Sergio Martinez's Trainer: We Won't Go To 168-Pounds

Original article by Rick Reeno:

Pablo Sarmiento, trainer of WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (47-2-2, 26KOs), advised BoxingScene.com that his boxer is not going to pursue fights at 168-pounds. He tells BoxingScene that Martinez is a blown-up welterweight who can still make the junior middleweight limit of 154-pounds with ease.

Martinez would like to drop down to fight WBA champion Miguel Cotto, who fights Antonio Margarito in a fall rematch. Martinez will defend his title against Darren Barker on October 1.

There are some lucrative opportunties at 168, like Lucian Bute, Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward, but Sarmiento says the weight is a little too heavy for his boxer. The two opponents that Martinez wants the most, are still Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

If that fight is available, with Cotto, Sergio has no problem making 154-pounds. There are no problems getting down to that weight. I don't think Sergio is looking at 168, because he's really a fighter at 147. That's really his weight and he's just a blown-up welterweight. 168 would be a little too heavy for him"


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Steffans Opinion:

"I would like the Serg to take on the winner of Cotto v Margarito. Another fight potentially available at 154 lbs could be Saul Alvarez. Not sure on the reality of fighting Manny Pacquiao. Could maybe happen though. Would Floyd really want to take on a Light-middlweight? Lets also not forget Felix Sturm at the Sergs current weight. I doubt Barker will give him much trouble in October so once he gets through that plenty of options"


Regards

Steffan

Good news for his profile and potential earnings if he can still make 154 lb (and for what it's worth, I don't blame him at all for shunning the Super-Middleweight idea). That said, I'm always a little cautious when it comes to fighters dropping back down to a weight they've not campaigned at for a few fights, doesn't tend to work out all that well in general.

But providing that Martinez can buck this trend, it opens up some lucrative doors. Cotto and Alvarez would be decent tests in 2012; can see the Cotto match being made somewhere along the line if he gets past Margarito, though I think Alvarez's team will keep him ticking over with 'testing' rather than truly dangerous fights for a little while yet. He can forget about Pacquiao, though; let's not forget, the PacMan won his Light-Middleweight 'world title' against a 154 lb nobody at a reduced catchweight, and has since relinquished as he is "too small" for the weight. Not a chance in hell that Pacquiao would go anywhere near Martinez.

Neither division is stacked with talent, but a couple from the group of Cotto, Alvarez and Sturm between 154 lb and 160 lb would do fairly well for Martinez between now and retirement, I'd say.

See the Q&A, you hear it from the horses mouth there about who he wants to fight, who he could fight, and who he is unlikely to fight.

He seems to be going for what I see as the high reward low risk fights which are great for his bank balance but don't really add to his legacy.

Think the rematch with Margarito would do him good if he could win it though.

Super D Boon wrote:Think the rematch with Margarito would do him good if he could win it though.

Martinez rematching Marg? Wouldn't do anything for him, the loss Martinez suffered was as a seriously novice like pro.

Anyway, fully expect a not quite as shot Cotto to beat Marg now he's not got his "Popeye spinach" i.e. loaded gloves. Plus the beating he thankfully took at the hands of Manny has probably taken something out of him

Would like to see him face Cotto, Alvarez, Lara, FMJ etc, don't want to see him face Manny and have to take it up the arris from Pacquiao by draining himself down to 139lbs or something silly.

coxy0001 wrote:

Super D Boon wrote:Think the rematch with Margarito would do him good if he could win it though.

Martinez rematching Marg? Wouldn't do anything for him, the loss Martinez suffered was as a seriously novice like pro.

Anyway, fully expect a not quite as shot Cotto to beat Marg now he's not got his "Popeye spinach" i.e. loaded gloves. Plus the beating he thankfully took at the hands of Manny has probably taken something out of him

Would like to see him face Cotto, Alvarez, Lara, FMJ etc, don't want to see him face Manny and have to take it up the arris from Pacquiao by draining himself down to 139lbs or something silly.

Nothing nicer than a boxer beating up a former conqueror. I always think Khan should just deal with Prezza cos no-one can taunt Khan over the 54 second humbling ever again. Always thought Lewis sparking Rahman was one of his higher regarded wins even though everyone knew he was way better than Rahman. Good to rid the demons.

Anyway, suspect Cotto will win so it won't be an issue.

Khan was the heavy favourite in that fight, Margarito was expected to beat the unknown and unheralded Martinez who nobody knew of.

Some 10 years later the tables have been completely turned, Marg has zero left and Martinez is riding a P4P wave of success. Would mean zero for his legacy as Marg would be coming off 2 beatings and a dour points victory over some journeyman.

But as you say, Cotto beats Marg so is all irrelevant. Hopefully he ends his career to boot.

