By Rick Reeno
WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez has issued a response to an earlier news brief on BoxingScene.com, where WBO junior middleweight champion Sergei Dzinziruk challenged Martinez to a fight at 154-pounds. Dzinziruk questioned whether Martinez was scared to accept the challenge.
“I’m the only light middleweight world champion with the perfect record”, - told Dzinziruk to his Press Service. – “I won 37 professional fights out of 37. I think that all the other champions have to dream of beating me; it’s a matter of honor. But Martinez for some reason avoids me. In his last three bouts he wasn’t scared to face Kermit Cintron, Paul Williams and Kelly Pavlik. Is he afraid of Dzinziruk?"
Although Martinez is the WBC champion at 160, he is also the WBC champion at 154-pounds. He doesn't see any financial value in a fight with Dzinziruk. That being said, if HBO comes up with a good number - Martinez will fight Dzinziruk.
"I'm not afraid of any fighter between 154 and 160-pounds. I am certainly not afraid of anybody that I've never heard of. Sergei who? I hear he's a quality fighter but he's where I was - four HBO fights ago. Nobody knows him and he doesn't bring any money or recognition. Still, if thats what HBO wants, and the money is right, I will fight him," Martinez said to BoxingScene.com.
Martinez's promoter Lou DiBella is not confident that a fight can come off because Dzinziruk reportedly has a high purse minimum.
"If the deal and terms are fair, I will listen, but I'm aware that my friends Gary [Shaw] and Artie [Pellulo] gave Dzinziruk a rich deal and his minimums are extremely high. I don't know if the fight is possible," DiBella said.
