By Edward Chaykovsky
Trainer Freddie Roach respects the WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (51-2-2, 28KOs) as an athlete, but he doesn't believe the Argentine star is a great fighter. Roach is training former three division world champion Miguel Cotto (38-4, 31KOs) for his fight with Martinez on June 7th at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Martinez is a tricky southpaw with speed. The last time Cotto faced as tricky southpaw, with speed, was Manny Pacquiao - and Cotto as battered before the referee waved things off in the twelfth round. For that fight, Roach worked the corner of Pacquiao - but he says the two fights can't be compared because Pacquiao is a real boxer.
“They have speed and both have a southpaw stance but they fight completely differently. Manny is a solid fighter whereas Martinez is primarily a soccer player and a secondary fighter, he’s a great athlete, but he’s not a great fighter,” Roach told the Boxing Channel.
If Cotto wins, Roach would like to have the Puerto Rican star get a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. or face Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
“If we win this fight with Cotto then the Mayweather rematch is a distinct possibility, but then there’s also Canelo Alvarez,” said Roach.
