Scrutiny sure to follow Margarito upon return

Now that he has been cleared to fight again in the United States, Antonio Margarito said it’s time to get to work and figure out a way to stop Manny Pacquiao.

The former world welterweight champion was approved last month to fight in Texas and will meet Pacquiao for the vacant WBC super middleweight title Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium in what will be Margarito’s biggest and most scrutinized bout.

California denied his license request last month after suspending Margarito for a year for trying to use illegal hand wraps in a January 2009 fight against Shane Mosley in Los Angeles.

That was the last time Margarito (38-6, 27 knockouts) fought in the United States. His most recent bout was in Mexico, a 10-round unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia on May 8.

“I’m anxious to get back in the gym,” said Margarito, who was in Las Vegas on Saturday to attend the Palms card featuring the WBA-IBF featherweight title fight between Yuriorkis Gamboa and Orlando Salido. “I want to make sure I’m at my very best on Nov. 13, and I’m looking forward to having a good camp.”

From the moment he enters his dressing room that night at Cowboys Stadium to have his hands wrapped, all eyes will be on Margarito’s fists. He knows that, and he’s mentally prepared for the scrutiny that he’ll face.

“To be honest, I’m not even thinking about that,” Margarito said. “I’m not going to let it be a distraction. This is too big a fight for me to allow that to happen. If people want to talk about the past, let them. My focus is on (Pacquiao).”

Margarito will begin training Monday in El Monte, Calif., and then move his camp to Oxnard, Calif. Once again, Robert Garcia will be his trainer, and Margarito said in the short time they’ve been together — this is their second fight — they have developed a solid line of communication and trust.

“I think we work well together,” Margarito said. “He has a lot of good ideas, and I feel very comfortable around him.”

Margarito said the best way to beat Pacquiao is to engage him and make him fight.

“One thing about Manny Pacquiao, he’s not going to back away,” Margarito said. “At some point, he’s going to stand and fight you. And when he does, you have to be ready to fight. With my size and strength, I think I have an advantage if and when we stand toe to toe.”

■ ’GHOST’ RETURNS — Former middleweight champion Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik will return to the ring Nov. 13 in a 10-round bout against Daniel Edouard as part of the Pacquiao-Margarito undercard.

It will be Pavlik’s first action since his April 17 loss to Sergio Martinez. Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs) dropped a 12-round unanimous decision and lost his WBC and WBO middleweight belts that night in Atlantic City.

“It’s time for Kelly to get back to work,” said his manager, Cameron Dunkin. “It’s tough emotionally going from a main-event fighter making millions of dollars to an undercard fighter making hundreds of thousands. But Kelly has been down before and gotten back up, and I have no doubt he’ll bounce back again.”

Edouard, who is from Haiti and lives in Miami, is 23-3-2 with 14 knockouts.

■ LAS VEGAS VS. LONDON — For the past 10 years, Barry’s Boxing has hosted a team of amateur fighters from England. This year’s competition will be at 4 p.m. today in the Muse Ballroom at the Hard Rock Hotel as Las Vegas faces the Finchley Boxing Club.

Seventeen bouts will be held, and tickets, priced at $20 and $15, are available at the door.

■ SILVER NUGGET AMATEURS — Center Ring Boxing will have an amateur fight card Sept. 19 at the Silver Nugget.

Between 15 and 20 bouts will be held beginning at 2 p.m. Tickets, priced at $10, are available at the door.

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