By Ryan Burton

 

Universally recognized middleweight champion Sergio Martinez appeared on the most recent edition of BoxingScene.com's official audio show, The Boxing Lab.  The full interview can be found here, http://tobtr.com/s/2997117.  Martinez spoke to us on a variety of topics including a potential September showdown against WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Jr.  Martinez has been chasing a fight with Chavez for over a year now and it appears that the fight may finally come to fruition.

 

It has been reported that Martinez's team has wanted random Olympic style drug testing for both fighters leading up to the fight. Chavez routinely balloons up 20 pounds or more between weighing in and fight night. Martinez didn't really want to comment too much on that subject as he is afraid that too many demands potentially may kill the fight.  Chavez has been reported to have said that he will do whatever the Nevada Athletic Commission dictates and that Martinez doesn't have the authority to demand anything outside of what the commission requires.

 

"Chavez is afraid to get in the ring with me without the random drug tests.  He will be even more scared to get in the ring with me if he has take random Olympic style testing. I hope we have the tests but I really can't comment on that now," Martinez told The Boxing Lab.

 

The Texas commission failed to drug test Chavez after his February unanimous decision victory over Marco Antonio Rubio.  Chavez rehydrated 21 pounds between the time of the weigh in and when he stepped in the ring.   He also has had problems getting down to the 160 pound weight limit in a number of his fights.  Martinez said that he can only hope that Chavez is a clean fighter should they meet in the ring on September 15th.

 

"The truth is he has had those problems before with other fighters like Duddy and Rubio.  I just hope he fights clean with me," Martinez said.

 

The Oxnard, CA based Martinez knocked out Mathew Macklin on March 17th in his most recent fight which took place at the Madison Square Garden in New York.  The Argentine was down on the scorecards for a good portion of the fight but came back to pulverize and finish off his opponent as the bell sounded to end the 11th round.  While he received some criticism for struggling throughout part of the fight, Martinez said that it was one of his better performances.  He also said that he doesn't really listen to the criticism and that when you fight on a world class level that all opponents are dangerous.

"It didn't really bother me. I don't pay attention to that stuff. I never felt in trouble. I feel it was one of my best two or three fights of my career. I left the ring with my face and body intact. It was a championship fight. All championship fights are against good opponents," Martinez concluded.

Send questions or comments to ringsidewriter@gmail.com Follow Ryan on Twitter @ringsidewriter and tune in to The Boxing Lab, Boxingscene's official audio on Tuesdays. The show is hosted by Ernie Gabion, Luis Sandoval and Ryan Burton.