San Francisco, CA– Even before this past weekend, if you follow boxing then you knew that World middleweight (160 lbs.) champion Sergio Martinez was “the real deal.” Having lost two fights, one to Antonio Margarito some nine years ago, and the disputed call with Paul Williams in their initial encounter, Martinez should probably be hailed as the “new” king of boxing.
Sergio Martinez
PAC SEEING MARTINEZ ROCKET PAST HIM?
Some writers, the ever so capable Ted Sares for one, have the (47-2-2, 26 KOs) Argentine living in Oxnard, CA, “numero uno” on the ‘pound for pound’ list. In his last three fights, Sergio busted up middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik, knocked Paul Williams, the man that Pavlik was ducking, into another time zone, this before besting an unbeaten Sergy Dzinziruk Saturday night.
SERGY LOSES FISTIC VIRGINITY
Dzinziruk claimed he had never been knocked down either as an amateur or pro, but Sergy (37-1, 23 KOs) went down five times, thrice in the final round at the hands of Martinez.
DICTATOR TAKES ‘POUND FOR POUND’
Martinez is 36 years old, Manny Pacquiao is 32, while Floyd Mayweather is now 34, these are the three best boxers in boxing, so say the majority of pundits. If these three fighters were even across the board, you’d have to tout Sergio Martinez the best fighter in the world because of the competition he has faced and defeated of late.
NO KNOCK ON PACQUIAO
Muhammad Ali, when he faded after the third Joe Frazier fight, Roberto Duran was considered the best ‘pound for pound.’ Duran would give the mythical title up in late 1980 when he quit against Ray Leonard in their rematch. While Duran was hailed as #1, Ali still hadn’t lost to anyone since Ken Norton in 1972. It boiled down to the level of competition.
PAC’S TIME HAS COME & GONE
Pacman’s zenith was either the Ricky Hatton or Miguel Cotto win. Since then, he has faced two less than stellar foes in Joshua “Handcuffed” Clottey and shopworn and weight drained Antonio Margarito. Next up is near 40-year old Shane Mosley, whom the aforementioned Floyd Mayweather beat 11 of 12 rounds. Face it folks, the boxing kingdom has a new leader and his name is Sergio Martinez.
Pedro Fernandez