito has a lot of fans here, so, you know, Saturday night, when the fight comes around, it's really going to be a crazy night."

There was a crowd of 63,315 at the Superdome in New Orleans to witness Muhammad Ali's decision victory over Leon Spinks in their 1978 rematch. The Ali-Spinks rematch still holds the indoor attendance record. Top Rank Promotions' CEO, Bob Arum, told reporters during a recent conference call that he hoped to surpass "over 60,000" in attendance at the stadium.

The crowd of 50,944 for Pacquiao-Clottey was the third largest for an indoor event in boxing history, and Arum said that Pacquiao-Margarito is "tracking well ahead of where we were of the Clottey fight, so I'm very optimistic."