Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that disgraced former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito applied for a boxing license in Texas just after he was denied a license in California.
“We have received a faxed application on behalf of Margarito,” Said Susan Stanford who is the public information officer for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. “But a faxed application is an incomplete application.”
Apparently Maragrito did not include the $20 fee for the application.
“We understand there is a hard-copy application with a check in the mail,” she said.
Margarito needs a license in Texas so Top Rank promoter Bob Arum can move forward with his plans for Margarito to face Manny Pacquiao for a vacant junior middleweight title on Nov. 13 on HBO PPV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, site of Pacquiao’s dominant decision against Joshua Clottey on March 13.
The ABC issued a memo on Thursday reiterating to state commissions that Margarito had fulfilled his obligations.
“At this time Mr. Margarito has fulfilled his obligations per the ABC [which was to appear before the CSAC before applying for licensure to another state/tribal commission in the United States] and thus he is now free to pursue licensure with any ABC member commission,” the ABC’s statement read. “There is nothing under the federal law that would prohibit consideration for licensure. The ABC would hope that each ABC member commission would examine the facts that have been laid out by the CSAC and weigh those facts in determining if Mr. Margarito should indeed be licensed to compete in their jurisdiction.”
Stanford said once Margarito’s $20 check arrives, his application will be considered like any other fighter’s.
“We have licensing specialists that review it and all state laws and rules are considered,” she said. “If it meets the laws and rules, the license will be granted. But every application is taken on a case by case basis, and Margarito’s will be no different.”
“We don’t require a hearing,” she said. “We either grant it or deny. If it’s denied, the applicant has a right to a hearing if he asks for it.”
She said once full application requirements are with her department, the application would be ruled on “within 10 days.”
