Margarito's Alleged Plaster Job Calls Reputation Into Question

Antonio Margarito may have lost more than the WBA welterweight title Saturday night. Some of the respect he's gained in the boxing world could be gone too.

Margarito, who was pummeled by Shane Mosley in a ninth-round TKO, reportedly had to have his hands rewrapped before the fight due to a complaint by Mosley's trainer, Nazim Richardson.

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Rich Franklin/American Fighter

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According to the Los Angeles Times report, officials found what Mosley's doctor described as plaster of Paris hidden in the wrapped hands of Margarito during pre-fight inspection. "It gets hard and mobile," Robert Olvera told the Times.

As my FanHouse colleague Michael David Smith mentioned in his recap, Margarito didn't look much like the fighter that stunned Miguel Cotto for the title last year. While we can't really tell if the pre-fight inspection affected his confidence heading into the fight, one can only wonder if there was a similar substance on Margarito's wraps before his victory over Cotto. Regardless, it was Mosley's speed that overwhelmed him in this bout.

"That's a serious offense," an official with Golden Boy, Mosley's promoter, said according to the Times report. "That's cheating."

The California State Athletic Commission has reportedly seized two pads and is investigating. However, because the violation was caught before Margarito entered the ring, Margarito's camp will likely not be punished too severely if the substance was in fact illegal.

Mosley's also no stranger to cheating accusations, dating back to 2003, where he was allegedly involved in the BALCO performance-enhancing drugs scandal.

Incredible Knockouts

Date: Jan. 24, 2009
Result: Shane Mosley controlled his title fight with Antonio Margarito from the start. He pummeled the defending champ until the ninth round when Margarito's trainer threw in the towel, giving Mosley a shocking upset. Click through for more stunning boxing knockouts.

Mark J. Terrill, AP

Date: Dec. 6, 2008
Result: Manny Pacquiao's crushing eighth-round TKO of Oscar De La Hoya knocked the "Golden Boy" down a peg and cemented Pacquiao's status as the pound-for-pound king.

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Date: Dec. 10, 2007
Result: Ricky Hatton challenged Floyd Mayweather for his WBC title to no avail. Mayweather would win by KO due in part to punches like the one pictured.

Gabriel Bouys, AFP / Getty Images

Date: Oct. 18, 1991
Result: Much like his role in 'Rocky V,' Tommy Morrison was knocked out by a more skilled opponent - this time by Olympic gold medalist Ray Mercer.

Tom Casino, WireImage

Date: June 8, 2002
Result: This fight was for Lennox Lewis' heavyweight title but was evidently not meant to be as Lewis knocked out Mike Tyson in the eighth round.

Laura Rauch, AP

Date: Sept. 18, 2004
Result: In Round 9 of this middleweight bout, Bernard Hopkins landed a very painful liver shot to Oscar De La Hoya for the win.

Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images

Date: Aug. 12, 2006
Result: Oleg Maskaev knocked out Hasim Rahman in the final round at the Thomas and Mack Center to grab the WBC heavyweight title and become the fourth boxer from the former Soviet Union to hold a heavyweight world title.

Eric Jamison, AP

Date: Jan. 22, 1973
Result: Referred to as the "Sunshine Showdown," George Foreman knocked down Joe Frazier six times in two rounds to win the title by knockout in one of boxing's biggest upsets.

Date: Nov. 11, 2006
Result: Vladimir Klitschko dropped Calvin Brock in the seventh round to retain his heavyweight championship.

Jeff Siner, Charlotte Observer / MCT

Date: Oct. 29, 1993
Result: Before the fight occurred, boxing fans were calling for Tommy Morrison to fight Lennox Lewis for the title. Instead, Morrison was knocked down three times by the virtually unknown Michael Bentt.

Getty Images