Former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito has officially received medical approval for a Dec. 3 rematch with WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, co-manager Francisco Espinoza said.

Additionally, Espinoza announced that Margarito (38-7, 27 KOs), who was sidelined with injuries stemming from last November’s loss to Manny Pacquiao, has already begun recovery training sessions.

“What was stopping us was the medical approval but he received it from the doctor and now he can move forward,” Espinoza said. “He is already in light training.”

The bout, which is tentatively scheduled to occur at Madison Square Garden, will be for Cotto’s WBA super welterweight title (154 pounds), with no option of a catch weight.

Although Margarito is currently walking around at an estimated 165 pounds, Espinoza guarantees that the weight cut will be no issue.

“We are going to have strong sparring sessions on a steady basis. And so it’s going to even out a little with Antonio’s inactivity. And win or lose going forward, he is eager to continue and he feels completely fine,” Espinoza said. “He runs like he’s in a marathon. He likes that and he’s in perfect condition.”

Cotto (36-2, 29 KOs), who has won four out of his last five bouts, lost in the first bout to Margarito on July 26, 2008 by technical knockout in the eleventh round at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“We’re going out that night to win again,” Espinoza said. “It will be a great fight.”

—Alex Neely, ROUND1MAG.COM

Following a twelfth round technical knockout loss to Miguel Cotto, former two-division champion Ricardo Mayorga announced he would retire from the sport of boxing at the post fight press conference.

“I’m going to retire. I think I need to look for a job,” Mayorga said. “I said at the start of this promotion that I would retire from boxing if I lost, and I think it’s time to retire.”

Although Mayorga expressed disappointment, “El Matador” could not hold back from taking a last shot at Cotto.

“I’m not happy with my performance. As a man, I’m not happy,” Mayorga said. “Miguel Cotto, he hits very hard, but that doesn’t scare me.”

After Cotto dropped “El Matador” with a counter left hook, Mayorga cited a thumb injury, claiming that he was unable to make a fist, prompting referee Robert Byrd to halt the fight.

“[Cotto] is a great champion and I whispered into his ear only to say I thank him for the opportunity…hurt my thumb and I wanted to continue,” Mayorga said in the ring following the fight. “I did not want it to end like that but this may have been my last fight.”

Mayorga, who most famously defeated former WBC welterweight champion Vernon Forrest twice in 2003, has not won back-to-back fights since the same year.

—Alex Neely

Nick Diaz, the consensus mixed martial arts #7 welterweight (USA Today/SB Nation) in the world, shocked many on Jan. 25 when trainer Cesar Gracie revealed a boxing match clause in his new contract.

Although Diaz re-signed with California-based organization Strikeforce, the welterweight champion added a clause that will allow him to compete in a boxing match this year.

Diaz, who defends his title this weekend against challenger Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, is expected to exercise that clause against a recognizable name, potentially earning what he and his trainer feel he deserves.

“In boxing, when you’re a superstar, you get millions of dollars,” Gracie told ESPN.com. “In MMA you’re not making that kind of money.”

“We’re in negotiations right now with [boxing promoter] Don Chargin,” Gracie disclosed, adding that, “It would probably be at super middleweight [168 pounds].”

In a recent conference call for his upcoming title fight, Diaz expressed his displeasure in fight compensation.

“I just want to get paid. [Boxing champion Manny] Pacquiao’s making $40 million…I’m over here driving a Honda because my [car] is breaking down.”

Diaz, who currently sports a record of 23-7 (12 [T]KO’s, 7 Submissions), has already had his name thrown around with potential opponents.

“There have been a few names kicked around. One of them is Fernando Vargas; another is Ricardo Mayorga.”

Vargas, who has been the object of comeback rumors over the past few months, is now 33 and has not been seen in the ring since November 2007, when Mayorga defeated him by majority decision.

Mayorga, whose foray into MMA in May 2010 was subjugated by boxing promoter Don King due to contractual limitations, is a definite possibility. However, the two-time champ is competing on March 12 with WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. Director of Public Relations for Don King Productions, Alan Hopper appears to be keeping his options open.

“As long as the combatants can adhere the particular rules of the game they are participating in – in this case a boxing match – we’d be perfectly OK with that,” Hopper told ESPN.com.

“Now, obviously, we hope [Mayorga] beats Cotto and will have bigger fish to fry in the boxing world. But you never know, you never know.”

Although the Stockton native, Diaz, is not looking past his title defense this weekend, we as fans can not help but imagine the potential for what could inevitably be the one of the most marquee pugilistic leaps.

— Alex Neely

Illustration by  Chris Williams