The WBC middleweight champion, Sergio Martinez, has a lot going for him. In a little less than a year, the man nicknamed “Maravilla” ? The Wonder ? has made a rapid rise to the top of the boxing world in one of the sport’s most fabled divisions.
The 35-year-old Argentine is movie-star handsome with a great smile, can charm the news media and has become a TV favorite. Martinez (45-2-2, 24 KOs) will make another TV appearance Saturday night in his highly anticipated rematch with Paul Williams (39-1, 27 KOs) for Martinez’s middleweight belt (HBO, 10 p.m. ET) from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
But the smile disappeared Wednesday during the final news conference when Gabriel Sarmiento, Martinez’s trainer, made reference to a recent quote by George Peterson, Williams’ trainer, that Martinez is an old dog who can’t learn new tricks.
“Williams needs to know that this old dog will bite him in the (butt) when he gets into the ring,” Sarmiento said. “That’s where we will do our talking.”
Peterson shot back, “I didn’t know if the dog was going to take a bite of the bone, but he did it.”
Thus, the war of words was on between two foes who know each other well from their first fight, one of the most action-packed of 2009 and won by Williams by a majority decision.
Martinez: “I will fight him, I will attack him, and I will box him. I have prepared for a war and ? we are going to get one.”
Williams: “If the money is right (for a third fight) then we could do it again, and it will be another walk in the park.”
Williams, 29, a 6-5 favorite, has a decided height advantage (3-4 inches), and a 7-inch reach advantage (82 inches to 75).
No less an authority than former five-division champion Sugar Ray Leonard says he knows both fighters and sees another fight-of-the-year candidate.
“I believe it is 50-50 pick ’em. Both fighters have good hand speed, and both have punching power,” Leonard says. “Williams has height and reach advantage, and Sergio has slightly more power. I am looking forward to seeing a great fight.”
Before the fight, HBO will replay Saturday’s unanimous decision victory by Manny Pacquiao against Antonio Margarito at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Pacquiao battered Margarito, who had surgery Tuesday to repair a broken right orbital bone.