I never understand why Sergio gets a free pass on this.

If he's not a middleweight, then lets stop calling him the #1 middleweight.

John Bloody Wayne wrote:I never understand why Sergio gets a free pass on this.

If he's not a middleweight, then lets stop calling him the #1 middleweight.

?

168 isn't Middleweight.

Not my point. He keeps saying "I can still make 154 I'm basically a blown up welter" but if he is to be seen as the #1 middleweight, he must be seen as a middleweight. A middleweight calling out guys 6lbs lighter and calling them cowards for not taking the fight, but totally ruling out fighting guys 8lbs heavier. I think it's hypocritical.

He isn't asking the guys below to step up. That's the difference. If he refused to say, fight Bute at 160 because he was too big, then it would be analogous.

So why doesn't he fight middleweights? Why should he be seen as the #1 middleweight if he isn't willing to fight any top middleweights. Since becoming champ he's fought Williams (moving up from jr middleweight) and Dzinziruk (moving up from Jr middleweight where he isn't a top contender either) and is scheduled to fight Barker (nobody outside of Britain has any idea who he is.) So why doesn't he start fighting guys his own weight rather than insultng others for not fighting guys bigger. Even he did weigh in at 154/155 there's no way he'd be the same size as any of those guys come fight night. It'd still be a middleweight fighting a Jr middleweight.

He beat the recognised Middleweight champion.

He's been calling Chavez out, Sturm wouldn't fight him and is rematching Macklin anyway. Who else is there? He's looking at 154 because they are names.

Geale, Pirog, Golovkin and Abraham's moving back down. If he wants light middles he should be a light middle, I don't like seeing a guy only calling himself the champ when it suits him. When there's more money on the table? Nah, he's no middleweight, this belt's just a...hobby!

None of those fights are interesting to me. Pirog will be called green, what's he actually done, beat another prospect? Abraham is now not much more than an opponent, Geale is a nobody, Golovkin hasn't faced a world class opponent.

John Bloody Wayne wrote:Not my point. He keeps saying "I can still make 154 I'm basically a blown up welter" but if he is to be seen as the #1 middleweight, he must be seen as a middleweight. A middleweight calling out guys 6lbs lighter and calling them cowards for not taking the fight, but totally ruling out fighting guys 8lbs heavier. I think it's hypocritical.

He beat the #1 middleweight in Pavlik. He beat Williams decisively at 158. He's not asking people to come to his weight. Hell, he met Williams halfway, while putting his MIDDLEWEIGHT title on the line. By your criteria Pacquiao shouldn't be the #1 welterweight, because he's a blown up...what, flyweight? Add to that he's beaten guys at the weight who more often than not didn't start there either.

Martinez is classed as the best at 160 because he's the best fighter currently fighting at that weight. How hard is it?

I'm NOT questioning his right to be the #1 middle, I'm saying to stay there he should have to fight top middleweights rather than fighting smaller guys. I can see you don't agree and that's fair enough.

I just don't like him insulting smaller guys for not fighting him when he won't go against anybody bigger either. He'd still be a weight class above the likes of Cotto come fight time, no matter how he weighed in. Froch tends to get 168 before weigh in and doesn't put much back on, I don't think he'd outweigh Martinez much if at all.

John Bloody Wayne wrote:I'm NOT questioning his right to be the #1 middle, I'm saying to stay there he should have to fight top middleweights rather than fighting smaller guys. I can see you don't agree and that's fair enough.

I just don't like him insulting smaller guys for not fighting him when he won't go against anybody bigger either. He'd still be a weight class above the likes of Cotto come fight time, no matter how he weighed in. Froch tends to get 168 before weigh in and doesn't put much back on, I don't think he'd outweigh Martinez much if at all.

He's gone against bigger guys though. Size-wise Williams had considerable advantages of height and reach. Weight-wise Pavlik was much bigger, as well as being taller. Martinez is a small middleweight. He's not as tall as Margarito. He knows his own limitations by the sound of things, but is still keen to fight the best at weights he's comfortable with. If he can get down to 154, why shouldn't he call those guys out? Why don't you criticise.Williams for boiling down to 147 instead of taking on guys at higher weights?

Hearns is taller then Tyson, but still much much smaller. If Martinez is to to be seen as the middleweight champion then he should be seen as a middleweight, and if wants to be seen as anything less he should just vacate and move to jr middle if he's too small to fight any top ten middles. What's the point of a middleweight champion who doesn't fight middleweights? I think he's having his cake and eating it too (a phrase I've never understood, as that is all you can do with a cake, but you get my point.)

Maybe he should call them out, but he shouldn't call them out, call them cowards then confirm that he won't go near anyone bigger than himself.

