Cotto-Margarito II Is ON-Madison Sq Garden, Dec. 3rd…WOODS

Good news for New York area fight fans. They've been craving a big  fight at Madison Square Garden, and they will get it.

The Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito rematch will unfold at MSG on December 3, Top Rank reported today.

Top Rank's Carl Moretti told TSS the venue made too much sense. “It wasn't necessarily hard to get to the fight made at the Garden, it seemed logical. We had to work out the costs, the logistics of the holiday season, hotels and such. But when we told both camps New York was an option, it just made sense. It's going to be an unbelievable atmosphere.”

The two men battled viciously in July 2008, with Cotto building a lead early, before succumbing to Margarito's evil-robot pressure. Cotto took a knee and his corner said no more after he got mauled in round

11. He went down once, got up, ate more harsh shots, and with a minute left, it was in the books. That result was interpreted differently after Margarito was busted trying to use hardened hand wraps before his January 2009 fight with Shane Mosley. Cotto has taken the high road, basically saying he doesn't know if the Mexican cheated when they fought, but in the court of public opinion, let's just say Margarito has been tarred and feathered. You will easily be able to decipher who the good guy and the bad guy is in this one.

It is my pick for 2011 fight of the year.

Moretti told TSS that Margarito, whose right eye socket was busted by Manny Pacquiao when those two battled last November, has been cleared to start his conditioning now.

“New York has been aching for big fight,” Moretti said. “We didn't have a fight for the Puerto Rican parade this year. There will be 18,000 people there and it will be unbelievable. I'm looking forward to this fight as much as any this year. It's a great sports time of the year, and a great time to do a fight at the Garden. You want to do business there if you can make it happen.”

Moretti said as a bonus, Top Rank would like to place a Delvin Rodriguez-Pawel Wolak rematch on the undercard.