By Chris Robinson

While the recognized best middleweight in the world, Sergio ‘Maravilla’ Martinez, continued his winning ways this past Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, his recent victory has brought up some criticisms from some boxing insiders. Martinez started off slow against London's Darren Barker before picking up the pace late in the fight on his way to an 11th round TKO.

The Barker fight was preceded by victories over Sergiy Dzinziruk, Paul Williams, and Kelly Pavlik that were outstanding, shocking, and thrilling in their respective ways, making it understandable why some of the hype surrounding Martinez may have lessened. But if you ask the Argentinean’s adviser Sampson Lewkowicz, he will be quick to tell you the boxing media is being completely unfair to his fighter for reasons all too clear.

 

A Uruguay native now residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, an obviously irritated Lewkowicz reached out to me earlier tonight to vent his frustrations. During our talk we discussed the recent flack Martinez has received, why Barker didn’t get the credit he deserved as a legitimate foe, why he feels that Floyd Mayweather, not Manny Pacquiao, may be the man to step up to face Martinez, and much more.

 

Continue reading for all of Lewkowicz’s thoughts…

The boxing media’s recent critiquing of Martinez…

“They don’t know s*** about boxing. Everybody wants to a matchmaker. I said in the press conference that this should be the toughest fight that Martinez [will] have, because of the style. Nobody was given a chance to this Englishman but he put his heart and his life on the line. So I’m very disappointed that nobody gave him a chance when they knew for a fact that he was a very tough fighter. The press doesn’t treat my fighter the same way they treat somebody else, giving glory to somebody else.”

The truth behind Martinez’s performance…

“He had a broken nose, he was hurt, and maybe now, most of the people can think that he was not the same Sergio Martinez of the past. And we challenge the real men to try him again, because his performance showed that he changed, at least three or four times, he changed his style. But you had a well-educated Englishmen and he had an unbelievable defense and he couldn’t break it. He never gave up, and didn’t want to allow a great champion to pull the knockout. But I believe that this performance was proof that he was a real champion and his status should be even better. Because the press thinks he was not a good fighter, an unknown fighter. I want to see what other guys would do with this guy. I don’t know who are the big guys in the middleweight division, but whoever is the big guy in the middleweight division, then let them fight this kind of opponent.”

Why Barker’s vague identity masks the fact that he is a serious contender…

“Exactly right. The same way with Sergiy [Dzinziruk]. Sergiy was, for five years, a champion. Nobody gave him the respect that Martinez showed him. It’s not fair. Like Martinez said, ‘I was unknown when I fought Saul Roman. I was unknown when I fought Paul Willams. I was the underdog with Kelly Pavlik’. And what happened in the end? It’s not fair to say he’s an unknown Englishman.” 

Whether Martinez will be eying the winner of the upcoming Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito rematch…

“I told him not to waste his time. To go for a long vacation and something will come next year. He will have his own vacation and then we will see what we can do. He’s very happy. He believes in loyalty. Lou Dibella has given him the possibility to be with him and he’s very appreciative of Lou Dibella.”

Thoughts on a possible fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley…

“It’s a Bob Arum fight. There is absolutely no danger for the Golden Chicken. Whatever opponent Bob Arum brings to Manny Pacquiao, they would buy the pay-per-view but have no shot at winning.”

Whether Mayweather would ever step up to face Martinez…

“He’s the only man who could do that. And with Ortiz, he showed all the youth of boxing to protect yourself at all times. If it happens it won’t be with Pacquiao. It could be with someone else.”

Ruling out the super middleweight division…

“I will never allow Sergio Martinez to fight anybody at 168. I was with him at the press conference eating cheesecake. And that was before the weigh-in. Eating eggs, orange juice and cheesecake.”

Looking at serious challenges at 154 pounds…

“Absolutely. But he can do even less than that. People don’t understand that Sergio ‘Maravilla’ Martinez is naturally at 154 or a welterweight. He’s not at 168, he’s not a middleweight. He’s there because he has no other choice to be there.”

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Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at Trimond@aol.com