Pacquiao doesn’t buy Margarito’s wrap alibi

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Manny Pacquiao believes in forgiveness. He also isn't forgetting why Antonio Margarito needs it.

Pacquiao said he doesn't think his next opponent was unaware he was wearing illegal hand wraps before a fight nearly two years ago. Though he agrees Margarito deserves a second chance in boxing, Pacquiao isn't buying Margarito's defense and the passionate arguments of Bob Arum, who promotes both fighters.

"Of course, I believe he knew," Pacquiao said. "He's the one who wraps his hands. He's just making some alibi for some reason. What do you think? My belief is you (would) know that."

During an otherwise genial get-together Tuesday at the Beverly Hills Hotel, boxing's pound-for-pound champion said he wants somebody watching Margarito's hands getting wrapped before they meet in Texas, which is hosting the bout partly because Margarito couldn't get a boxing license in Nevada and California, which had suspended him for a year.

"My concern is that we have somebody in the dressing room, someone else watching him," said Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts).

The Philippines' newly minted congressman will fight for a title in his eighth weight class when he meets Margarito on Nov. 13 in a bout at Cowboys Stadium, which could be filled with more than 70,000 fans. Although the bout is for the vacant WBC 154-pound title, they will meet at a 151-pound catch weight.

"They're welcome to watch the wraps," Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) said through a translator. "I'm going to prepare myself the best I can to give a great fight."

Pacquiao voiced his concerns moments after Arum launched another passionate defense of Margarito, who was denied a license to fight by the California state commission on Aug. 18.

"Antonio Margarito did not know that those hand wraps were illegal," Arum said. "(There's) not one shred of proof. ... There was a revocation. He served his time, and thank God, the people in the Texas boxing commission, who reviewed all the testimony, agreed with that conclusion."

But Arum's decision to match his best fighter against his most notorious has been met with widespread criticism, and not just because of his suspension.

One reason was evident when the fighters exchanged handshakes and stood together. Both cracked up when they attempted the usual staredown pose, with Pacquiao laughing as he craned his neck to look up at Margarito, who's about 5 inches taller.