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Former middleweight champion Sergio Martinez will return to the ring in early October, said promoter Lou DiBella, Martinez's promoter.
The Oxnard fighter has been penciled to fight the winner of the Sebastian Zbik-Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. world title bout, which will take place on June 4 at the Staples Center.
DiBella is looking at three different venues to host the fight, depending on the fighter who wins the bout or against contender Marco Antonio Rubio. Last month, Rubio stopped David Lemieux in Montreal in a title eliminator bout.
Sampson Lewkowicz, an advisor to Martinez, confirmed that the bout will take place in Connecticut should Zbik come out victorious next month.
"Zbik has verbally accepted an offer to fight Martinez should he beat Chavez. If Chavez wins, then the World Boxing Council will dictate who he will fight."
The venue in Connecticut is more than likely the 4,000-seat MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Mashantucket. It was the site of Martinez's last fight in March, when he stopped 154-pound world title holder Sergey Dzinziruk in the eighth round.
Other cities that DiBella is looking at are Atlantic City andLos Angeles.
Should Chavez win, a Julio Cesar Chavez-Sergio Martinez bout would be very attractive to fight fans. However, DiBella is not holding his breath for the bout to be made.
"Chavez would never fight Sergio," said DiBella.
"It would be a big attraction, but the dosage of the reality is that Julio is not on the same level as Sergio. There would be no shame on Julio if he were to lose to Sergio. If he wins on June 4, I think he would avoid fighting Sergio so he could hold onto the title."
If a bout cannot be made against Chavez, then DiBella would enter into negotiations with Rubio. DiBella said that a bout against Rubio will take place in the Los Angeles area.
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