NEW YORK (March 10, 2014) — Personal legacies and boxing history converge in a battle for one of boxing’s most hallowed titles – The Middleweight Championship of the World. Three-division world champion and the Pride of Puerto Rico MIGUEL COTTO will challenge World Boxing Council (WBC)/The Ring middleweight champion and Argentina’s favorite son SERGIO “Maravilla” MARTÍNEZ, Saturday, June 7, at the “Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden. The fight will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Cotto will attempt to become Puerto Rico’s first four-division world champion while Martínez, who has never lost a world championship fight, defends the title he first won in 2010. Both gladiators boast a combined record of 89-6-2 (59 KOs) – a winning percentage of 92% and a victory by knockout ratio of 66%.

Promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions, Top Rank®, DiBella Entertainment and Sampson Boxing, in association with Maravilla Box, Tecate and Madison Square Garden, tickets to the Cotto vs. Martínez world middleweight championship event go on sale This Wednesday! March 12, at Noon ET / 9:00 A.M. PT. Priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50, tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.thegarden.com.

“I am very happy to be back in my second home, Madison Square Garden in New York, to once again make history in front of my fans,” said Cotto. “I will be ready and prepared to do whatever it takes to bring the WBC middleweight championship of the world to my country of Puerto Rico”

“It has been my dream to fight in the big room at Madison Square Garden, a place where many great fighters have showcased their talents,” said Martínez. “It is the biggest stage in the world and the world will be watching this fight.”

“Miguel Cotto and Sergio Martínez have electrified sports fans during their entire careers,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “On June 7, their passionate fans and the nations they represent will finally witness this highly anticipated showdown.

“Miguel Cotto Promotions will once again join forces with Top Rank to bring a stellar pay-per-view event to New York on June 7th,” said Héctor Soto, vice president of Miguel Cotto Promotions. “We are matching very good fights for the fans. No one should miss the most-anticipated show of the year, either in-person or live on pay-per-view.”

“On June 7th The Garden will be explosive and the boxing world will pay full attention,” said Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment. “Styles make fights, and both Sergio and Cotto will be looking for knockouts. This battle will rock The Garden.”

“I am very proud to be part of this historic fight, which will, by far, be the top pay-per-view of the year,” said Sampson Lewkowicz, Martínez’s advisor.

“Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez is a dream matchup,” said Mark Taffet, Senior Vice President HBO Pay-Per-View. “It’s got the elements fight fans love — two superstars with extremely passionate fan bases in a rivalry fight that will help define both men’s careers. This is a special event for the sport and we’re proud to be the television partner for this landmark showdown at Madison Square Garden.”

Cotto (38-4, 31 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, has sold more fight tickets at Madison Square Garden than any other fighter in this millennium. He held a world title every year from 2004 to 2012 while winning 17 of the 21 world championship bouts he has fought. Puerto Rico’s most exciting fighter and one of its greatest, Cotto held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight crown from 2004-2006, successfully defending it six times before vacating it to capture the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title at the end of 2006, a title he held for nearly as long. After losing the WBA title to three-time world champion Antonio Margarito, arguably the fight of the year, in July 2008, Cotto won his second welterweight belt in February 2009, knocking out Michael Jennings in the fifth round to become the WBO welterweight champion. He lost the title in his second defense, November 2009, to Manny Pacquiao. Cotto captured the WBA super welterweight title June 5, 2010, in the first fight ever held at the new Yankee Stadium, by stopping undefeated defending champion Yuri Foreman. He successfully defended that title twice in 2011, knocking out former world champion Ricardo Mayorga and Margarito in the 12th and 10th rounds, respectively. He lost his world championship belt on May 5, 2012, via an exciting and close decision, to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a title unification bout in what many consider one of the toughest fights of Mayweather’s career. After unsuccessfully challenging WBA super welterweight champion Austin Trout on December 1, 2012, Cotto returned to the winner’s circle in his last fight. With Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach in his corner, a clearly rejuvenated Cotto knocked out two-time world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez in the third round on October 5, 2013. Notable triumphs on Cotto’s ledger include world champions, ”Sugar” Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Joshua Clottey, Paulie Malignaggi and Demarcus Corley.

