Sergio Martinez hypocritical in latest trashing of Manny Pacquiao.......

"While he continues to fight with opponents who have no chance of winning, and I continue to fight against the best, one day I will [become the best pound for pound fighter],"


Is Pac fighting opponents who have no chance of winning? Yes.

Is Martinez fighting the best available? Yes.



Gonzalez can talk about Manfredo but it's pure speculation at this stage.

 

Martinez has faced a near murderer’s row at 154 and 160 in the last few years. In a row: Cintron, Williams, Pavlik, Williams, and Dzinziruk. All top ten in their divisions, all serious challenges and, in my opinion, all fights he won.

Him opting to face Manfredo is a bit crap, but it’s not like it’s getting as standard as Pacquiao’s is. Pac hasn’t faced a risky opponent since De La Hoya and hasn’t had a genuinely tough fight since Marquez in 2008 or something.

So I’d say Martinez, at 36 and consistently meeting top opposition, has good grounds to say Manny’s been lacklustre. But still, it’s better than Mayweather’s appalling run in the last few years.

 

Pacquiao’s recent run of opposition – Clottey and Margarito – hasn’t been as good as Martinez’, but that’s because he’s running out of people to face (other than JMM).

 

To be fair, wasn't Clottey a late-ish replacement when Mayweather went into hiding?

Not sure how much Clottey got for that fight but I hope it wasn't much.

 

Yeah and now the same seems to be happening with Martinez. The only people at middleweight I'd like to see him face are sturm or pirog and I wouldn't mind a margorito fight to avenge a loss. Aside from that, I don't see anyone who could give him a legitimate challenge. He could possibly have to move up again, now that would lead to some great fights

 

He'd be too small at SMW. There are some decent fights in a year or so: Kirkland, Angulo, etc.

But if we really want the best fighting the best, why not have Martinez and Pac for the lineal MW title. Make it at 157 and let's see how Pac's weight-jumping works when he's a significantly smaller man.

 

True. I too would like him to face Pirog and Margarito, which like you suggest, aren't actually any better than who Pac's fought recently. Martinez and his fans seem to forget that what they're accusing Pac of now, they too are on the verge of resorting to the same thing.

 

I think Pacquiao has already said he is not willing to go above weltwerweight again and I'm pretty happy about that. Skill wise martinez-pacquiao would be great to watch but the size difference holds absolutely no appeal for me. Mayweather for Martinez at middlweight would be my ideal fight

 

Okay, so neither were at teir best when they faced them, but for a man known primarily as a Featherweight to war it up against Margo and Cotto, winning near shut outs, is hardly 'easy'.

Pacs style is so formidable no one can test him. For Martinez, a man who has done literally **** all his entire career up until the last 18 months to be gettig plaudits over him? **** that.

Marquez is still above Sergio IMO. Only Marquez has any claim to P4P no.1 over Manny, and as impressive as Martinez has been, Pavlik and Cibtron are not superior to Cotto and Marg IMO. Neither as fighters, nor were they in 'a better place' when Martinez beat him.

I will add, not as impressively as Pac dealt with his opponent IMO.

Martinez lost to P-Dub the first time IMO. Close fight, not a rbbery so he gets IMMENSE kudos for the performance. Rematch was my personal KO of last year, brilliant stuff.

Eeryone will accuse me of trashing Martinez: not the case. But I think people are a little short-sighted; Pac is not a massive guy and his fights (with Toni in particular) have favoured him stylistically (who out there doesn't) it's other factors in those wins that don't allow Sergio to **** on him.

A man who needs a 'second wind' in seemingly every fight he has ;-) :good

 

anyone notice all the pac fans suddenly hate sergio now.for example look at this godawful article
HARD-SELLING SERGIO MARTINEZ

Hard-selling is the term used in the marketing world when salesmen and promotions agents try very hard to package and sell an ordinary product to the point of turning off prospective buyers.

Suggestions that Argentinian world light middleweight "Diamond Belt" champion Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez (47 wins (26 KOs) 2 losses, 1 by KO) has bested Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as the Best Boxer Pound For Pound would be the perfect example of "hard-selling."

But this brazen act of peddling the story that Martinez, 36 years old and 5' 10", deserves to be No. 1 Pound For Pound, and not Pacquiao, simply because he knocked out Paul Williams (the boxer, not the singer) and recently Serhiy Dzinziruk (Dzinziruk who?) is no longer just viewed by many as a simple marketing strategy.

It borders on blasphemy and an insult to the intelligence of boxing fans the world over. :nut

It also belittles the achievements of Pacquiao, to include the inactive Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and could actually scratch the racial sensibilities of the colored people.

Martinez is good, there is no debate about that. But is he as good as Manny Pacquiao? Do his achievements in the ring support the idea that he should be the Pound For Pound King and not the eight division boxing champion from Asia, specifically The Philippines?

What is the quality of Martinez's opponents over the last 14 years compared to the boxers that Pacquiao and even Mayweather faced inside the ring over that same period?

Simply put, what are the criteria in the selection of the Best Boxer Pound For Pound? Is it the achievement inside the ring or the color of the skin?

Let us put things in their proper perspective and discuss this controversy over who should own the mythical P4P Crown.

First, let us talk about achievements in the ring.

Manny Pacquiao, now 32, (52 wins, 38 KOs; 3 losses, 2 by KO) won his first world title in a foreign land knocking out in the 8th round Thailand's Chatchai Sasakul 12 years ago and has succeeded in annexing eight (seven according to some) more titles in different weight categories.

There is no other boxer in the history of this brutal and bloody sport who could come close to that feat.

