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By Socrates Palmer Jr
Martinez trainer: Sergio is the only true test of Floyd's greatness
In the Charles ****ens novel Great Expectations, there is a scene in which an old woman manages to set herself on fire when her dress comes too close to a fireplace. Well much like this hag in the book, the highly anticipated super fight between Floyd “Money” Mayweather and “Sugar” Shane Mosley went up in flames rather quickly. Mosley, similar to Miss. Havisham, seemed much older than his driver’s license says on that night. Then again 38 in boxing is ancient and also he was not done any favors by his partners and promoter Golden Boy kept who kept their man inactive for nearly a year and a half. Mosley seemed like a burnt out pug that’d seen his better days despite the betrayal of our eyes that told us that he was in his usual immaculate condition. Mosley was gassed after the 3rd round and his skills deteriorated round after round. So after a dud of a fight it begs me to ask the question Is “Money May” too great for his own good? Is he capable of ever being part of a great fight? Or at least be part of a crowd pleasing bout?
Outside of the inevitable showdown with the other arguable pound for pound head honcho Manny Pacquiao. Is there another fighter who can put Mayweather’s 41-0 record in jeopardy? I say yes there is such a fighter and I feel its Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez . Granted Martinez does not yet hold the same mainstream recognition as the disputed pound for pound king, but nevertheless needs not take a step backwards in terms of accomplishments or skills. Martinez ’s emergence as the best middleweight and junior middleweight in the world should be good enough to be mentioned as a future rival for Mayweather. Gabriel Salmiento, Martinez ’s trainer feels the same way.
“I was a little bit shocked when people first started talking about It, as far I’m concerned our next bout was a rematch with Pavlik, but they want it at a higher weight and that’s a no go. A fight with Mayweather is a great fight and a great opportunity, but I don’t know if he’d (Mayweather) take it,” Gabriel Salmiento.
Prior to Martinez ’s dethroning of Kelly Pavlik, to become the new monarch of the middleweights and thus capturing the WBC and linear 160 pound title, he also ruled the 154 pound division. Martinez fought Kermit Cintron and was robbed of a knockout victory after an unconceivable error from referee Frank Santore ruling a clean punch a head butt. In his next outing he faced Paul Williams and was on the short end of a debatable unanimous decision loss. No fighter in recent memory has ever been matched as difficult, performed as brilliantly and then also shafted so blatantly in successive bouts.
“The fight against Cintron everyone knows who won a blind person couldn’t have scored that a draw and after the Paul Williams fight during the press conference and when we walked around Atlantic City that evening in the casino everyone came up to us saying we won. I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before we caught a break and God smiled on us during the Pavlik fight. We dug that win out and left no doubt after the final bell who was the better man,” Salmiento.
Now with Martinez clear cut win over Pavlik and the refusal of another middleweight rematch seemingly gone by the way side, what’s next for the 35 year old?
“To beat Mayweather you have to do a few things that Sergio happens to do well, that’s have conditioning, you have to be fast and of course throw punches. Mosley threw no punches in the fight. I know Mayweather looked brilliant but lets face it there were rounds that were boring and it was more about what Mosley did not do than what Mayweather did. He was tired after he hit Mayweather clean after the 2nd round. I don’t know what happened, it looked like he was just there to say he went the distance or just happy to fight for the money, I don’t know,” Salmiento.
“Sergio everyday gets better in the gym, there is no way Mayweather beats Sergio. Sergio presents a lot of difficulties for Mayweather, he’s left handed, throws fast and sharp punches and he also throws a lot of punches. Sergio fights for glory not for money he will never get in the ring with a hungrier or more dedicated fighter than Sergio,” Salmiento.
Salmiento says that despite Mayweather having to challenge himself by fighting 7 pounds heavier than he’s accustomed to his fighter is a small middleweight. Martinez stands 5’9 while Mayweather is 5’8 so it will not be a physical mismatch as some may think it could be. Salmiento says that Martinez would have no trouble at all making it back down to 154 pounds in order to make this mega fight. Also when asked about calling out the other pound for pound star Manny Pacquaio, he says he wont waste his breath, because that fight would never happen. He does feel however that the Super fight between Pacquaio and Mayweather fight will get done because there is too much money at stake for the two men not to come to an agreement.
“Floyd is good and has great defense but he looks even better when guys stop fighting back. You have to leave it all in the ring in order to beat a guy like Mayweather you have to want to take risk. Sergio is always in excellent condition and he’s a good counter puncher. We would have a solid strategy that would beat Mayweather,” Salmiento.
Great fights keep people buzzing, it’s the only sport that you can give out a crappy product, dust it off and then repackage it and get people all hyped up about the next big fight. I have a feeling that if this fight is ever made, it will not disappoint. I would like to conclude this piece with a few lines that may crack a smile on the face of Floyd Mayweather Sr. “If Floyd is looking to lose his 0, he should fight Sergio.”