He took his title from a Middleweight and his next opponent is one. Hopkins and Hagler fought a lot of people moving up. The division just isn't strong, so he is willing to move down if there are bigger fights to be made there.

Yeah, I can see that. I just think it's hypocritical of him to lambast them for not moving up and then refuse to do so himself.

Hopkins fought guys like an undefeated Trinidad moving up.
Hagler fought Tommy Hearns who looked absolutely beastly right before fighting Hagler along with Leonard at his smartest and a very brave effort from Roberto Duran.
This doesn't compare to a shot Cotto.
Also, Hagler retired when the super middleweight division was in it's infancy, and Hopkins since moved up to light heavyweight.

I think we're just going to go round in circles on this once. Might have to agree to disagree.

Martinez essentially has moved up by fighting at Middleweight. Hes just unwilling to move up any further. Thats his point.

He said, look, Ive moved up to take on Middleweights despite being able to compete lower - why wont anyone else? And if neccessary I will move down again to make these fights happen.

If he did end up moving to 168 and fought the winner of the Super 6 and then called out a Middleweight would he be criticised then for not being willing to move to lightheavy to face Hopkins? You have to draw the line somewhere I feel and Martinez is just looking to get the financially lucrative fights.

Yeah, I get all of this, and I don't mean to be particularly harsh on Martinez. I'm saying the middleweight champ should fight middleweights and should be seen as a middleweight. Not a small middleweight or a big middleweight, as the cream of the division he's a middleweight.

He's moved up from welter to middle. Two divisions.
Cotto's moved from light welter to lght middle. Two divisions.
So why is it cowardly for Cotto not to want to fight a guy another weight higher (I'm still adamant that Martinez would still be in a different weight class come fight night) but fine for Martinez to rule it out?

It's a matter of opinion, and mine is that he's taking a low risk high reward strategy when there are decent fights at middle and great ones at super middle.

He's tried fighting Chavez and Sturm to which they've said no so he's willing to fight the top light middleweights at their own weight, there's no one to really rival him as the top middleweight so it's a perfectly legitimate thing to do. I'd far rather see him fight Cotto, Alavarez or Mayweather than the trash at middleweight currently.

I believe he has said he would fight them, just at a catchweight, not full 168. Which I think is fair seeing as he's also willing to move down to the division below, not make them move up to a catchweight. Martinez only came into the ring at 167 vs Pavlik (178) which tells me he hasn't really grown into a massive middleweight. Margarito got to 165 from a 150 catchweight.

If Martinez is willing to fight Cotto at 154lbs how is that another weight class?

Imperial Ghosty wrote:If Martinez is willing to fight Cotto at 154lbs how is that another weight class?

He means after rehydration, in-ring weights.

John Bloody Wayne wrote:Yeah, I get all of this, and I don't mean to be particularly harsh on Martinez. I'm saying the middleweight champ should fight middleweights and should be seen as a middleweight. Not a small middleweight or a big middleweight, as the cream of the division he's a middleweight.

He's moved up from welter to middle. Two divisions.
Cotto's moved from light welter to lght middle. Two divisions.
So why is it cowardly for Cotto not to want to fight a guy another weight higher (I'm still adamant that Martinez would still be in a different weight class come fight night) but fine for Martinez to rule it out?

It's a matter of opinion, and mine is that he's taking a low risk high reward strategy when there are decent fights at middle and great ones at super middle.

Why should he move up to super middleweight? He's the one having to chase fights at 160. Chavez Jr hasn't beaten anyone decent at any weight, and Alvarez has faced a number of smaller guys. Martinez hasn't said to Pacquiao, Mayweather or Cotto: "come UP to fight me at MY weight. He's said he's happy to move down to 154 if need be.

Your argument that Martinez would be in a different weight class on fight night if he were to fight Cotto at 154 is just plain silly. If Martinez moved up and faced Froch or any other full-bodied SMW the same situation would occur. If Martinez fought Cotto at 154 his ring weight isn't the main point. The key factor would be that he BOILED DOWN to 154.

Scottrf wrote:

Imperial Ghosty wrote:If Martinez is willing to fight Cotto at 154lbs how is that another weight class?

He means after rehydration, in-ring weights.

If he's draining down to 154lbs then I don't imagine Martinez will be weighing 167lbs in ring anway, the differences between Cotto and him are very small if Miguel can't take that then he shouldn't be a world champion at the weight.

Imperial Ghosty wrote:

Scottrf wrote:

Imperial Ghosty wrote:If Martinez is willing to fight Cotto at 154lbs how is that another weight class?

He means after rehydration, in-ring weights.

If he's draining down to 154lbs then I don't imagine Martinez will be weighing 167lbs in ring anway, the differences between Cotto and him are very small if Miguel can't take that then he shouldn't be a world champion at the weight.

