Antonio Margarito hopes to fight in March

Forgiving and forgetting helps sustain boxing.

Former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito hopes that idea holds true now that he has applied for a boxing license for a comeback in Texas. Promoter Bob Arum has scheduled Margarito to fight Carson Jones on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey main event at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas on March 13.

Thursday is the first day Margarito, 31, is eligible for a boxing license in the U.S. after he and his trainer had their licenses revoked for a year by the California State Athletic Commission for having illegal plaster-like substances inside Margarito’s hand wraps before his title defense last year against Shane Mosley.

“That was a black eye for boxing, it really hurt all of us,” said Nazim Richardson, Mosley’s trainer, who pointed out to California inspectors Margarito’s hand wraps before the January 2009 bout at Staples Center. Officials confiscated the plaster, Margarito’s hands were re-wrapped, then he was knocked out by Mosley.

“If they let [Margarito] back now, trying to slip those things into the ring was worth the gamble,” Richardson said.

Margarito, with a record of 37-6 and 27 knockouts, is a popular Mexican fighter and his promoter already has big plans for him.

Arum told The Times recently that Margarito is free to regain his license because he has served his disciplinary period.

“If [Margarito] looks good on the Texas card, a major match at the same stadium later would be Pacquiao-Margarito,” Arum said. “We’ve received no assurances from Texas, but we hope there’s no reason to deny him the license.”

At a state hearing last year, Margarito said he only held his hands up to be wrapped before the Mosley fight, with no intention to cheat. His trainer, Javier Capetillo, testified that the hardened inserts must have been tossed inside his gym training bag by accident and were unintentionally placed inside Margarito’s wraps.

Skepticism reigned about the explanation.

Once Margarito was suspended, federal boxing bylaws prevented him from fighting in other states for a year. Now, Margarito’s comeback is prompting considerable talk within boxing circles.

Karen Chappelle, the supervising deputy attorney general in California who argued to have Margarito suspended, said “our position” is that California must first reinstate Margarito before he can fight in Texas.

But two weeks ago, the Assn. of Boxing Commissions (ABC), a national body that interprets rules for state commissions, said Texas can make its own decision on Margarito’s license. But ABC’s board of directors urge in a letter to Texas officials “that Mr. Margarito should not be licensed at this time due to the seriousness of the violations.”

Daniel Petrocelli, Margarito’s attorney, disagrees.

“The most severe discipline possible is revocation for one year, so now that the year is up, he’s reapplying,” Petrocelli said. “Aside from this incident, Antonio has been an exemplary boxing citizen. He did not . . . even know of these gauze inserts. He was disciplined for hiring this trainer who broke the rules. Antonio has accepted his punishment.”

Margarito has fired Capetillo, Petrocelli said

Timothy Lueckenhoff, president of ABC, said in an e-mail that he expects Margarito to get licensed in Texas.

“Every state is looking at ways to increase revenues,” Lueckenhoff wrote. “This fight will be a huge draw and millions of dollars will be placed in the economy in Texas. Again it is unfortunate that it may come to this, but there are some real heavy hitters who are backing this fight.”

Margarito declined to comment.

A Texas spokeswoman said Margarito’s license application is under review, with a decision likely this month.

Mosley is training for his bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 1. He believes Margarito deserves to fight again.

“The trainer is the one who should be suspended for life,” Mosley said. “He’s the one who put that stuff in there.”

Richardson isn’t so sure.

“[Margarito] hurt all of us in the boxing fraternity with that nonsense, like when [Mike] Tyson bit off [Evander] Holyfield’s ear,” Richardson said.

lance.pugmire@latimes.com