Comments Thread For: In The Middleweight Division, The Clash Equation is An F

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

by Cliff Rold - A great weight class is enhanced by exceptional talent but talent alone doesn’t bring greatness to a head. The fights are the thing.

At Middleweight, the talent is there. The division is headed by an elite level performer in lineal champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KO). Beneath him is as good a crop of young contenders and titlists as can be found anywhere on the scale…on paper.

Middleweight has the ingredients to be one of the game’s genuine minefields. The fights just aren’t happening the way they should be. At least not yet.

This Saturday, one of four regular or interim undefeated Middleweight beltholders with the potential to nip at Martinez’s heels is in action. It won’t be with Martinez. Beltholders Felix Sturm (36-2-2, 15 KO) and Daniel Geale (26-1, 15 KO) are low on blemishes as well, neither any close to challenging the king.

This weekend is the immediate focus. Make no mistake. WBC beltholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (44-0-1, 31 KO) is a paper titlist. One day, he may be more than that. The day hasn’t arrived yet. [Click Here To Read More]

[Clegg]

I find it dissapointing that after being a victim of in-house BS from Arum, DiBella-Martinez seem to want to do the same thing to Pirog. Martinez fought his way to the top and took a hard road doing so, but now he's there he seems to be just like a lot of the other top boxers who don't have the best interests of the sport at heart.

Some have said that Macklin is actually a very good opponent because of the Sturm fight. But aside from that his resume is unimpressive.

Yes, he has the contentious loss to Sturm, but think back to the Calzaghe era at 168: JC beat several guys who had been on the wrong end of a bad decision against Ottke, and the majority of fans dismiss those wins with "who did he beat? OK maybe he got robbed by Ottke, but so did half the guys who fought him". It's a similar thing here.

DiBella has long complained about the way certain people take advantage of the sport, and he could buck the trend by letting his top fighter face a high risk opponent. But he isn't. He could even try to match Lee or Jermain Taylor against Pirog or Golovkin. But he isn't.

I know these things are easier said than done, and credit to LDB for trying to put Andy Lee in with Sturm, but I feel Golovkin and Pirog are much more dangerous and more willing and so that should be his target. Instead I get the feeling that we're headed towards Martinez-Lee and Martinez-J Taylor.

[4Corners]

Sergio Martinez, Peter Quillin, Dmitry Pirog, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Marco Antonio Rubio, Andy Lee, Daniel Geale, Matthew Macklin, Martin Murray, Grzegorz Proksa, Gennady Golovkin......there are so many fights to be made, but bulls**t happens.

Martinez-Macklin, Chavez-Rubio, Quillin-Lee, Pirog-Geale, Murray-Proksa/Golovkin.....some of those are happening and the others should.

I didn't even list Felix Sturm, as that guy should be 0-2 against Macklin and Murray, but got gifted once again.

Also, a QUESTION FOR ANYONE.......

How good is that N'Jikam french kid???? He's unbeaten, but wondeirng if anyone's ever seen him fight.

[Spray_resistant]

Originally Posted by 4CornersKid

Sergio Martinez, Peter Quillin, Dmitry Pirog, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Marco Antonio Rubio, Andy Lee, Daniel Geale, Matthew Macklin, Martin Murray, Grzegorz Proksa, Gennady Golovkin......there are so many fights to be made, but bulls**t happens.

Martinez-Macklin, Chavez-Rubio, Quillin-Lee, Pirog-Geale, Murray-Proksa/Golovkin.....some of those are happening and the others should.

I didn't even list Felix Sturm, as that guy should be 0-2 against Macklin and Murray, but got gifted once again.

Also, a QUESTION FOR ANYONE.......

How good is that N'Jikam french kid???? He's unbeaten, but wondeirng if anyone's ever seen him fight.

He is a hit and right type of fighter from what I saw against Lorenzo, he beat Lorenzo more convincingly than did Strum but did so in boring fashion.

[DoktorSleepless]

I find it dissapointing that after being a victim of in-house BS from Arum, DiBella-Martinez seem to want to do the same thing to Pirog.

Out of all of Martinez' fights on American Television, he's only had one in house fight against Cintron. Macklin would be the next one, but Macklin signed with DBE specifically to get the Martinez fight only just recently. Macklin even moved to America to make a name for himself here, while Pirog isn't working all that hard to get the big fights other than having some difficult negotiations. I don't see why Pirog deserves the Martinez fight anymore than Macklin.

Martinez fought his way to the top and took a hard road doing so, but now he's there he seems to be just like a lot of the other top boxers who don't have the best interests of the sport at heart.

If the assumption is that Martinez vs Pirog is best for the sport, then I disagree. What's the point of fighting Pirog when nobody will watch the fight? An event that nobodies sees does nothing for the sport. At this point in his career, Martinez doesn't deserve to be fighting in empty ballrooms because nobody knows the opponent. At least Macklin has the Irish thing going for him in St. Patrick's day which could do reasonably well. Dmitry Pirog is pretty much equivalent to Dzinziruk in name value and that was a disaster. As much as people don't want to hear it, you know what would be best for the sport? Chavez Jr vs Martinez. It's the biggest fight at middleweight and it would attract a ton of attention to the sport.

I would like to see Pirog in a Martinez undercard or just anywhere in on American non-PPV television first. Martinez last two fights weren't setup properly and thus didn't do well. It would be a shame to have Martinez vs Pirog and nobody watches it. But setting himself as an opponent is Pirog's responsibility, not Martinez' responsibility.

Originally Posted by 4CornersKid

How good is that N'Jikam french kid???? He's unbeaten, but wondeirng if anyone's ever seen him fight.

He's okay. I thought the 5′ 4″ midget Khurtsidze beat N'Jikam in his last fight. Dude ran all night.

[ИATAS]

MW is a joke right now. Lots of talent, no fights being made.

that's why I've been saying for the past year or so they need a super six like tournament. I think it can be made for relatively cheap too.

Just keep the two drama queens out martinez & chavez, have the rest fight and a star or two will be born. If martinez is all big headed now and wants money, what perfect way to set up a great MW unification match.

Could be something like this if they wanted to follow the same USA vs Europe that showtime did:

America:
Peter Quillin
Andy Lee
Erislandy Lara

Europe:
Dmitry Pirog
Grzegorz Proksa
Gennady Golovkin