Precisely. Doesn't matter where you start, if you can make 154 you can fight there.

He'd be putting himself at more of a disadvantage fighting at 154lbs than getting anyone else to go up to 160lbs.

Having read everybody's points of view I still think Martinez calling Cotto a chcicken for not wanting it is wrong as he obviously doesn't want any part of a top super middleweight. This is dissapointing because on talent he could be troublesome for any of them.

However I can see that what he's offering Cotto isn't that lopsided in his own favour. On the other hand Cotto as no obligation to face any higher weight class fighters, especially as he's being lined up for the big money grudge match with Margarito is he not? No way Arum's losing that big $ opportunity.

Martinez is looking for low risk, high reward fights to end his career, but unfortunately so is Cotto.

They're not calling him out neither would they be willing to fight him at 160lbs which is the big big difference here. Cotto has an obligation to fight the best in his division if Martinez is willing to weigh within the light middleweight then he is the best fighter in that division.

I find Martinez's recent behaviour a bit hypocritical.

He was called out by Pirog but rejected the fight claiming that the Russian needs more exposure and is not a big enough name.

This would be an understandable decision if Martinez then lined up a big and respectable opponent.
Instead he fights Darren Barker, a boxer who brings nothing to the table and is a total non-entity outside the UK.

Martinez keeps telling us that the top guns are unwilling to fight him as they see him as too high a risk, but he himself appears to be looking for opponents that will provide the biggest payday, rather than the biggest challenge.
Its contradictory.

J.Benson II wrote:I find Martinez's recent behaviour a bit hypocritical.

He was called out by Pirog but rejected the fight claiming that the Russian needs more exposure and is not a big enough name.

This would be an understandable decision if Martinez then lined up a big and respectable opponent.
Instead he fights Darren Barker, a boxer who brings nothing to the table and is a total non-entity outside the UK.

Martinez keeps telling us that the top guns are unwilling to fight him as they see him as too high a risk, but he himself appears to be looking for opponents that will provide the biggest payday, rather than the biggest challenge.
Its contradictory.

I havent heard of Pirog calling out Sergio, have you got a link?

Well this is understandable as he is not got many fights left, he wants to make the most of this and try and make the most amount of money possible.But I dont feel that he's going to make much money in the Barker fight as he did in the Williams fight?

Martinez has taken on some tough fights against largely avoided fighters, I think we can grant him a 'gimme' here.

At his current age, nobody can blame him for wanting a big pay day against Floyd, either. I hope he gets it, a) because I think he would beat Floyd, and b) because he deserves far more recognition with the casual fan, and he would get this from fighting Floyd (Martinez has around 3,000 followers on Twitter - hardly a measuring stick, but it highlights his relative low profile when you think the likes of Malignaggi have approx 8,000).

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:

J.Benson II wrote:I find Martinez's recent behaviour a bit hypocritical.

He was called out by Pirog but rejected the fight claiming that the Russian needs more exposure and is not a big enough name.

This would be an understandable decision if Martinez then lined up a big and respectable opponent.
Instead he fights Darren Barker, a boxer who brings nothing to the table and is a total non-entity outside the UK.

Martinez keeps telling us that the top guns are unwilling to fight him as they see him as too high a risk, but he himself appears to be looking for opponents that will provide the biggest payday, rather than the biggest challenge.
Its contradictory.

I havent heard of Pirog calling out Sergio, have you got a link?

Well this is understandable as he is not got many fights left, he wants to make the most of this and try and make the most amount of money possible.But I dont feel that he's going to make much money in the Barker fight as he did in the Williams fight?

Pirog's promoter claims that he's tried to make a fight with Martinez

http://www.boxingplanet.net/boxing-news/item/14233-pirog-promoter-says-dibella-never-wanted-martinez-pirog.html

Martinez and DiBella dismiss Pirog

http://www.boxingscene.com/sergio-martinez-dmitry-pirog-makes-no-sense-right-now--33205

I wonder if he thinks beating Barker will make him the P4P king.

Bit harsh to say low risk high reward, he's called out Floyd every other week and is desperate to fight him, wants Cesar Chavez Jr. But I imagine he wants him mainly because of all the frustration and the fact he seems to really hate him, he wants Cotto because he doesn't like how he conducts his business and says it how it is. Cotto is being a businessman and not taking on any more real legacy rewarding fights. I mean who's he meant to face at 154 and 160? These are realistically the best guys and they're all pretty much ducking him, although I don't think Floyd is interested in moving to 154 again to be fair to him. However if Floyd did move to 154 and beat Martinez that is a HUGE scalp and would bump him up a fair few places in the ATG list.