I want you to know I would never make fun of Freddie Roach or anyone with that disease, Margarito said. I have someone in my family who has it. Ill tell you how it happened: There was a guy in the gym with a camera and he said, Freddie Roach said youre going to be knocked out. I shook my hands and said, Oh, Im really scared now.
Earlier in the news conference, Rios began his remarks by apologizing. He was clearly mocking Roach, but said Thursday he made a bad mistake.
I take responsibility for what I did, Rios said. Im a man about it. It was wrong and Im sorry.
Roach was extraordinarily angry after seeing the video late Tuesday, and when Garcia attempted to apologize at the main-event news conference on Wednesday, Roach didnt accept it and said he felt it was not sincere.
But after a brief telephone conversation on Thursday, Roach said he accepted Garcias apology and planned to put the incident behind him.
He gave me what seemed like a very sincere apology, Roach said. He told me Id always opened my door to him, got him sparring partners and helped him along the way. I told him I accepted his apology and Lets just move on with the fight now.
I would shake [Margaritos] hand to end this. I think they realize what they did was maybe a little bit too much; they went overboard. I didnt talk to [Garcia] about the video. He said I was throwing stuff at them and they wanted to throw back at me. He said, Youre the greatest trainer in the world; I know that. If I beat you, I know youll still be the greatest. Youve had way more champions than I have. Youve always been good to me. Youve always let me come to your gym, which is true. So I accepted his apology.
