SERGIO MARTINEZ was back in action this past weekend, pitting his wits against fellow southpaw Sergiy Dzinziruk who himself was a respected world champion at light-middleweight where he held the WBO version and was actually part of the ?Who needs him? Club?. Mainly due to the fact he?s a tall southpaw whi can bang quite a bit.
But Martinez is no respecter of reputations as his past performances have shown, and true to form he put on a boxing clinic to break down and take apart Dzinziruk for a very impressive stoppage victory.
Both prior to and after that contest, many have been proclaiming Martinez as genuine pound-for-pound top five material, some even going as far as to say he should be number one or number two. That would mean in front of either or both of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio. That?s a bold statement.
Is such a lofty ranking in the mythical pound-for-pound list deserved? If you look at Martinez?s record, he?s been around for years, and has clocked up some air miles while plying his trade for purses that men like Mayweather probably throw to the crowd on a Saturday night out in his local club. Martinez has never been afraid to go into the lion?s den. Remember all those years ago when he came over to beat one of our top prospects at the time in Richard Williams. He was a class act that night, but no-one over here knew him before the fight, and to be honest, for years after no-one really took much notice of what he was doing either. Certainly I don?t think anyone who watched him that night would have thought he would have gone on to be the star that he is now. Yes he was a class operator, but future pound-for-pound contender?
He?s like fine wine, as the years and the miles have been clocked up he has developed into a skilled all-rounder who knows how to pick his shots and keep sensible, then when to unleash the bombs and go in for the kill.
His use of the jab is great, it?s a very effective weapon for Martinez and the fact that he dips low and has great upper body movement adds to his southpaw awkwardness.
He?s fought in some high-profile fights lately. At 36 Sergio?s showing no signs of deteriorating at all and comes to the ring oozing confidence and self-assurance. He?s at his peak right now and knows this. He?s calling out the big names and to be honest, after the fights against Kermit Cintron, Paul Williams twice and Dzinziruk you have to say he could well have the beating of anyone. The rematch with Williams ended in a stunning KO, Williams left face-down and out of it while the ref for some reason carried on counting.
The fact that he?s willing to get in with guys like Williams and Cintron, who were feared and avoided, proves that he has a real champion?s attitude, almost old-school where they used to pick the fights that represented the most danger. For that alone I?m a big fan of Martinez.
That?s an attitude I would love for Floyd Mayweather to have. He could take on all-comers. He could have faced Williams, he could have faced Cintron, but chose not to.
Martinez has not got the fanfare, hasn?t got the mouth and personality of Mayweather but he has definitely got the better fighting spirit.
Manny Pac has risen through the weights and taken on men that people thought would beat him, fighters that some thought were going to be just too big and strong for the former flyweight. But he?s gone in and looked devastating while taking the likes of Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton apart.
For me, Martinez?s r?sum?, although very impressive and with great performances within it, just simply lacks the depth of a Mayweather or a Pacquaio. He?s certainly going about his business better than Mayweather at the moment as ?Money? is so inactive but to be honest I would have him around number three in the pound-for-pound rankings. Mayweather and Manny Pac is a toss-up for the nukmber one slot on any given day for me!
