No Margarito return on Pacquiao card

By Dan Rafael


Top Rank has scrapped its plan for disgraced former welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito to make his comeback March 13 as the co-feature on the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey pay-per-view undercard at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Last month, Top Rank signed Carson Jones to a contract to face Margarito in a planned 10-round bout at 155 pounds, pending Margarito being licensed in Texas. That fight has been canceled, Jones manager Bobby Dobbs told ESPN.com.

"[Top Rank] said the fight is off. It's dead. I didn't ask exactly why," said Dobbs, who said Top Rank told him not worry about Margarito being licensed when they signed the contract. "I don't know if Texas made a public announcement or just told Top Rank, but Margarito isn't going to get a license and he's not going to fight Carson at this time. I don't care about the specifics of why, I just know he's not fighting.

"We're heartbroken. Carson has been training for five week for the fight and didn't even get any training expenses for it," Dobbs said. "He was trying to get in the best possible shape for a fight that isn't going to happen now."

Although Top Rank did not mention Margarito, it announced on Friday that Humberto Soto and David Diaz would meet for a vacant lightweight belt in the March 13 co-feature.

Top Rank president Todd duBoef said the company had no comment regarding the change in plans or on Margarito.

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