Pacquiao to fight Margarito, November 13th

According to Kevin Iole of Yahoo sports, Bob Arum has decided to select Antonio Margarito for the November 13th date with Manny Pacquiao.

The fight will be for the vacant WBC jr. middleweight title, making it a chance for Pacquiao to capture an eighth title at eight different weight classes over the course of his career.

For Margarito, this represents a return to the main stage in a high profile bout after being suspended by the California State Athletic Commission in February, 2009. He was found to have loaded his hand wraps with an illegal, “plaster-like” substance before his contest with Shane Mosley one month earlier.

In May of this year, Margarito fought a tune-up by beating Robert Garcia in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The contest, distributed in the States via pay-per-view, sold poorly. The buy rate was estimated at between 12,000 and 15,000.

Although Margarito is yet to receive his license to fight again in the United States, it’s hard to see a recession-stricken Las Vegas being able to turn down such a high-profile bout that will generate millions in revenue via Asian high-rollers and Mexican nationals. If Margarito isn’t reinstated, the fight will be held in Monterrey, Mexico.