06.02.07 – By Ricardo Lois, BoxingConfidential: LOS ANGELES – Francisco Espinoza, manager to WBO welterweight rey Antonio Margarito has made it very clear, his fighter will be taking a cool $1,200,000 and fight numero uno contender Paul Williams. In the process, he spurned a bout with Miguel Cotto June 9 in New York City, for now..
Via telephone, Espinoza informed Boxing Confidential that the decision to fight Margarito was in the very best interests of his fighter. “If we agreed to the Cotto fight and by passed Williams,” said Espinoza, “What happens if Cotto losses to Urkal in March? Margarito is left without a championship, a big time fight, and you know the division’s track record for giving Antonio opportunities.”
Margarito has been avoided by Floyd Mayweather Jr., among others, and Espinoza, after being so public about Margarito’s difficulties, felts as if they should not do the same to Williams.
“We have told the world that Antonio has been avoided,” said Espinoza, “We have gotten a lot of calls and e-mails, so we decided to give Williams the opportunity he has rightfully deserved and not do to him, what many have done to us.”
When informed about Arum’s comments on Boxing Confidential, regarding possible legal maneuvering by Top Rank against Goossen Tutor Productions (the winner’s of the purse bid), Espinoza was not concerned.
“Bob knew what we were doing,” said Espinoza, “he needs to take care of his interests as a promoter, and we have to take care of Margarito’s interests as a fighter. Those are two different set of interests.”
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Big Dan’s Attitude On Margarito Deciding To Face “Punisher” Williams: What’s Good For This Goose Is Good For Fight Fans! So Take A Gander Before Legal Fur Flies!
By Michael Marley
www.boxingconfidential.com
I am going to resist the temptation to say that Dan Goossen of Goossen-Tutor Promotions is “crowing” about WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito’s sudden decision to spurn a June 9 unification bout against WBA champion Miguel Cotto and opt to make his mandatory, purse bid defense against dazzling and undefeated top contender Paul “The Punisher” Williams.
I will ask that you take a careful “gander” at this column of mine because it may not be long before Margarito promoter Bob Arum, whose “feathers” are definitely ruffled, delivers on a promise he made in my exclusive story Monday to let the legal “fur” fly. If that does happen, it is possible that Margarito-Williams, which is a juicy attraction, will be thwarted. Neither HBO or Showtime, both of which are expected to bid on Goossen’s hot match, like to become third party defendants in litigation between fight promoters.
I know, enough already with the bird references. Is this an Audubon Society web site or a boxing news web site? I agree to cease and desist with the ornithological terms.
But even a “birdbrain” can see that Mr. Arum and the Margarito camp may have had their relationship or communication become a bit dysfunctional. Arum said that Margarito had verbally committed to a purse and date to fight Puerto Rico’s pride, Cotto, next.
I spoke to the Head Goose before he flew to New York Tuesday night. Goossen will be talking to both of the premium cable networks about televising the Margarito-Williams title bout in late May or early June.
“This is great, these guys wanting to fight each other,” Goossen said from his SoCal office.
“This is really what boxing needs. We don’t need guys giving up titles or ducking other top guys. I think it really says a lot about Antonio…it says that he really is a proud Mexican warrior and a champion…that he would not run away from this challenger.”
Goossen won the recent WBO purse bid with a bid that will give Margarito an all-time high purse of just over $1 million. In my talk with Arum Monday, he said he had heard the same rumors I had about Margarito opting to face Williams rather Cotto next.
I don’t know what the hell is going on here,” Arum said. “I cannot figure it out. I am hearing these same rumors. We did not participate in the purse bid and we are not bound by it. I’ve got an exclusive contract with this guy and if someone is violating that there will be big problems. We have sent a letter to Goossen (Goossen-Tutor Promotions) warning them about tortious interference with our exclusive contract.”
Goossen does not seem overly concerned about legal ramifications.
“We played strictly by the WBO rules. Any registered WBO promoter could’ve put in a purse bid, Arum chose not to. It backfired on Bob. He knows the rules and, over the years, he has won purse bids, lost purse bids and not participated in some. What he says now is only sour grapes. We are moving forward. Damn the torpedoes!”
At the end of the day, Goossen figures, Margarito and his management weighed things out as far as fighting Cotto or fighting the 32-0 power-punching Williams. With the purse money about even-steven, Goossen figures the Margarito team figured beating Williams is, at least right now, the easier assignment.
Sources tell me that Arum had originally promised Margarito a $1.2 million purse to face Cotto at Madison Square Garden.
“As a boxing manager,” Goossen said, “what conclusion would you come to? Cotto is Cotto, he is a known quantity while our guy is not as proven a commodity….yet. Who knows what Paul Williams has for sure? So maybe Margarito and his guys figure they can beat Paul Williams and then go fight Cotto for even more money.”
Whether Top Rank’s smoke, fire and ire will be followed by legal proceedings remains to be seen but Goossen said he will stay the present course.
“We followed the rules, we won the purse bid, we will continue to follow the rules. I can’t control what Bob does. Let’s just say that Bob is upset when he is upset.”
Not to be Big Pun or Little Pun but I can’t resist. No one can say that Margarito-Williams is a fight for the “birds.”