Sergio Martinez Won World Middleweight Title 40 Years After Argentine Great Carlos Monzon
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 18 Apr 2020
Martinez connects with a right at Pavlik.
Ten years ago today, April 17 in the USA (April 18 in the other half of the globe), Sergio Martinez made history by being the first Argentine to win universal recognition as world middleweight champion since the great Carlos Monzon in the 1970s.
Martinez won by clear-cut unanimous decision over defending American champion Kelly Pavlik in their well attended 12 round main event title bout held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jeresy, USA on April 17, 2010.
Apart from the WBC and WBO world titles, at stake also was the Ring Magazine lineal world belt won by Pavlik a few years back from Jermaine Taylor who had earlier won them from long time undisputed champion Bernard Hopkins.
Martinez entered the fight as the reigning WBC super welterweight champion which he relinquished later (Manny Pacquiao would eventually win that vacant title over Antonio Margarito in 2011 for his eighth world title in as many weight classes).
Judges Roberto Ramirez, Barbra Perez and Craig Metcalfe scored the fight 116-111, 115-111 and 115-112, all in favor of Martinez who had his hands down the entire bout but landed most of the punches on Pavlik's head and body which the American was unable to stop at times. The Associated Press had it 115-112 also for Martinez.
Martinez was able to cut both of Pavlik's eyebrows, the left from the very first round, which bled profusely for the duration of the bout, posing trouble to Pavlik who was already having difficulties with Martinez speed and accurate mid ane long range punching.
Martinez was down in 7th round for a flash knockdown and he was given an eight count, all three judges scoring the seventh round 10-8 in favor of Pavlik, although Martinez later claimed it was an accidental fall, when their feet got tangled up.
Martinez appeared to win the first four rounds, Pavlik the next four rounds, and Martinez the last four rounds. According to promoter Bob Arum after the bout, "An easy fight to score."
Martinez' corner told him to put the pressure on from the ninth round on, aggressively going after Pavlik's eye cuts and turning Pavlik's face bloody for the rest of the bout.
Speed, according to Martinez in the post fight press conference, was his best weapon. Hand speed Pavlik could not match, and foot speed Pavlik could not adjust to. In the corner after the tenth round, Pavlik stated "I can't hit him! I can't hit him!"
Pavlik appeared to throw only one body punch the whole bout. He spent the night headhunting and loading up on the right, but it landed consistently only in rounds 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Martinez' corner called Pavlik "a great champion". They stated Pavlik showed great courage fighting the last few rounds despite a great deal of blood, which affected his vision.
Promoter Lou DiBella acknowledged that Pavlik has a mandatory rematch clause in the fight contract, which Pavlik can exercise at his discretion. Martinez camp stated in post fight press conference "He (Pavlik) can have a rematch whenever he wants." Pavlik would later chosen not to exercise the option.
Martinez's main rival Paul Williams was in attendance at the fight. They would later meet for the title which Martinez would win by a spectacular first round knockout.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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