http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/m...nside_the_ring_but_struggling_for_moment.html Article by Tim Smith.. If there is such a thing as a witness protection program in boxing, Sergio Martinez's career is in it. After a meteoric rise to the top of the middleweight division in 2010, in which he beat up Kelly Pavlik to win a decision and KO'ed Paul Williams, Martinez was red-hot. He quickly moved up the Pound-for-Pound list and is considered one of the best boxers in the sport. But Martinez hasn't been able to cash in on his notoriety or his boundless talents. He is caught in a no-man's land. For the second time this year, Martinez will climb into the ring against a lightly regarded, little known, but undefeated opponent when he meets Darren Barker of London in a 12-round middleweight match at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on HBO on Saturday night. Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KOs) is coming off an 8th round TKO victory over Serhiy Dzinziruk on March 12. Dzinziruk and Barker (23-0, 14 KOs) aren't household names, but that is who Martinez must fight if he wants to continue his career. "Bob Arum (of Top Rank Promotions) isn't putting his guys in with anybody else and the middleweight division is weak right now," Lou DiBella, Martinez' promoter, said of the boxer's plight. Two of Arum's high-profile clients who would have been available to fight Martinez Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito are fighting each other in a grudge rematch for Cotto's WBA super welterweight title at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 3. Once a thriving division with such noted boxers as Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Winky Wright, and even Oscar De La Hoya for a while, it is now devoid of noteworthy talent. Martinez stripped it bare by beating Williams and Pavlik in such a convincing manner. The biggest name is Felix Sturm, whose claim to fame is that he was beaten by De La Hoya, but has since rebounded to hold a middleweight title. Now if Martinez, 36, wants big event matches he either has to wait for boxers like Andy Lee (who meets Brian Vera on the undercard) or Matthew Macklin to establish themselves or he has to drop down in weight to fight Floyd Mayweather, Jr. or Manny Pacquiao. "Sergio has said he's willing to drop down to 150 pounds to fight, which is killing himself, to fight either of them," DiBella said. "I don't think Pacquiao would be willing to fight Sergio, but I think Floyd would do it. If Mayweather-Pacquiao isn't going to happen, one of them ought to step up and fight Sergio. Why not?" Considering all the sliding up and down the scales that both Mayweather and Pacquiao do to make matches it makes sense. Mayweather fought De La Hoya at 154 pounds and Pacquiao fought Margarito at 150 pounds. But De La Hoya and Margarito aren't anywhere close to the boxer and puncher that Martinez is. Meanwhile the biggest chore for Martinez is to keep himself sharp in fights against opponents who don't move the excitement meter for the fans. That will be reflected in the attendance at Boardwalk Hall this weekend. DiBella has been taking heat from some boxing insiders for discounting tickets to the show at the Boardwalk Hall on Saturday night. He is offering discounts to first responders and servicemen. "We're still making about $500,000 on the gate, but I just want to fill the place up as much as I can," DiBella said of the arena which has been configured for 5,500. "I'm stuck in a bad spot. It's the Jewish holiday and the Yankees and the Phillies are both in the playoffs. I think we can still get a good crowd." That will be the least of his problems if Martinez can land a fight against a big name opponent like Mayweather or Pacquiao. This content is protected This content is protected
