By Rick Reeno
Sampson Lewkowicz, adviser to WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, informed BoxingScene.com that his fighter is going to moved forward with a planned HBO televised date on March 17th, likely in New York's Madison Square Garden against Matthew Macklin.
Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, who promotes WBA 154-pound champion Miguel Cotto, had mentioned Martinez as a possible opponent for Cotto, but they have conflicting schedules. Arum wants to bring Cotto back in the spring. Lewkowicz told BoxingScene that under no circumstances was Martinez going to postpone his March date for Cotto, but they are willing to entertain that fight in the summer.
At the moment, Lewkowicz and Martinez are waiting for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to make a final ruling on his next defense. Chavez, the WBC's full middleweight champion, was ordered to fight Martinez by the sanctioning body.
"We have a date on March 17. That's the date we have and we are not going to postpone Martinez's career for Cotto. Martinez will move his career forward. We are going to fight on March 17 in Madison Square Garden and then we can talk about Cotto. We are waiting to see what Chavez will do. If Chavez does not want to fight Martinez, then he can hand over the title to the real champion and we will probably defend the title against Macklin. After March 17, we have no problem discussing Cotto and Martinez will go down to 154," Lewkowicz said.
