It was no surprise that middleweight champion Sergio Martinez renounced all ties to the WBC at a press conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Thursday. Eye-opening were his comments that he would no longer associate himself with HBO Sports, which has broadcast his last seven bouts starting with his eighth round stoppage of Alex Bunema in 2008. It was believed that his March 17th date against Matthew Macklin at the Theater in Madison Square Garden would be televised by the network.
When asked about these statements, Lou DiBella, whose company, DiBella Entertainment, promotes ?Maravilla,? clarified to Maxboxing that, ?With respect to never fighting on HBO, it doesn?t mean he doesn?t want to fight again on HBO. They have been delaying with Arum with this whole [Julio Cesar] Chavez situation and they have not supported Sergio. They have not supported Sergio in any way in an attempt to making any big fight. They had an obligation to help Sergio make the Chavez fight, contractually. They wouldn?t even give us a number. He?s very upset and hurt. He feels like he?s always been HBO?s bitch.?
(?Bitch? is a rather curious choice of word, given the nature of some of Jose Sulaiman?s comments, regarding Floyd Mayweather?s run-in with the law, outraging Martinez and many others in the boxing community.)
