Sergio Martinez etched his name in boxing lore when he fought Paul Williams in place of the oft-injured Kelly Pavlik in December 2009. Paul Williams was scheduled to challenge Pavlik for his middleweight crown, but instead found himself in the fight of his life with a warrior who had spent so long in relative anonymity. The two crafty southpaws tested the intestinal fortitude of the other over a grueling 36-minute battle, each man tasted the canvas, and each man brought his body to the brink of exhaustion, and both refused to succumb to the pain of fatigue.
At the end of twelve rounds, Williams was given the edge in the battle. Judge Julie Lederman scored the bout a draw; 114-114. Lynne Carter scored the bout 115-113 in favor of Paul Williams, while Judge Pierre Benoist scored the bout 119-110 in favor of Williams
After more than eleven months, Martinez and Williams again shared the ring in Atlantic City, picking up right where they left off.
The thirteenth round was dominated by Paul Williams in the opening minute. His long jab was successful in keeping the shorter Martinez at bay. Martinez was able to maneuver inside of Williams? long reach, and began to land his left hand at will.
Martinez drew Williams into a firefight in the second round. As the two fighters exchanged left hands, Martinez?s landed on the point of Williams? exposed chin, sending him face-first onto the canvas, and sending a loud and clear signal to the world, that Sergio Martinez has arrived on the scene.
The quiet, soft-spoken native of Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina, has made a rapid rise to stardom. A TKO victory over Alex Bunema in 2008 and a controversial majority draw with Kermit Cintron in 2009, made Martinez known among hardcore boxing fans. Martinez?s last three fights; a close decision loss to Williams, a thrilling decision victory over then-middleweight king, Kelly Pavlik, and last Saturday?s highlight reel knockout of Paul Williams, have shown the world he is one of boxing?s best.
Martinez?s unique blend of size, strength, and quick reflexes, make him a challenging matchup for anyone of similar size. After an impressive eleven months, Martinez has vaulted to the number three spot on most credible pound-for-pound lists, and is being mentioned as a worthy opponent for Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao.
Martinez?s star is on the rise, and his desire to be a true champion of the people should compel him to greater heights. When Martinez spoke to Official Scorecard in September, he expressed his desire to finish his career making the fights that will solidify his legacy and entertain boxing fans. The coming months should prove to be a pivotal point in Martinez?s career, as he chases down the two top fighters in the sport; the aforementioned Mayweather and Pacquiao.
Photo: Courtesy of Marty Rosengarten, Ringsidephotos.com
