Sergio Martinez’s blessing is his in the ring charisma.
Sergio Martinez’s curse is an excruciating dearth of attractive opponents.
Journeyman Peter Manfredo was recently considered as a July challenger for “Maravilla” in Manfredo’s bailiwick of Providence but it seems HBO put the kibosh on that matchup.
For example, in recent days rumors have circulated through boxing that undefeated Golden Boy prospect Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, now trained by Pacquiao and Khan guru Coach Freddie Roach, might land a shot at the world middleweight champion from Argentina.
The proviso, of course, being that Quillin, now a Golden Boy liege, get past journeyman Jesse Brinkley on the Reno card April 29 where the lead promoters are the sons of famed referee Mills Lane, Terry and Tommy Lane (naturally, their firm is called Let’s Get It On Promotions.) The second proviso being that Roach give the thumbs up to the bout for which he might not deem Quillin ready to handle. Advertisement
Now, as Martinez handler Lou DiBella just confirmed, exciting Japanese slugger Nobuhiro Ishida, who floored James Kirkland three times en route to an upset KO 1 Saturday night on HBO PPV TV, is in the running for a fall fight against the menacing Martinez.
“I’ve just given HBO a few names but anything else is premature,” DiBella said Tuesday morning.
“I like Ishida. He’s one of the name I submitted. He is exciting and, in beating Kirkland the way he did, he beat a guy who so many people considered a beast.”
DiBella said such a fight would have to take place in the United States rather than Japan.
Surely American fight fans want to see more of this new star brought to us by longtime premier Japanese promoter Akihiko Honda (“Honda-San” in fistic circles).
An Ishisda-Martinez fight figures to be brief but possibly spectacular.
