When Sergio Martinez stepped in for Kelly Pavlik as a late replacement opponent for Paul Williams in December of 2009, he impressed in a controversial losing effort that many thought he won. In only two appearances on HBO Martinez was an unlucky 0-1-1 (the draw being the result of an atrocious job by referee Frank Santore Jr.), but he was asked back the following April as an opponent for the aforementioned Pavlik, then the Ring/WBO/WBC middleweight champion. The former soccer player-turned cyclist-turned professional boxer bloodied Pavlik to become the recognized middleweight champion of the world.
Martinez, who toiled away in obscurity for most of his career, was thrust into the spotlight. But without a large and loyal fan base to follow him around the country, Martinez and his handlers opted to leave his career in the trembling hands of HBO executives. With the right moves, Lou DiBella, with the aid of his old pals at HBO, could have turned Martinez into a big attraction.
The Sergio Martinez-HBO partnership got off to a great start. After the Pavlik bout Martinez was back on HBO in a rematch against Paul Williams. After a thrilling one-punch knockout over Williams, Martinez figured to be a priority for the sport?s premiere boxing outlet. Unfortunately Martinez?s meager drawing power worked against him.
Martinez was stripped of the last bargaining chip he held last January. When HBO opted not to approve unknown German, Sebastian Zbik, the mandatory challenger for his WBC middleweight title, the WBC stripped Martinez and promoted Zbik to world champion. Martinez was not left empty handed, however, as the WBC bestowed upon him the ?honor? of holding its Diamond Championship, a title that was created as a special honor and a channel for the WBC to siphon funds from Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, who squared off for the WBO welterweight title in November of 2009. The Diamond Championship was created as a one-time championship, and was not intended to be defended once won. Always one for finding loopholes (or just making up the rules as they go along), the WBC made Martinez?s Diamond title up for grabs in his next bout.
