Well it wasn?t exactly the fight of the year that many had hoped for, but it sure did provide the knockout of the year that?s for sure. Last night when I saw Sergio Martinez land that vicious over hand left, I remember the remote control slipping from my hand and crashing down to the floor. As soon as I saw Martinez?s glove land on flesh, it was almost as if a part of me knew that there was no way in hell that Paul Williams would be able to survive that fatal shot. It reminded me so much of the night that Pacquiao extended Ricky Hatton completely motionless flat on his back. The only difference in this knockout was that Williams fell face first to the canvas, but both Williams and Hatton were out before their body landed on the canvas. Both Williams and Hatton tasted doom in the second round.
So now will both Pacquiao and Martinez lock horns against one another? I would love for a Pacquiao and Martinez fight to go down, but I honestly do not feel that it will happen. One would think that after last nights performance that Martinez would now be front runner for a super clash against Pacquiao, but I am saddened to say that the huge exclamation point we saw last night may have hurt Martinez?s chances more than helping him. I?m sure that Pacquiao the fighter that he is would love to get it on with Martinez, but head honcho promoter, Bob Arum more than likely turned his head another way.
Which way would that be? Funny you ask, because call it a hunch but I am willing to bet that Arum picked up the phone and called Shane Mosley and asked, ?How would you like to be Manny Pacquiao?s next opponent?? You see, Arum and few close to Pacquiao do not want to push Pacquiao any harder than they have to. Team Pacquiao now really knows that Pacquiao?s limit is 150 pounds. Pacquiao would like to keep his speed so weighing in heavier diminishes his killer speed, which is why Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds for a 150 pound weigh in last week. Martinez as we all know happens to be the 160 pound champion and we all heard him say last night that if a Pacquiao fight is to be discussed that it will be discussed for a catchweight fight at 156 pounds. Like I said, I know that Pacquiao would be up for the challenge but the few close to him may not be in love with that idea, and that few includes Arum.
I hope that I am wrong, but I am almost sure that this morning Pacquiao/Mosley is probably 80% done by now. Don?t get me wrong, I am a big Mosley fan but I feel that at this stage at the very tail of Mosley?s great career, Pacquiao would carve up Mosley like a turkey. I admire and like Mosley for the same reasons that I admire Pacquiao. Both Mosley and Pacquiao love to challenge themselves which is why they both always take on all challengers. But Mosley who now is 39 years old is no longer the animal he used to be. For his age, Mosley is still in good shape but he just isn?t in fighting shape. Big difference. This is why Mosley now gasses out early, Mosley knows that his rapid hand speed is no longer lightning fast and his reflexes have slipped so Mosley now gasses out early because he wastes too much movement on nervous energy.
Yesterday morning, I wrote this: ?Tonight, Martinez will face Paul Williams in their much anticipated rematch. Will Williams prevail yet again? Or will the slick pure boxer from Argentina get revenge and make a big statement in the process? Great fighters come in all different colors, shapes, and sizes. A real fighter fights on when his back is against the wall surviving and defeating the storm. They say many truths are said in lies, but the storm that lies ahead is the true lie detector test.?
Now that Martinez/Williams came and went as fast as it came, we all now know that Martinez is the truth and nothing but the truth, so what does this mean for Martinez? It means that Martinez who is 35 years old, is now only listening to big offers, which is why we last night heard him repeatedly say that he will be listening to offers. Almost as if to say, nevermind the name, only the biggest offer will get my undivided attention. So Felix Sturm and Dimitry Pirog no need to apply.
Mayweather and Pacquiao bring the biggest bundle of cash, but Pacquiao?s team as I discussed earlier may not want to climb that high. As for Mayweather, forget about it. Knowing Mayweather, Mayweather will down play Martinez and make some of you think that Martinez is a nobody, someone not worthy of his challenge. So if I?m Martinez, I would look towards Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden or Yankee Stadium, or I look towards Antonio Margarito, assuming Margarito has anything left from the beating he took from Pacquiao last week. Other than Pacquiao and Mayweather, Cotto and Margarito would bring in the bigger offers. The waiting game begins?.Now.
