Scheduled Event
The Return of Antonio Margarito
Jeff Pryor assesses Antonio Margarito's performance in his recent return against Roberto Garcia, and takes a look at the former welterweight star's future chances of success.
"The Tornado" blew back into town recently and showed a few new wrinkles in his game, when Antonio Margarito came off his long suspension and outpointed a game, strong, bigger, but limited opponent in Roberto Garcia. What was most interesting about the fight however was not that the Tijuana toughman won the return bout, but the way he went about it.
While the signature toughness was on display, Margarito's aggression took a back seat for once and he boxed for long stretches of the bout. His combination punching in particular seemed improved and more varied than the fighter we had grown accustomed to. There was a moment in the bout, when Margarito threw a multi-punch combo that included straight left and right hands, a hook to the body and an up-jabbing uppercut; a name popped into my head. One of the preeminent combo punchers of the era, Juan Manual Marquez.
I'm not saying Margarito has become a counter punching genius or some pugilist dissecting maven like Marquez has been on his best nights. But there was a noticeable difference and improvement in the variety of punches he was tossing.

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