By Luis Sandoval

A potential fight between current WBC Middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Sergio Martinez has not been able to be arranged even though Martinez is next in line to challenge for the title. The WBC is allowing Chavez to make an optional defense in June and will need to negotiate and finalize a deal to fight Martinez for a fight in September.

Chavez’s trainer Freddie Roach was on the latest edition of BoxingScene’s official audio show The Boxing Lab and discussed a possible fight with Sergio Martinez. Roach would like the fight to happen and feels Chavez would come out victorious.

“I would love to see him fight the Argentinean soon. I think [Sergio Martinez] was exposed in his last fight with Macklin. He did was he was supposed to do at the end but I don’t think he looked good up to that point. Hopefully the fight will happen soon” said Roach.

“Martinez is getting a little bigger audience each time he fights. He’s a very good athlete. I don’t think he’s a great, great boxer but he’s a very good athlete. He has power and has a quick left hand but I think Chavez would be too strong for him”.

Another fight Roach would be interested in would be a showdown with Mexican sensation Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. The fight has been discussed before and it’s one the boxing audience would love to see but up until now, no real progress has been made.

While the Martinez fight is a fight Roach would like to see Chavez in, he knows a Canelo fight would be bigger.

“You know, [Chavez vs. Martinez is] a good fight but it’s not as big as the Canelo fight ofcourse. Canelo and Chavez is the second biggest fight in the world today numbers wise” expressed Roach. “Canelo is also on our list. If we get Golden Boy and Top Rank to work together it would be really good for the sport” said Roach.

You can listen to Freddie Roach’s interview on The Boxing Lab podcast: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/boxinglab/2012/03/28/the-boxing-lab-boxingscenes-official-audio-show

You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @Truewest007. You can also tune in to The Boxing Lab, Boxingscene’s official audio show every Tuesday from 6-8PM PST with hosts Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval, and Ryan Burton.