The middleweight division is to boxing what the sweep was to Vince Lombardi. It is the very essence of the game. And it has produced the best fighters who have ever lived.
Names like Harry Greb, Carlos Monzon, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Bernard Hopkins make up the 160-pound division’s all-time elite. There’s also Stanley Ketchel, considered one of the toughest hombres in history. And, of course, the consensus greatest fighter ever — Sugar Ray Robinson — may have also been the greatest middleweight ever.
While it may be blasphemous to mention Monzon’s countryman, Argentina’s Sergio Martinez, in the same breath as the above immortals, the man known as “Maravilla” sure has looked like a legend lately. Martinez is the whole package — speed, power, grit, charisma — and if boxing were available to the masses, he’d be a superstar.
With each outing more impressive than the one before it, Martinez has become a must-see attraction. After a seven-month hiatus, the recognized middleweight champion of the world steps into the ring when he meets England’s Darren Barker at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City (8 p.m. today, HBO).
On a roll
In his last fight, Martinez, 47-2-2 (26 knockouts), widely accepted as the second best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing behind Manny Pacquiao, made an undefeated, difficult southpaw look like a sparring partner. By the end, Serhiy Dzinziruk had been dropped five times — three in the eighth and final round — before referee Arthur Mercante Advertisement
Jr. stopped the slaughter.
Before that, Martinez produced 2010’s “Knockout of the Year” with his one-punch destruction of Paul Williams to avenge a previous defeat and win “Fighter of the Year” honors. And before that, he chop ped up defending champ Kelly Pavlik in a one-sided decision.
Maravilla’s recent run is reminiscent to that of Pacquiao, who hasn’t been touched since losing to Erik Morales in 2005. Similarly, Martinez hasn’t looked beatable since losing to Antonio Margarito in 2000.
Today, Margarito would be hard-pressed to win a round against Martinez.
Barker, 23-0 (14 KOs), step ped up to fight Martinez when Miguel Cotto and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. reportedly did not. For that, he should be commended. But, unless the 36-year-old Martinez ages a half-century overnight, Barker, 29, has about as much chance as 88-year-old Bob Barker.
Barker’s last fight was a 12-round decision over Dominico Spada for the European 160-pound title. That would be considered his biggest win.
He works well behind a jab and can move. But he holds his hands low. A blazing fast Martinez can get away with that.
Barker can’t. Look for Maravilla to continue where he left off against Dzinziruk.
His hand speed will overwhelm Barker, who has not faced anything remotely close to Martinez in physical capability or skill. You can almost see Maravilla — moving side-to-side and firing non-stop punches — reducing Barker to a bloody, desperate slugger.
Another sensational performance is in the offing. Here’s to hoping that somebody who can test Martinez will be next. Maravilla by fifth-round TKO.
Also …
On the Martinez-Barker undercard, England’s Andy Lee, 26-1 (19 KOs) — under the tutelage of legendary Detroit trainer Emanuel Steward — tries to avenge his only career loss when he meets Austin’s tough Brian Vera, 19-5 (12 KOs).
Vera rose from a first-round knockdown to upset Lee via seventh-round TKO in 2008. He recently upset former champ Sergio Mora
And Mexico’s legendary two-division champion Rafael Marquez, 40-6 (36 KOs), goes for another 122-pound world championship when he meets defending champ Toshiaki Nishioka, 38-4-3 (24 KOs), of Japan at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (8 p.m. today, Fox Deportes).
Matthew Aguilar may be reached at [email protected].
