Sergio Martinez: Is Manny Pacquiao an Option?
By Donald Stewart
Sergio Martinez 46-2-2 25 KO’s, Argentina’s American based middleweight is poised for another defense in early 2011 but what next for him and the division?
It is a picture as confusing as any the more you stare at it!
His fight against Paul “The Punisher” Williams – the first – was the fight of the year in 2009. Both ended up on the canvas in the first round with Williams winning a split decision.
In the rematch, Martinez dominated and knocked Williams out in the 2nd round with a hard shot right on the chin. We love those kinds of explosions. We love that dedication and fight.
Bob Arum isn’t so keen – he says Martinez shall never get near Manny “PacMan:” Pacquiao!
On March 12th, 2011, we hope that he will get near another highly prized and unbeaten fighter in Serhiy Dzinziruk 37-0 23 KO’s, to defend his WBC Middleweight title.
Dzinziruk is no journey man as he is the unbeaten WBO Junior Middleweight holder. Announced to be on the same bill as Miguel Cotto versus Ricardo Mayorga, for many the better bout is the Martinez-Dzinziruk fight.
If Martinez pulls into the ring the same passion, commitment and dominance he showed in his Paul Williams rematch we are truly in for some fight!
Of course, as he is ranked number one in the world, around him there are boxers taking on matches that should sort out which pathway Martinez should follow. On February 19th, Felix Sturm 34-2-1 14 KO’s, and Ronald Hearns 26-1, 20 KO’s, square up in Germany.
Hearns, on the way up, looks like an easy target for Sturm but underestimating the desire of your opponent is always bad news…especially one with a Hearns pedigree! Hearns shall prove a stiff test for Sturm and there are many tipping the son who was barred by his father from the gym as a youngster to go on and emulate some of his father’s achievements.
The fact the fight is in Germany is advantage Sturm as he has only fought four times outside of Germany and lost to De La Hoya one of those times! As the WBA champion a fight against Martinez would be good box office.
IBF number one from Australia, Daniel Geale 24-1 15 KO’s, has made clear his desire to fight Martinez and his impressive win against Roman Karmazin in the IBF eliminator has him in pole position to make that happen.
A former champion trained by Freddie Roach, Karmazin made life tough for Geale but he is hungry for more.
Karmazin had already drawn against the current IBF Champion, Sebastian Sylvester which saw almost as much action after the fight as during it! Sylvester will defend his title on the 22nd of January against Mehdi Bouadla in Germany.
Most don’t think that there will be a new IBF Champion after the fight… Sebastian has already been mooted for a rematch so that possibility may delay any unification plans anybody has!
It should all sort itself out but of course this is the world of boxing and nothing is ever particularly clear or indeed easy. Martinez shall go into the fight against Dzinzurik after most of the other contenders have fought.
You would hope that, by that time he would be able to pick a fight for the fall that would take another belt from someone, perhaps make his legacy more secure.
With both boxers having a penchant for the German Market then perhaps it will be Sturm that is the easier match to make. That is if he manages to negotiate past Ronald Hearns.
As I said previously that is by no means certain and, at 35 years of age Martinez might fancy an easier way to end the year.
If his battle with Dzinziruk is as tough as people imagine it will be then there may even be a longer rest.
Two fights a year is the rhythm he is falling into and with an early career loss to Martinez, a closer win over Kelly Pavlik it would be unusual for him to duck anyone or start to look for easy options.
We have to hope that his passion and drive keep in focus for the year ahead and who knows, maybe Bob Arum shall change his mind – after all Pacquiao hasn’t anyone better to fight this year…has he?