Martínez (51-2-2, 28 KOs), the middleweight champion with the matinee idol looks, hails from Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina. A consensus Top-Five pound-for-pound fighter, Martínez first made his presence known to the boxing world in 2007 by knocking out Saul Roman in the fourth round of their WBC super welterweight title elimination bout. One year later, Martínez captured the WBC interim super welterweight title with an eighth-round stoppage of Alex Bunema. He was elevated to WBC world super welterweight champion in the latter half of 2009. Martínez captured his second world title in as many divisions in 2010, moving up in weight to challenge and upset defending middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik. Martínez enters this fight riding a four-year, seven-bout winning streak, including knockout victories of Paul Williams, Sergiy Dzinziruk, Darren Barker and Matthew Macklin. On Méxican Independence Day 2012 (September 15), Martínez totally dominated undefeated defending WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. to reclaim the title, winning 11 of the 12 rounds while surviving a brutal knockdown in the final stanza. It was the highest-attended boxing event in the history of the Thomas & Mack Center — 19,186 seats — eclipsing the Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield heavyweight championship rematch, which previously held the record with 19,151. In his last fight, on April 27, 2013, Martínez successfully defended his title, winning a 12-round decision over previously-undefeated Martin Murray in a Buenos Aires homecoming before 50,000 adoring Argentine fans. It was his first fight on his native soil since 2002.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, www.dbe1.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com and www.maravillabox.com, Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/DiBellaentertainment, facebook.com/TopRankMiguelCotto, facebook.com/maravillabox and facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, twitter.com/dibellaent, twitter.com/hboboxing, twitter.com/realmiguelcotto or twitter.com/maravillabox. Use the Hashtag #CottoMartinez to join the conversation on Twitter.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the much anticipated showdown between three-division world champion Miguel Cotto and currant Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez is on for June 7th in Madison Square Garden.

The bout will be televised on HBO Pay Per View.

“It’s done. Ready to go,” Top Rank president Todd duBoef, Cotto’s promoter, told ESPN.com. “I think the energy and the passion associated with both these fighters and the passion that their countries have for them is going to make this an incredible event and an incredible fight, maybe unprecedented in my career, which is over 20 years.

“You’re talking about two icons in their countries, two guys who represent so much to their people, and now they are going to get in the ring and do it. You’re talking about two fighters who have electrified fans in the sport for many years, and now they will do it in the same ring together on the same night. It will be an incredible event.”

“I am very happy to be back in my second home, Madison Square Garden in New York, to once again make history in front of my fans,” Cotto said. “I will be ready and prepared to do whatever it takes to bring the WBC middleweight title of the world to my country of Puerto Rico.”

Said duBoef, “I’ve been with Miguel since 2000 and I have seen all of his accomplishments, and I believe this will be another landmark for him. He’s had a Hall of Fame career and will show it again with his ability to move from 140 pounds [where he started] to 160.”

“Cotto and Freddie are the ones who said that this is the fight they want,” duBoef said. “Freddie faced Martinez with [Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.]. He knows what they are facing.”

“It has been my dream to fight in the big room at Madison Square Garden, a place where many great fighters have showcased their talents.” Martinez said. “It is the biggest stage in the world and the world will be watching this fight.”

Said Lou DiBella, Martinez’s promoter, “Styles make fights, and both Sergio and Cotto will be looking for knockouts.”

“Sergio is a proud man, and he will use all of that stuff, all of the disrespect as motivation,” DiBella said. “He told me that when he knocks Cotto out, nobody is going to care what the fight was called.”

“There’s a lot of intrigue in the fight,” duBoef said. “There are a lot of what-ifs, what’s gonna happen? I think Miguel proved to all of us and, more importantly, he proved to himself that with Freddie Roach he is one of the top fighters in the world today and what he was lacking was his preparation. If it wasn’t for Freddie Roach, who changed his strategy and training, we may not have seen that Cotto against Delvin. I think we’ll see that same Miguel against Martinez.”

LONDON (Jan. 31) – Gennady Golovkin is hoping his outstanding 2013 can push him to even greater heights in the new year by beating the biggest names in the middleweight division.

The unbeaten Kazakhstani assassin has become one of boxing’s most feared punchers after brutally blasting his way past all four challengers last year to amass a record of 28 wins with 25 knockouts.

The 31-year-old will be looking for much of the same when he steps back into the ring this Saturday night in Monte Carlo when he defends his WBA middleweight world title against Ghanaian contender Osumanu Adama.

Though Golovkin has his eyes on bigger prizes, he refuses to overlook the tricky Adama.

“It’s going to be a great fight. It’s a new year but I think it’s going to be the same like last year – a great year – with lots of great fights starting with Saturday night. I’m ready,” said Golovkin.

“I’ve seen Adama and he’s a strong guy and it’s not an easy fight for me. This is boxing, it’s a serious business, it’s not a game, so I take every fight very seriously.

“He’s hungry, he has good motivation for this fight, he’s a good athlete and is a strong guy. It’s a great opportunity for him but also for me,” he said.

Adama, who brings a record of 22 wins, 16 by way of knockout, and only three defeats, is confident that he can stun the boxing world by beating Golovkin.

The 33-year-old is sure his speed and power will pose new problems to the unrelenting Kazakh.

“I’m prepared for this fight. I was born for fights like this and I’m ready to fight anyone in the world. Now is the time to fight Golovkin,” Adama said.

“The fighters he’s fought in the past haven’t had the speed and power that I’ve got. I’m a very powerful fighter and I’ve been in with some very good boxers. All African’s are willing me on and I’ll have a lot of fans coming to Monte Carlo to support me,” he said.

