.jpg)
As most readers of AbFitt know, I am a big believer in Sergio Martinez as does Lou DiBella, the promoter of Sergio Martinez, Who compares him favorably to another Argenitinian-born fighter, Carlos Monzon, who once held the middleweight (160 pounds) record for consecutive wins, and, who reeled off victories in his final 84 bouts (75-0-9), with 45 knockouts starting with a fourth-round stoppage of Francisco Geleberti in October of 1964.
Nicknamed, "Maravilla," or, "Marvelous," like American middleweight great, "Marvelous"Marvin Hagler, the 35-year-old Martinez lives in Madrid, Spain, has the looks of a model and some of the most underrated boxing skills in the sport.
But those are quite lofty comparisons for Martinez, a slick-boxing southpaw who has yet to score the big win that warrants such praise, even as he ran off a mark of 28-0-1, with 18 knockouts after being knocked out by Antonio Margarito in the seventh round in February of 2007.
Although he already wears the WBC's junior middleweight (154 pounds) title, Martinez can go a long way toward distinguishing himself on April 17, when he'll go after the WBO and WBC middleweight (160 pounds) titles held by Kelly Pavlik (36-1, 32 KOs), of Youngstown, Ohio, at The 3,000-seat, Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Martiinez is coming off of December's majority decision loss in a clash of southpaws with Paul Williams (38-1, 27 KOs), of Augusta, Ga., during which he got up from a first-round knockdown to floor his Williams just before the bell ending the same round.
"That was a travesty that Williams got the decision. It was a very close fight, but one judge scored it rediculously," said Martinez, referring to the fact that one judge scored the bout, 119-110, for Williams.
"It was the type of fight that, if I won, no one would say anything. Nobody would think that Paul Williams got robbed," said Martinez, who earned his crown with an eighth-round knockout of Alex Bunema in October of 2008. "That is the reason that HBO has given me another opportunity against Pavlik."
As a result his performance against Williams, the highly-avoided Martinez (44-2-2, 24 knockouts) was considered for a lucrative rematch with Williams, as well as a shot Pavlik.
"I'm very proud to know that many people recognize that I didn't lose the fight. Paul Williams was good, but I felt like I won the fight," said Martinez.
"But this time, I will not leave it up to the judges," said Martinez. "By around the eighth, ninth, or 10th round, I will have figured out Kelly Pavlik, and that's when I will go after the knockout. That's when I will end this fight."
here at AbFitt we think Sergio becomes the new champ, but trust me when I tell you this will be no upset!!! Sergio is the real deal.