Sergio Martinez...

Frankly, and I blame Roach for this who can find no other satisfaction in this world than to be praised for the victory of fights he played no part in. It's difficult to imagine Pacquiao requesting nonsensical catch-weights, accept at the request of Roach.

The question is, would these petty requests make a damn bit of difference? I'm inclined to think, "no." ROach would like us to think, "Yes." That he's the orchestrater of victory - that he's a strategist. Well, fuck the media for ALL OF this which framed SRL's pussified demands as smart and legit, when it came to hAgLER.

Are we, have we, will we ever be interested in a fair sport of boxing? One that isn't subject to the demands, whims, and influences that we associate more with Hollywood than we ever would with a so-called American sport?

[pencil-dicked TV execs]

 

Do you realize he wieghed more than DLH did on fightnight?


Should we start taking into account how much boxers weigh on their birthdays?

"He weighed 6 lbs and 5 ozs, and now he's a middleweight, what a beast!"

 

:giggle: so true

 

I said featherweight, not flyweight. You drunk, Tex?

 

LOL

seriously

 

I'd like too see if Martinez can hang at 168. Let's face it, Floyd and Manny aren't going to fight him, 168 is going to be shit hot in the next few years, makes sense to move up or maybe he'll pussy out and sit on his title

 

Martinez seems to be getting seriously overrated here. The guy is calling out Cotto (who just moved to 154 and it seems was at 140 not so long ago) and Pac (who isn't even really a welterweight) rather than calling out guys his own size. I realize that there is money in those fights, but come on. We drag guys like Hopkins over the coals for fighting smaller guys, but Martinez gets a pass?

With that said, I'm with steve_dave in that I'd love to see Pac take the fight at 160. He could still come in much smaller. It would be a historic challenge and would be very interesting.

 

Agreed. I'll give him all the credit in the world if he does this shit at 168

 

How is fighting at welter a tall order, though? Has he even lost a round at welter?

 

Its not, he says he can't make 140 any more. Hes a welterweight now.

 

martinez is the man. who the fuck was promoting this guy before dibella picked him up?

 

He's only calling them out because they're the biggest names in the sport and naturally the biggest potential paydays.

Martinez isn't cherry picking anybody at the moment.

 

Which is understandable given his age. He probably only has a couple of years left so he might as well try and make as much money as possible. I don't fault him for that.

Just saying that he beat Dzinziruk at 160 and he beat Paul Williams at 154. Who had Dzinziruk ever beaten at 160? Who had Williams ever beaten at 154? Now he is trying to fight Pac and Cotto at unnatural weights for them. I just don't see why he's being rated so ridiculously high given these facts.

 

Still amazed when i think back to seeing Martinez beat Richard Williams twice, and seeing him where he is now...dominating much better opponents on the big stage. Really hope he gets the mega fight that he deserves.

 

Steve, he is a 5'5 natural featherweight.

His success at welterweight is due to him being an absolutely exceptional fighter.

Middleweight is too much. He'd probably be the smallest middleweight ever fighting at world level.

 

He agreed to a 155 lb catchweight to face Cotto when HBO was first presented with the dilemma of whom to showcase on that night. Arum passed and told HBO whom he wanted Cotto to fight... HBO said no, and we were left with Martinez-Dzinziruk on HBO and Cotto-Mayorga on Showtime PPV.

Martinez is in a tough spot. He can't really call out anyone at 168. First, because the best fighters are either tied up in the tournament (Ward, Froch), or awaiting the outcome (Bute, Kessler). Also, despite Showtime's best (or really not so best) efforts, there isn't a ton of cash involved for a fight with any of them. Finally, there's the fact that Martinez is maxed out as a middleweight.

Calling out smaller fighters leads to criticism such as what you offer - and you're not wrong for pointing it out, mind you. It's a legit gripe, as Pac and Floyd will never ever become middleweights or even true junior middleweights.

However, there isn't a single fighter at middleweight he can call out that would capture headlines. Pirog is a solid fighter, but there's little to no money in that fight, unless the guy is a draw in Russia (I have no clue whether he is or not), to be honest. Sturm would be ideal, but would want a king's ransom to come to America and would be much more content to stay the course for the remainder of his career.

The idea I like best is a doubleheader showcasing Martinez and Pirog, building towards a fight later this year. DiBella's bullish on Pirog, but almost always steps aside when there's a good fight to be made. As hotheaded as he is, he's one of the last few promoters in the sport who is actually a fan as well.

 

Still though, for a guy that doesn't lose rounds at welter, why not see him try at middle?

Do you think, for a example, that a big welter that can't win a round vs. Manny would be better suited to move up?

 

I agree but I'm curious as to why he put Martinez at the Foxwoods (didn't look like a great turnout) and Berto vs Ortiz is there as well. he'd be better served having Sergio fight in SoCal since he lives and trains there. Same with berto-Ortiz...Ortiz can draw. Berto couldn't draw 100 people to a free rice giveaway in Haiti.

 

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

:notallthere:

 

I really don't have an answer for this weekend's fight, other than that Lou wanted it on the East Coast (it was originally scheduled for MSG's The Theatre).

Berto-Ortiz is Berto/Haymon not wanting to give Ortiz hometown advantage, or an edge of any kind since they've already compromised on the weight. It's not like Haymon has ever been interested in any boxing event turning a buck or two.

 

What was the reasoning behind Lous rant on Pirog?

 

Martinez despises the fact that he had to vacate the WBO belt, due to the fact that HBO wouldn't greenlight a fight with Pirog, yet HBO allowed Golden Boy to have the vacant title fight as part of their televised PPV undercard.

DiBella feels that Martinez shouldn't have to fight Pirog just to win back a belt he never lost in the first place, and that Pirog now gets to (try to) use the belt as leverage to extort more money from the pot if such a fight was floated.

Honestly, their greater problem should be with HBO and not Pirog. It's Lou's fault for expressing blind loyalty, while HBO has done nothing but fuck over Martinez.

 

Of that list I'd favour Mayweather over him and give Kirkland and Williams a shot, and Marg an outside shot.

 

Jake, please tell me why on earth HBO greenlit a fight with Zurik but not Pirog.

They are both relatively unknown in the US, but Pirog is a legit middleweight and would also beat the shit out of Ziruk.

In fact, wouldn't it be fair to say Pirog is arguably MORE well known than Ziruk due to his demolition of hot prospect Jacobs?

 

Pacqiauo destroyed Martinez' father.

 

HBO wanted Martinez-Williams II last year, and told both fighters that if they didn't make the fight, they wouldn't appear on its network at all that year.

The stupid thing was, Martinez could've easily fought Pirog in the summer and then fought Williams in the fall. Big deal if he lost to Pirog - you then do Pirog-Williams for the middleweight title.

This year, Dzinziruk came as a favor from HBO to Shaw, as part of the way too expensive deal that led to Bradley-Alexander getting made.

 

Think about it...

Jacob's promoter is Golden Boy and his manager is Al Haymon. Pirog upset the apple cart by flattening their "golden" prospect. I'd bet Jacobs gets a comeback fight on HBO before Pirog gets a shot. It's punishment for having the audacity of KOing their once "hot" prospect.

That's why Pirog wasn't greenlit or brought back for a showcase fight.

 

Who needs HBO when you can get the exposure of ESPN3?