By Scott Heritage Returning former star Antonio Margarito is being quietly brought into discussion as a future opponent for Manny Pacquiao. Formerly the top ranked welterweight, Margarito picked up a loss as well as a one year ban in his last fight where he was found to have loaded gloves against Shane Mosley.

Since then Margarito has been out of the headlines, waiting out his ban and quietly making plans for his return on the under card of the Pacquiao vs. Clottey card in March.

At a less eventful time in boxing Margarito’s return might have created a lot more of a fuss, and many might have been calling for him not to regain his license.

With the Pacquiao-Mayweather debacle and subsequent fights being made, Cowboys stadium being used as a venue, not to mention the numerous other stars at or around welterweight, Margarito looks to have slipped under the radar with his return.

It now looks like if successful in his return bout against Carson Jones, Margarito might be in line for a crack at the 7 weight wonder himself.

Some will no doubt question as to whether Margarito should take a year off and then be handed the biggest pay day in the entire sport so quickly, but this is probably only a plan B from Top Rank top dog Bob ‘big boss’ Arum (try saying that one fast).

The most obvious target for Pacquiao after Clottey, assuming all goes to plan, will be either Floyd Mayweather of Shane Mosley. Either because the pair may or may not fight, and obviously the winner would then be the bigger target.

If they don’t meet, then Mayweather remains the bigger draw of the two, but also the most difficult to deal with. If the fight can’t be made for a second time with Floyd, and by that point Mosley already has another fight lined up (perhaps the Andre Berto fight remade), then Margarito will be waiting in the wings for Arum to use.

Margarito holds several obvious advantages for Pacquiao to face rather than trying to make fights with some of the other stars of the division. Firstly, like Clottey he’s promoted by Top Rank meaning the terms of the deal should be a lot easier to make than with for example a Golden Boy fighter.

Secondly Margarito’s imposed year away from the sport might have left him with a lot of ring rust or even have let his abilities decline permanently if he hasn’t stayed in good practice.

All respect due to Carson Jones, he’s an easy fight for Margarito, and just the kind of fighter even a severely declined Margarito can look good against.

Although he is something of a persona non-grata in the division and rankings at the moment, history will look back on Pacquiao fighting Margarito as the Philippines phenom taking on yet another top fighter.Even if the fight itself is rather anticlimactic with Pacquiao sweeping aside another Mexican great custom built for him to beat.

As good as Margarito has been and might still be, hes nothing if not predictable, and plays right into Pacquiao’s biggest strengths. Other than having a substantial height advantage which he doesn’t tend to use well, Margarito is exactly the kind of aggressive fighter Pacquiao can pick apart with his power, speed and precision.

http://www.fightsportsonline.com/margarito-being-prepared-for-an-eventual-pacquiao-bout