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SAMPSON LEWKOWICZ: "MAYWEATHER AND MARTINEZ WILL SELL TWO MILLION...IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN WITH PACQUIAO"
By Mike Juhas | October 11, 2011
MJ: I'd like to get your thoughts on Sergio Martinez's performance in his last fight.
SL: To me, it was an excellent performance. It showed that he can change the game plan and that, like I said in the press conference, there are no small enemies in boxing. He was a very well-educated Englishman with a well-educated defense. He started to open up his defense after ten rounds. I've said to the press before, all the press wants to be a matchmaker. Their job is not to choose and say it's an easy fight; there's no easy fight in boxing.
MJ: We all saw that with Buster Douglas many years ago.
SL: Nobody gives Martinez the credit that he deserves. He fought with a broken nose from the fourth round, and many champions would not perform like he performed after having a broken nose.
MJ: Was that his first broken nose?
SL: The first time in his career.
MJ: How would you respond to people who have been bashing Sergio's style for having his hands down too much? Some people are commenting about him having a lack of defense and being too easy to hit.
SL: Most of them don't know about boxing (Roger??). I never put attention on the comments. Maybe you should tell that to Chavez or to Cotto, and maybe you can convince them that it's true.
MJ: I love that response, Sampson! I agree with you. I still think Martinez is top three pound-for-pound in the world.
SL: He did an excellent job, and not too many boxers or champions in that situation would conduct themselves so professionally to the last round, the 11th round. They would get nervous or look for a way out. He responds like a great champion. To me, he's the best pound for pound. I want to see Cotto or any one of the big guys fight this kind of fighter [Darren Barker] and see where he is.
MJ: Martinez doesn't have his next fight booked. Mayweather doesn't have his next fight booked. Are we going to see you reach out to Al Haymon or Leonard Ellerbe and try to make a Mayweather fight?
SL: I believe that you cannot reach Mayweather. Mayweather will reach you when the time is right. Mayweather and Martinez will sell two million plus on pay-per-view. That is a fact, because you have the angel and the devil. To put the devil and the angel in one show, it would make history. That mix will sell two million plus; it would make history. I believe it will sell out any stadium in less than three minutes. Mayweather is a very smart businessman, and he will never make the money that he will make with Martinez with Pacquiao. This is the reason that, economically, it will never happen with Pacquiao. He has a great team behind him. Nobody thought he would sell 1.3 million buys versus Ortiz, but he did it. What do you think it would be against Martinez, where he has a chance to have a tough fight or lose the fight? It will sell 2 million plus and make history, and Mayweather is made to make history.
MJ: Do you think Mayweather is going to fight someone outside of Golden Boy?
SL: Mayweather is his own man.
MJ: My concern is that in recent history, it seems like Pacquiao is only fighting Top Rank fighters and Mayweather is sticking to fighting Golden Boy fighters.
SL: Yeah, but Mayweather is very particular. He will do whatever his team decides. If he decides to fight Martinez, I would imagine Golden Boy would be involved on his side of the promotion.
MJ: I've heard that Sergio would come down to 150 for the fight. Is that the case?
SL: This is what he said for Pacquiao. I would imagine for Mayweather, he'd be in that area. I would say between 150 and 152.
MJ: I just don't see Pacquiao fighting anyone outside of a Top Rank fighter any time soon.
SL: I don't see that Bob Arum will give up any part of his golden goose.
MJ: If Mayweather is not going to fight Pacquiao, the next best fight that can be made is versus Martinez.
SL: Put it this way, Mayweather will never fight Pacquiao. I know it's a fact because Mayweather is a businessman as well as a great champion. Business-wise, the Pacquiao fight would not give him the amount of money he deserves.
MJ: What did you think of how the Mayweather vs. Ortiz fight ended?
SL: I believe that Mayweather showed to all the youth in boxing that you need to protect yourself at all times, especially after you do a malicious headbutt. It was with all the intention to hurt the other fighter; he's a coward to do that. He paid the price. You don't do this in boxing; it's the sweet science. It's not to bite the ear or to headbutt and try to hurt the opponent. I'm very disappointed in Ortiz. Maybe he was very emotional, but at the end of the day, Mayweather was right. You can love Mayweather or you can hate Mayweather, but at the end of the day, he sells tickets and he sells tickets outside of Top Rank. For Bob Arum to say that Martinez is not a ticket seller or a pay-per-view attraction, I will prove to Bob Arum that Martinez can sell pay-per-view with the right challenge. If Mayweather can sell 1.3 million, Martinez will sell the other 700 thousand. You know, very soon will be the birthday of Bob Arum, and Martinez and myself will decide to clone Martinez and give it to him.
