By Michael Swann

In recent years the state of boxing in the State of California has been the gift that keeps on giving for a boxing writer in search of a hot topic. There had been a laundry list of alleged acts of malfeasance marking the regime of former executive officer Armando Garcia and the State looked forward to a new day of ethics and transparency.

Then, prior to the Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley fight before 20,820 at Staples Center on January 24th it was alleged that Margarito had intended to enter the ring with loaded gloves. A few days later Margarito and his trainer Javier Capetillo had their licenses suspended pending the outcome of the investigation into the “plaster like substance” found in Margarito’s hand wraps.

This Tuesday, February 10, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) will hold its regularly scheduled meeting at the Van Nuys State Building, beginning at 8:30 a.m. until the close of business. It’s going to be a full day for the commission, with 24 items on the meeting agenda including such high profile matters as the aforementioned Margarito-Capetillo disciplinary hearing, the ratification of the arbitration decision between Dan Goossen of Goossen-Tutor Promotions and Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, and an update on the executive officer search.

Regarding the latter, Dean Lohuis, the chief athletic inspector of the commission, and Bill Douglas, the assistant executive officer have served as co-interim executive officers since the unexpected resignation of Garcia in November. Sources say that after dodging all the bullets during his controversial tenure Garcia had worn out his welcome and a sexual harassment charge finally did him in.

The word is that some familiar names have thrown their hat in the ring for the position, but the feeling is that the commission will lean toward a Californian after some folks had buyer’s remorse after the Garcia appointment, complaining that he was improperly vetted. In any event, hopefully the Tuesday meeting will narrow the list to the finalists.

The Goossen/Guerrero arbitration was reportedly settled a couple of months ago and “The Ghost” fought for the first time under the Golden Boy banner on the Margarito-Mosley undercard. Supposedly the Tuesday meeting would simply “rubber stamp” what was previously settled but apparently it was not as settled as everyone believed.

Of course it goes without saying that the Margarito/Capetillo matter will provide the most drama in the meeting.

HBO spent five minutes of airtime to go into great detail Shane Mosley’s many distractions on fight night. The discussed his alleged steroid use in association with the notorious BALCO investigation, his $12 million defamation lawsuit against BALCO founder Victor Conte and the breakup of his seven year marriage to Jin Mosley, who had also previously served as his manager. Shane will now fill that role himself.

Then shockingly, just before the opening bell HBO analyst Larry Merchant announced that “an illegal pad” had been found in Margarito’s gloves, “something that would harden when wet.” That information was obtained from Lohuis, who was called into the dressing room after Mosley’s trainer, Naazim Richardson, discovered the substance in question.

If Mosley was affected by his distractions, one can only imagine the thoughts that went through Margarito’s mind as he made his way to the ring, accompanied by two inspectors.

In Mosley’s case, possibly he cheated once. After all, he did bulk up like Mighty Joe Young for his second fight with Oscar De La Hoya. He admits that he may have unknowingly taken “the cream and the clear.”

How much he was misled is subject to debate at this point. Shane has claimed that former strength and conditioning coach Darryl Hudson led him to BALCO. Hudson filed a defamation suit that was thrown out just before the Margarito bout.

In Margarito’s case we have to wonder if, assuming he is guilty, is he a first time flyer? That part of the controversy may never be resolved. There are various promoters, managers, and attorneys who are virtually licking their chops waiting for the commission ruling.

The difference between Mosley and Margarito is that if the gloves were loaded, that’s assault with a deadly weapon, a felony.

Kermit Cintron, Sergio Martinez, and Miguel Cotto suffered their only losses and only knockouts to Margarito. Joshua Clottey was decisioned by Margarito and his only other loss was by DQ to Carlos Baldomir in 1999.

No one connected with the CSAC wants to speak on the record. They have been ordered to zip it and with a new regime soon to take over, no one is taking any chances. In fact, if anything, one of my best sources seemed to go out of their way to lead me in the other direction, indicating that it was merely excess padding.

Of course, even that would be a violation of the rules. It just sounds better than “plaster of Paris.”

We know by rule that fresh gauze is supposed to be used for each fight. You’re not allowed to use outside padding. Sources estimated that the suspect padding may have been used as many as 15 times.

Naazim Richardson reported on HBO.com that it was a block of old wet gauze that was covered with plaster and had an old dried up blood stain on it when the left hand was examined. After he requested that the right hand be unwrapped and rechecked a block of gauze similar to the left hand fell out.

There were 32 inspectors on duty on the night of January 24. 16 were assigned to the boxing card at Staples and 16 went to the Affliction MMA card in Anaheim that was so famously attended by Oscar De La Hoya, who came under some criticism for not supporting his partner Mosley at the sold out arena where his statue stands out front.

The inspectors make around $20 per hour and when you figure the length of an event - maybe 4-6 hours - you certainly can’t say they’re overpaid. Just hypothetically, how much would it cost to buy off an unethical inspector and ask them to stare at the ceiling while the hands are wrapped and taped? We depend on those inspectors to keep the game on a level playing field. Their integrity as well as their competence has to be beyond question, a level we failed to achieve in Margarito-Mosley at the least, and collusion at worst.

At this point everything is strictly an allegation, although I was told that “It looks bad.” If Margarito/Capetillo are found guilty of using material that might be detrimental to the well being of another fighter they should be held for the felony charge as well as banishment from the game.

The infamous trainer Panama Lewis and his fighter Luis Resto ended the career of Billy Collins Jr. in 1983 by removing some of the padding from Resto’s gloves and adding plaster on the tape over his knuckles. Afterwards, a savaged Collins suffered from blurry vision and depression and died in a car crash nine months later.

The inspector who signed off on the gloves wasn’t even in the room when the hands were wrapped.

Resto was banned from boxing. He admitted his guilt in 2008. Lewis received a prison sentence and a lifetime ban from boxing. If anything Lewis got off easy. He’s been working behind the scenes for years.

Michael Swann is a proud, voting member of the BWAA. He can be reached at mswann4@aol.com