Fight Doctor Says Greedy NYSAC Caved On Margarito License
by Gautham Nagesh
An expert fight doctor accused the New York State Athletic Commission of caving to financial pressure and licensing an unfit Antonio Margarito for last month’s rematch with Miguel Cotto in a recent column for Ring Magazine.
Former Nevada State Athletic Commission medical advisory board chairman and chief ringside physician Dr. Margaret Goodman wrote that Margarito’s green light came from a “politically motivated, tax-money-hungry commission folding to make a big fight…happen.”
A classic counter argument is: “If the boxer understands the risk, it’s his life.” This is absurd. Besides generating tax revenue for their state, the role of an athletic commission is to protect the fighters they oversee. The athletes must prove they are fit to compete. New York has a qualified medical board that determined the boxer was not fit. Shockingly ignoring its own medical board, the New York commission failed miserably.
Goodman quotes several medical experts who believe Margarito shouldn’t have been allowed to fight after the right eye injuries he sustained against Manny Pacquiao. Fans might remember the prolonged debate behind closed doors that ended in the Commission’s late approval under extremely questionable circumstances. The injured eye ultimately forced the doctor to stop the fight before the 10th round against Cotto on Dec. 3rd.
When the NYSAC appeared to be seriously considering rejecting the fight there was outcry from the boxing community. We were among the few suggesting such a refusal may be humane, despite our planned attendance at the Garden. But after coming so close to refusing the license, the Commission’s final capitulation looks even more suspect hindsight.
The most damning evidence may be the Commission’s statement to Goodman, which argues that licensing Margarito would “not be contrary to the best interests of boxing.” Further evidence that boxing’s handlers are rarely aware of what it’s best interests are, enlightened, self or otherwise.
Thankfully we’re in agreement with Goodman and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum when it comes to the potential fix:
The solution is simple. When RingTV.com reporter Lem Satterfield recently asked Top Rank chief Bob Arum what changes he would make to boxing, Arum replied, “I would have a federal boxing commission that would have overall supervision of the sport in the United States, and I would minimize the role of state athletic commissions with regard to physicals.” Mr. Arum and I may not always agree, but we certainly are on the same page on this one.