Bob Arum has a love-hate relationship with Las Vegas and the Nevada State Athletic Commission so he's not about to wait around while the powers that be mull over their decision to grant Antonio Margarito a license to fight. If Top Rank successfully strong-armed the NSAC, it was initially thought that Las Vegas was the favorite to get the Margarito-Manny Pacquiao fight. But just in case the NSAC refuses to reinstate Margarito, Arum is throwing Cowboys Stadium and Atlantic City into the mix, according to Keith Idec from the North Jersey Herald.
MGM Grand in Las Vegas and Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, are considered Arum's top two choices, but sources close to the situation believe Boardwalk Hall has become a viable alternative because executives at Arum's Top Rank Inc. think New Jersey's State Athletic Control Board would approve Margarito's application for a license to box in this state. Haledon native Nick Lembo, general counsel for the SACB, declined comment Tuesday because Margarito has yet to submit an application.
This is an interesting twist since the NSAC already tabled Margarito's initial request and told him to head back to California, the state that initially handed down a one-year suspension back in February of 2009. If New Jersey approved Margarito's license, it might indicate that Nevada is no longer the standard-bearer when it comes to state commissions.
Margarito will fight Pacquiao at one of the three U.S. sites mentioned. If all three states turn away Margarito then Monterrey, Mexico, could be the backup plan.
No comments:
Post a Comment