A decision on whether or not to grant ex-champion Antonio Margarito a license to fight WBO welterweight (147 pounds) champion Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 13 at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium could be made as early as Thursday or Friday rather than the usual week-long process, according to a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
The story was first reported by BoxingScene.com.
"We have received the license and a check for $20.00, which is the licensing fee. And it's currently under review. And, there's approximately three-to-four people who will review it," said Susan Stanford, public relations specialist for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
"They [the reviewers] will be in licensing and in the compliance divisions," said Stanford. "Licensing normally takes on the average, 10 days, but I'm hoping to have either the license granted or denied on Thursday or Friday of this week."
Margarito (38-6, 27 knockouts) is scheduled to face Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium for the vacant WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) title.
Margarito has been unable to fight on American soil since his license was revoked by the California State Athletic Commission following a hand-wrapping scandal stemming from his ninth-round knockout loss to Shane Mosley in January, 2009.
Margarito, whose suspension ended on Feb. 11, tried to file for a license in Nevada, but was directed by that commission to return to the CSAC for a ruling, and was turned down, yet again, by the CSAC. Margarito was then free to apply at any of the other commissions, nationwide, with Texas being the first.
Dickie Cole, Texas' program manager of combat sports, told The Los Angeles Times that in his personal opinion, "If a man serves his time for his crime, he's served his time and needs to be released."
"We're looking forward to and hoping that Texas will issue a license. We fully expect that they willl. And we will then announce the press tour and the dates of the various cities," said Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank Promotions.
"We expect to start next Tuesday in Los Angeles, and then do New York," said Arum. "And then make a stop off Thursday with Manny in Washington, D.C. with USA Today. They've asked us to visit with them. The last press conference will be in Dallas."
Unlike in other states, Margarito will not be required to endure a hearing before the licensing decision is made by Texas.
"There is no hearing. The way that we license people, it's either granted or denied," said Stanford. "Now if any licensee or applicant is denied a license, then they can ask for a hearing at that time. But the initial process does not require a hearing."
Stanford said that Margarito's case is the largest that her department has dealt with.
"My voice mailbox is full this morning. It quit at 12 voice mails. It's full at 12," said Stanford. "We haven't had to deal with anything this big since I've been here. I've been here for two years. It definitely is [the biggest.] I think we were prepared for it."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
