State commissioner: Margarito suspension ‘serious’

If Antonio Margarito fights again in Las Vegas, he’s guaranteed to be watched closely during his prefight preparation in the locker room.

Margarito, who suffered a ninth-round technical knockout to Shane Mosley on Jan. 24 in Los Angeles, was suspended Wednesday by the California State Athletic Commission after a hard object was found in his wrapped hands before the fight. He will appear before the commission Feb. 10 to explain the matter.

Naazim Richardson, Mosley’s trainer, caught Margarito’s trainer, Javier Capetillo, using a hardened piece of gauze while wrapping the fighter’s hands. Richardson thought the wraps were too hard. When they were removed, a piece of gauze with the texture of plaster of Paris fell off. Margarito was forced to re-wrap both hands.

Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, is interested in what California finds and what it does to Margarito and Capetillo, who also is under suspension and will appear at the Feb. 10 hearing.

“This is something very serious,” Kizer said. “But let’s not rush to judgment. Let’s let California do its job.”

Kizer said he was confident his inspectors would not have allowed the article in question to get into Margarito’s wraps.

“In Nevada, we have very experienced inspectors, and we usually have the other fighter’s trainer on hand to observe the taping process and putting on the gloves,” Kizer said. “You saw what happened with (Oscar) De La Hoya with one strip of tape he wanted to use when he fought (Manny) Pacquiao last month and we said no.

“I think what we’re trying to say to fighters is that if you come to Nevada, you better not try anything. We have very sophisticated processes in place. Our reputation precedes us, and if you try to get away with anything, you’re going to get caught.”

• STAYING CLEAN — Joey Gilbert, who knows about getting caught by the NAC, has moved on, and the Reno super middleweight said he will have no more incidents with the commission.

Gilbert, 32, who tested positive for banned substances after defeating Charles Howe in September 2007, fought the NAC’s ruling that he be suspended and fined. Eventually, he accepted a one-year suspension retroactive to 2007 and a $10,000 fine.

Between his initial suspension for the positive test, his legal battle and ultimate settlement, Gilbert was out of the ring for 13 months.

“What’s done is done,” Gilbert said last week from San Diego, where he is training for his Feb. 14 super middleweight fight with Yerington’s Jesse Brinkley in Reno. “I paid a big price with the time I missed in the ring. But … it may have even helped me. I don’t have as much wear and tear on me.”

Gilbert (17-1, 13 knockouts) said he is careful now as to what he puts in his body and that he will have no more positive drug tests.

“I’d have to be stupid not to watch what I do,” he said. “I’m not using anything. No meds. No supplements. Nothing.”

The fight with Brinkley (32-5, 22 KOs) has been three years in the making. A lot of harsh words have been exchanged up north, and their fight at the Reno Events Center is expected to sell out.

“I have no problem with Jesse Brinkley,” Gilbert said. “But I admit I’ve built some animosity with the things Jesse has said. But to tell you the truth, I don’t waste my time worrying about what he does.”

• REMATCH AT PALMS — Light heavyweight star Chad Dawson has agreed to give Antonio Tarver a chance to redeem himself after Dawson dominated Tarver and won a 12-round unanimous decision in October at the Palms. The rematch is set for March 14 at the Palms’ Pearl theater.

Dawson (27-0, 17 KOs) was hoping to get a big-money fight with Joe Calzaghe, but he has been leaning toward retirement. Tarver (27-5, 19 KOs) had a rematch clause in his initial contract with Dawson and exercised the option.

Tickets, priced between $100 and $500, are on sale at the Pearl box office. The fight will be televised on HBO.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.