By Keith Idec
NEW YORK — Sergio Martinez’s top two targets have other fights scheduled, so Lou DiBella doesn’t know who the sport’s top middleweight will fight next.
DiBella does know that Martinez won’t move up to 168 pounds to challenge Andre Ward or Lucian Bute while waiting for a fight against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. or Floyd Mayweather Jr. The Argentine southpaw’s emotional promoter grew angry when he heard HBO commentator Larry Merchant suggest Martinez move up to 168 pounds.
“I’m sick of listening to [B.S.], particularly emanating from commentators and press, about fighting guys like [Lucian] Bute and Andre Ward, who walk around 25-to-30 pounds heavier than him,” DiBella said. “He’s a 54-pounder. The advantage that [Matthew] Macklin had for those rounds, the advantage that [Darren] Barker had for those rounds, the advantage that [Kelly] Pavlik had for some rounds was that they’re bigger, and they’re stronger.
“This guy is superhuman. He’s a 54-pound freak. At 37 years old, guys like him don’t exist anymore. You know, appreciate what you’re watching. He’s an all-time great. He’s a Hall-of-Famer. He’s a great fighter, man, and there’s a reason why people are ducking him. They’re ducking a great fighter. They’re ducking a likely loss.”
The undefeated Ward tweeted Saturday night that he is interested in facing Martinez, even though a Bute bout is what Ward (25-0, 13 KOs) should pursue if Bute (31-0, 24 KOs) conquers Carl Froch (28-2, 20 KOs) on May 26 in Nottingham, England, Froch’s hometown. DiBella dismissed the possibility quickly because he maintains Martinez isn’t even a real middleweight, much less a super middleweight.
DiBella said Martinez (49-2-2, 28 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., arrived in New York last week at 154 pounds and ate steak and potatoes all week just to weigh in at 157½ pounds Friday, half-a-pound less than England’s Macklin (28-4, 19 KOs).
“To say he should move up to fight Bute or Ward is like saying he should fight Klitschko,” DiBella said. “Eating every meal he weighed 157. The guy was eating to gain weight, not trying to lose weight. I mean, come on. Say what it is. The guy’s a super fighter. He’s Roy Jones in his prime. He’s a Mayweather-level guy, and the reason they’re running from him is because he’s that good. I’m not going to send him to the wolves. Come on. He doesn’t beat Bute. Bute’s too frigging big.”
Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com.