Boxing talk
Martinez trainer: Sergio is the only true test of Floyd's greatness
In the Charles ****ens novel Great Expectations, there is a scene in which an old woman manages to set herself on fire when her dress comes too close to a fireplace. Well much like this hag in the book, the highly anticipated super fight between Floyd “Money” Mayweather and “Sugar” Shane Mosley went up in flames rather quickly. Mosley, similar to Miss. Havisham, seemed much older than his driver’s license says on that night. Then again 38 in boxing is ancient and also he was not done any favors by his partners and promoter Golden Boy kept who kept their man inactive for nearly a year and a half. Mosley seemed like a burnt out pug that’d seen his better days despite the betrayal of our eyes that told us that he was in his usual immaculate condition. Mosley was gassed after the 3rd round and his skills deteriorated round after round. So after a dud of a fight it begs me to ask the question Is “Money May” too great for his own good? Is he capable of ever being part of a great fight? Or at least be part of a crowd pleasing bout?
Outside of the inevitable showdown with the other arguable pound for pound head honcho Manny Pacquiao. Is there another fighter who can put Mayweather’s 41-0 record in jeopardy? I say yes there is such a fighter and I feel its Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez . Granted Martinez does not yet hold the same mainstream recognition as the disputed pound for pound king, but nevertheless needs not take a step backwards in terms of accomplishments or skills. Martinez ’s emergence as the best middleweight and junior middleweight in the world should be good enough to be mentioned as a future rival for Mayweather. Gabriel Salmiento, Martinez ’s trainer feels the same way.
“I was a little bit shocked when people first started talking about It, as far I’m concerned our next bout was a rematch with Pavlik, but they want it at a higher weight and that’s a no go. A fight with Mayweather is a great fight and a great opportunity, but I don’t know if he’d (Mayweather) take it,” Gabriel Salmiento.
Prior to Martinez ’s dethroning of Kelly Pavlik, to become the new monarch of the middleweights and thus capturing the WBC and linear 160 pound title, he also ruled the 154 pound division. Martinez fought Kermit Cintron and was robbed of a knockout victory after an unconceivable error from referee Frank Santore ruling a clean punch a head butt. In his next outing he faced Paul Williams and was on the short end of a debatable unanimous decision loss. No fighter in recent memory has ever been matched as difficult, performed as brilliantly and then also shafted so blatantly in successive bouts.
“The fight against Cintron everyone knows who won a blind person couldn’t have scored that a draw and after the Paul Williams fight during the press conference and when we walked around Atlantic City that evening in the casino everyone came up to us saying we won. I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before we caught a break and God smiled on us during the Pavlik fight. We dug that win out and left no doubt after the final bell who was the better man,” Salmiento.
Now with Martinez clear cut win over Pavlik and the refusal of another middleweight rematch seemingly gone by the way side, what’s next for the 35 year old?
“To beat Mayweather you have to do a few things that Sergio happens to do well, that’s have conditioning, you have to be fast and of course throw punches. Mosley threw no punches in the fight. I know Mayweather looked brilliant but lets face it there were rounds that were boring and it was more about what Mosley did not do than what Mayweather did. He was tired after he hit Mayweather clean after the 2nd round. I don’t know what happened, it looked like he was just there to say he went the distance or just happy to fight for the money, I don’t know,” Salmiento.
“Sergio everyday gets better in the gym, there is no way Mayweather beats Sergio. Sergio presents a lot of difficulties for Mayweather, he’s left handed, throws fast and sharp punches and he also throws a lot of punches. Sergio fights for glory not for money he will never get in the ring with a hungrier or more dedicated fighter than Sergio,” Salmiento.
Salmiento says that despite Mayweather having to challenge himself by fighting 7 pounds heavier than he’s accustomed to his fighter is a small middleweight. Martinez stands 5’9 while Mayweather is 5’8 so it will not be a physical mismatch as some may think it could be. Salmiento says that Martinez would have no trouble at all making it back down to 154 pounds in order to make this mega fight. Also when asked about calling out the other pound for pound star Manny Pacquaio, he says he wont waste his breath, because that fight would never happen. He does feel however that the Super fight between Pacquaio and Mayweather fight will get done because there is too much money at stake for the two men not to come to an agreement.
“Floyd is good and has great defense but he looks even better when guys stop fighting back. You have to leave it all in the ring in order to beat a guy like Mayweather you have to want to take risk. Sergio is always in excellent condition and he’s a good counter puncher. We would have a solid strategy that would beat Mayweather,” Salmiento.
Great fights keep people buzzing, it’s the only sport that you can give out a crappy product, dust it off and then repackage it and get people all hyped up about the next big fight. I have a feeling that if this fight is ever made, it will not disappoint. I would like to conclude this piece with a few lines that may crack a smile on the face of Floyd Mayweather Sr. “If Floyd is looking to lose his 0, he should fight Sergio.”
Boxing talk
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