By Rick Reeno
Sampson Lewkowicz, adviser to WBC middleweight Diamond champion Sergio Martinez, fired off a few verbal bombs at top boxing trainer Freddie Roach. Lewkowicz was offended by some of Roach's comments in a recently published interview, where the trainer questioned the worth and the boxing ability of Martinez. Roach wants to match his undefeated super middleweight Peter Quillin against Martinez, but that fight won't happen in the near future, says Lewkowicz.
"How good is the guy, really? Antonio Margarito knocked Martinez out, and that was at 147 pounds. (Kermit) Cintron beat him, also (actually, it was a controversial draw). He’s a great athlete, and Pete is also, but Pete knows boxing, and Martinez’s boxing skills are limited," Roach told The Grand Rapids Press.
If Roach really doesn't respect the boxing ability of Martinez, then Lewkowicz wants the well-known trainer to offer up the best boxer in his stable, WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, who Martinez challenged several times in the past.
"Roach needs to clean his mouth before he metions the name of Martinez. His comments are very insulting because Martinez lost to Margarito in 2000 with no experience and he got robbed by Cintron after knocking him out and the referee reached the count on ten. Before he opens his mouth, he should watch tapes and not embarrass himself. Martinez won three times in the same night....by knockout, by points and by disqualification," Lewkowicz told BoxingScene.com.
"Peter Quillin, who? I've never heard of him. If he doesn't believes that Martinez is anything special, then bring your number one fighter, Manny Pacquiao, and then we could talk. I can see that he wants to cash out his new talent right away but it wont happen. You need to work hard to earn your money."