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By Mike Juhas | October 11, 2011
MJ: I'd like to get your thoughts on Sergio Martinez's performance in his last fight.
SL: To me, it was an excellent performance. It showed that he can change the game plan and that, like I said in the press conference, there are no small enemies in boxing. He was a very well-educated Englishman with a well-educated defense. He started to open up his defense after ten rounds. I've said to the press before, all the press wants to be a matchmaker. Their job is not to choose and say it's an easy fight; there's no easy fight in boxing.
MJ: We all saw that with Buster Douglas many years ago.
SL: Nobody gives Martinez the credit that he deserves. He fought with a broken nose from the fourth round, and many champions would not perform like he performed after having a broken nose.
MJ: Was that his first broken nose?
SL: The first time in his career.
MJ: How would you respond to people who have been bashing Sergio's style for having his hands down too much? Some people are commenting about him having a lack of defense and being too easy to hit.
SL: Most of them don't know about boxing (Roger??). I never put attention on the comments. Maybe you should tell that to Chavez or to Cotto, and maybe you can convince them that it's true.
MJ: I love that response, Sampson! I agree with you. I still think Martinez is top three pound-for-pound in the world.
SL: He did an excellent job, and not too many boxers or champions in that situation would conduct themselves so professionally to the last round, the 11th round. They would get nervous or look for a way out. He responds like a great champion. To me, he's the best pound for pound. I want to see Cotto or any one of the big guys fight this kind of fighter [Darren Barker] and see where he is.
MJ: Martinez doesn't have his next fight booked. Mayweather doesn't have his next fight booked. Are we going to see you reach out to Al Haymon or Leonard Ellerbe and try to make a Mayweather fight?
SL: I believe that you cannot reach Mayweather. Mayweather will reach you when the time is right. Mayweather and Martinez will sell two million plus on pay-per-view. That is a fact, because you have the angel and the devil. To put the devil and the angel in one show, it would make history. That mix will sell two million plus; it would make history. I believe it will sell out any stadium in less than three minutes. Mayweather is a very smart businessman, and he will never make the money that he will make with Martinez with Pacquiao. This is the reason that, economically, it will never happen with Pacquiao. He has a great team behind him. Nobody thought he would sell 1.3 million buys versus Ortiz, but he did it. What do you think it would be against Martinez, where he has a chance to have a tough fight or lose the fight? It will sell 2 million plus and make history, and Mayweather is made to make history.
MJ: Do you think Mayweather is going to fight someone outside of Golden Boy?
SL: Mayweather is his own man.
MJ: My concern is that in recent history, it seems like Pacquiao is only fighting Top Rank fighters and Mayweather is sticking to fighting Golden Boy fighters.
SL: Yeah, but Mayweather is very particular. He will do whatever his team decides. If he decides to fight Martinez, I would imagine Golden Boy would be involved on his side of the promotion.
MJ: I've heard that Sergio would come down to 150 for the fight. Is that the case?
SL: This is what he said for Pacquiao. I would imagine for Mayweather, he'd be in that area. I would say between 150 and 152.
MJ: I just don't see Pacquiao fighting anyone outside of a Top Rank fighter any time soon.
SL: I don't see that Bob Arum will give up any part of his golden goose.
MJ: If Mayweather is not going to fight Pacquiao, the next best fight that can be made is versus Martinez.
SL: Put it this way, Mayweather will never fight Pacquiao. I know it's a fact because Mayweather is a businessman as well as a great champion. Business-wise, the Pacquiao fight would not give him the amount of money he deserves.
MJ: What did you think of how the Mayweather vs. Ortiz fight ended?
SL: I believe that Mayweather showed to all the youth in boxing that you need to protect yourself at all times, especially after you do a malicious headbutt. It was with all the intention to hurt the other fighter; he's a coward to do that. He paid the price. You don't do this in boxing; it's the sweet science. It's not to bite the ear or to headbutt and try to hurt the opponent. I'm very disappointed in Ortiz. Maybe he was very emotional, but at the end of the day, Mayweather was right. You can love Mayweather or you can hate Mayweather, but at the end of the day, he sells tickets and he sells tickets outside of Top Rank. For Bob Arum to say that Martinez is not a ticket seller or a pay-per-view attraction, I will prove to Bob Arum that Martinez can sell pay-per-view with the right challenge. If Mayweather can sell 1.3 million, Martinez will sell the other 700 thousand. You know, very soon will be the birthday of Bob Arum, and Martinez and myself will decide to clone Martinez and give it to him.
Read the rest at...
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