And Sergio Martinez? He did not win a legitimate world title until April 17, 2010 outpointing Kelly Pavlik for the World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Council Middleweight title.

He defended this only once, knocking out previous conqueror Paul Williams by knockout in November last year.

Last week, he fought for the vacant WBC Diamond Middleweight title with an 8th round demolition of Serhiy Dzinziruk. Of course, everybody understands that the Diamond title is not the "regular" championship but one of the many junior belts offered to fighters who have no other boxing crowns to vie for. :nut

Second, let us discuss the quality of the opponents.

Since winning his first regional title, the Orient Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight title 14 years ago, Manny Pacquiao has not fought an opponent with ridiculous boxing records, much less fighters with more than 10 losses in their fight resume`.

He made an electrifying entrance into the American boxing scene as a last minute substitute for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight championship against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba who had a record of 33 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw before the fight.

Pacquiao knocked out Ledwaba in the 6th and rolled over quality opposition including Marco Antonio Barrera before suffering a decision defeat from the hands of Erik Morales. He avenged that loss though when he knocked out Morales twice in their succeeding bouts.

The list of Pacquiao's victims over the last 14 years looks like the directory of Who's Who in boxing - Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez (which is of course disputed by Marquez himself), David Diaz, Oscar dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and now Shane Mosley.

Of course, some of these fighters were already past their prime when they met Pacquiao in the ring but nobody could question their quality as opponents inside the ring.

Compare that to the opponents that Martinez faced during the last 14 years.

The only names of note that he fought were Kermit Cintron (draw), Paul Williams (losing by decision in the first and winning by knockout in the second fight), Kelly Pavlik (decision) and Serhiy Dzinziruk last week.

Oh yes, 10 years ago, he fought Antonio Margarito, the same fighter who was mauled to a pulp by Pacquiao. Martinez lost that fight by knockout.

Over the last 14 years, Martinez's fights included such laughable match-ups with obvious cannon fodders like Anselmo Moreno Gamboa (8 wins, 12 losses) in 2002 and an incredible return bout three years later when Gamboa's record improved to 12 wins, 23 losses and 2 draws; Miguel Angel Perez (11 wins, 10 losses, 1 draw) in 2003;

Presente Brito (11 wins, 14 losses, 3 draws) 2006; Vasile Surcica (13 wins, 24 losses, 2 draws) 2006; Oliver Tchinda (1 win, 7 losses, 2 draws) 2006; Pavel Florin Madalin (3 wins, 34 losses, 2 draws) 2007; and other unknown fighters like Enrique Areco (40 wins, 13 losses, 7 draws); Elbio Gonzales (15 wins, 8 losses, 2 draws); Adrian Danef (25 wins, 15 losses, 2 draws); Silvio Rojas twice (26 wins, 23 losses, 3 draws) and again when Rojas record improved to 27 wins, 25 losses, 4 draws, and Jose Perez (17 wins, 13 losses).

Even as late as 2008, when Manny Pacquiao was already trading mitts with the best in sport, Martinez was still fighting the likes of Archak Termiliksetian (16 wins, 6 losses) and David Toribio (14 wins, 10 losses).

Now, after scoring two admittedly sensational wins, albeit against fighters who still have a lot to prove in the ring, Martinez and his handlers are calling out on Manny Pacquiao.

Martinez and his handlers have conveniently forgotten Antonio Margarito, who to my mind should be the Argentinian's first assignment if he really desires to convince boxing fans that he deserves to be Number 1. They call that selective amnesia.

Of course, Martinez and his handlers know that Pacquiao, much more his promoter Bob Arum, will not bite because of obvious physical and financial reasons.

But Martinez's handlers see that as a two-horned gambit: if Pacquiao takes the challenge, it is going to be a big payday for a fighter whose career has been built on opponents with number of defeats greater than their biological age; if Pacquiao ignores the dare, then they could claim that the Filipino boxing icon chickened out.

If Pacquiao won't fight Martinez, ergo the Argentinian fighter is the Best in the World Pound For Pound.

That's twisted logic but good salesmen could always spin that to make Martinez look good.

And in marketing an inferior product, the salesman who makes the most sales gets a hefty financial reward.

Unfortunately for them, most boxing fans already understand the meaning of caveat emptor.

 

It's not Sergio himself they are hating. Instead, it's the recent bandwagon of deluded Sergio nut-huggers and Pacquiao-haters who have started this campaign of "Pac's no longer the number one", that they don't approve of.

 

Bollocks did he.

 

Flea, I’m not suggesting that Pac’s overrated or that he’s not been in interesting matches, or that his overall resume isn’t better or that he’s not a better fighter pound-for-pound. My point is that Martinez isn’t being a hypocrite by taking one soft fight compared to Pac fighting Clottey and Margo back-to-back when neither man had any real chance of beating him. And considering Manny’s about to face the corpse of Mosley, it’s hard not to see the Argentine’s point.

I think it’s fair for Martinez to say it as long as he doesn’t make a habit out of it. A fight against one of the other belt-holders or a solid LMW would be acceptable post-Manfredo. It needs to be Sturm, Kirkland, Angulo or Cotto (though for my own nerves, please not Cotto). If he opts for Chavez Jr or Lee, then he’s got little ground to stand on.

The only guy who’s fought better opposition is Marquez who, as you quite rightly say, should be ranked higher than Martinez. In fact, Marquez deserves to be ranked higher than Mayweather for his quality of opposition, consistency and willingness to take on the best at and around his weight.

 

He certainly won the event though