Sports Illustrated named WBC and WBO middleweight champion Sergio Martinez their “Fighter of the Year” Thursday for his dominance in the squared circle in 2010.
Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KOs) successfully defended his crown against former two-time WBO welterweight titlist Paul “The Punisher” Williams with a violent second-round knockout in their rematch last month.
Williams (39-2, 27 KOs), a southpaw who is rightfully billed as the most “avoided fighter in the world,” defeated Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KOs) by a controversial decision in December 2009.
Williams attempted to land a hook and instead walked directly into a devastating Martinez left hook that landed flush on “The Punisher’s” chin.
“I started to attack, and when I did, we knew he was going to make a mistake, because he always makes mistakes,” said Martinez, 35, an Argentinean who also dabbled professionally as a cyclist and soccer player and only began boxing at the late age of 20.
“One of the best knockouts I’ve ever seen in a boxing match,” said Brad Sherwood, 30, a resident of South Boston who is employed at Gold’s Gym in Medford. “Vicious.”
Martinez, who is currently rated by Ring Magazine as the No. 3 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, didn’t make many “mistakes” this year.
In April, the 35-year-old Argentinean thoroughly outclassed Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik en route to a unanimous decision victory to capture his crowns.
Nobody has any clue at this juncture who will be Martinez’s next opponent.
A trilogy between Martinez and Williams to decide the ultimate victor would be alluring to genuine fight fans.
However, Martinez, one of the rare fighters entering his prime this late in his career, may have more enticing options.
Legendary prizefighters Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao and “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather have been dangled as potential future opponents for Martinez.
“If you’re Pacquiao, would you go near him? You think Mayweather will fight him?” Martinez promoter Lou DiBella said. “We’re going to have a problem making the next fight because that’s how good he is.”
DiBella, a graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, continued.
“Against Williams, that was one of the great knockout punches of another great fighter I’ve ever seen. That punch would have knocked anyone out.”
Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs), the first boxer in history to win 10 world titles in eight different weight divisions, would fight anyone, at any time, and there is no question he could trump Martinez.
Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), who has captured nine world titles in five separate weight classes, is enormously talented and there is little question he too could thwart the powerful and aggressive Argentinean.
Nevertheless, Pacquiao’s handlers will likely avoid pitting their fighter against the much-larger Martinez.
Conversely, Mayweather is probably too yellow of a clown pocket to scrap the middleweight king.
If he actually does possess the stones, Mayweather may not be afforded the opportunity to battle Martinez anyhow because he soon could be sharing a “Sin City” prison cell with O.J. Simpson.
“I want to listen to all offers,” Martinez said, "and see what comes my way.”
Sergio Martinez was spectacular in 2010 and one can only presume many things will come his “way” in 2011.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/552718-sergio-martinez-was-the-best-boxer-in-the-world-in-2010
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