NAC tables Margarito’s request for license

Antonio Margarito came to Nevada on Friday seeking justice and a chance to resume his boxing career in the United States.

Instead, he was given the bureaucratic runaround and told to go back to California.

The 32-year-old former world welterweight champion was hoping to get licensed in Nevada after the California State Athletic Commission suspended him for a year and revoked his license after a hard substance was found in his gloves before a fight against Shane Mosley in Los Angeles on Jan. 24, 2009.

But the NAC voted 4-1 to table Margarito’s request rather than act upon it. It told him to return to California, get relicensed there and come back to Nevada, where he would then be welcome to fight.

“I’m shocked,” Margarito said. “I’m very frustrated. I was totally honest with the commission. I don’t understand.”

Neither does his attorney, David Marroso, or his promoter, Top Rank’s Todd DuBoef.

“We’re very disappointed,” said Marroso, who made an impassioned plea to the commission on Margarito’s behalf. “We were hopeful they would rule on Antonio’s application.”

DuBoef said: “We came to (Nevada) because we knew he wasn’t going to get a fair shake in California (where Margarito has an active lawsuit against the state). He made a mistake. He paid a stiff price. Now, he’s going to continue to pay. That’s not right.”

Margarito’s revocation in California expired Feb. 10. He didn’t fight during the suspension but returned to the ring May 8 in Mexico with a 10-round unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia.

Margarito (38-6) has been mentioned as a possible opponent for Manny Pacquiao should Pacquiao’s proposed Nov. 13 fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. falls through.

At the nearly two-hour hearing Friday, Margarito accepted responsibility for the hard inserts that trainer Javier Capetillo placed underneath his knuckle pads before the Mosley fight. Margarito said he has switched trainers and pays closer attention to what is applied to his hands.

NAC chairperson Pat Lundvall voted to act on Margarito’s request and was willing to license him.

But commissioner Skip Avansino thought the fighter should seek a license in California, not Nevada, because that is where his revocation originated.

Lundvall countered that the NAC had the right to determine whether Margarito was worthy of a license.

“I think we have an obligation to determine whether this fighter has the right to continue his career,” Lundvall said. “By not acting, we’re saying we’re passing the buck and we’re not doing our jobs.”

But commissioners Bill Brady and Francisco Aguilar sided with Avansino.

Margarito’s options are to return to California, seek a boxing license from another state or continue to fight outside the United States.

“We’ll look at everything and decide what’s best for Antonio’s career,” Marroso said.

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