“If you want to be the best you have to fight the best. He’s the best up and coming middleweight but I also feel like I’m the best – every boxer feels like they’re the best. I will be the first person to beat Gennady Golovkin,” Adama said confidently.

Should Golovkin come through the fight victorious he has plans to set up some of the biggest fights possible in 2014.

Tom Loeffler, Golovkin’s promoter, has his eyes on a potential superfight with Argentine kingpin and reigning WBC middleweight world champion Sergio Martinez, with WBO champion Peter Quillin also a name being mooted.

“We can offer significant purses for somebody to fight Gennady. He’s crossed that barrier where everybody knows who he is now. The finances on his fights are there, where there are big fights,” said Loeffler.

“We would love to make a unification fight at some point down the road, if the politics can get worked out. It would be a great fight with Peter Quillin, who’s also an undefeated champion but Sergio Martinez would certainly be at the top of the list,” he said.

“In order to prove you’re the best you have to fight the best and that’s where we think Gennady’s the best and obviously Sergio and his promoters and handlers think he’s the best and that’s the only way to find out,” Loeffler stated.

Golovkin vs. Adama is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Saturday from 5pm. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-
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New York, NY(10/17/2013) – On Wednesday, Middleweight Champion and pound-for-pounder Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez had the opportunity to meet and sit down one-on-one with Pope Francis. The meeting between the two Argentineans took place at the Vatican, and marked the first time a professional fighter has had a one-on-one closed session meeting with the Pope since Muhammad Ali.

Below are some of the news clippings from the meeting as well as link to one of the articles.

http://www.clarin.com/deportes/Sergio-Maravilla-Martinez-reunio-Francisco_0_1012099113.html

New York, NY(10/8/2013) – Next Wednesday, Middleweight Champion and pound-for-pounder Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez will have the opportunity of a lifetime when he sits down one-on-one with Pope Francis. The meeting between the two Argentineans will take place at the Vatican, and will mark the first time a professional fighter has had a one-on-one closed session meeting with the Pope since Muhammad Ali.

Martinez, who intends to speak about his anti-bullying and domestic violence against women campaigns, is absolutely ecstatic about the meeting.

“In the past couple of months, I will have had two of my dreams as a Catholic come true, to visit the Basilica of our Lady Guadalupe in Mexico and to be received by the Pope. I will be asking the Pope for blessings and spiritual protection to all of those who enter the ring,” said Martinez.

“In his short time as leader of the Catholic Church, this gentle Pope from Argentina has already changed the dialogue of his people. I am thrilled that Sergio will have a private audience with Pope Francis and that he will be able to discuss his campaigns against bullying and domestic violence,” said promoter Lou DiBella.

“Sergio Martinez continues to make history in our sport by having this historic meeting with Pope Francis. I’m very happy for Sergio, because as the great champion and great person that he is, he has earned this tremendous opportunity and honor of having this meeting,” said longtime advisor Sampson Lewkowicz.

“Sergio’s passion to help out people in need and who are down on their luck has truly exemplified the fact that you do not need to act brash or lack any tact in order for people to respect you in the boxing world. He is a great role model for young athletes around the world,” added Nathan Lewkowicz, V.P. of Sampson Boxing.

Sergio will be accompanied to the meeting by longtime business manager Miguel De Pablos and Victor Gonzales, who was instrumental in the organization and staging of Martinez’s last middleweight title defense in front of 50,000+ adoring Argentineans earlier this year. Sergio will be presenting the Pope with a special edition WBC green belt, with a picture of Pope Francis as well as the flag of the Vatican.

New York, NY (6/6/2013) – Middleweight kingpin Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (51-2-2, 28KO’s) touched down in NYC early yesterday, and will spend the week here, attending a number of business meetings before heading to Canastota for this weekend’s annual International Boxing Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

“I am honored to be invited again to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and I am looking forward to participating in the weekend’s festivities and meeting all of the boxing fans that will be in attendance,” said the WBC champion and one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighters in the world Martinez. Martinez will attend the weekend festivities with promoter Lou DiBella and longtime advisors Sampson Lewkowicz and Nathan Lewkowicz.

On April 27, Argentine-native Martinez successfully defended his championship for
the sixth time in a glorious homecoming televised live on HBO, in front of 50,000 rabid Argentineans at the country’s famed Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield, in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina, against England’s Martin Murray. Last night, Martinez met with HBO executives last night, to begin discussions for his next title defense. Likely to take place in early 2014, Sergio’s next bout will be his 11th straight on HBO, since first appearing on the network in2008. Martinez hasn’t lost since 2009 when he dropped a highly disputed majority decision to Paul Williams in what was named the 2009 “Fight of the Year”. Martinez avenged that defeat one year later with a scintillating second-round KO over Williams. The one-punch KO was hailed as 2010’s “Knockout of the Year”. Martinez’ last seven opponents (in order: Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Serhiy Dzinziruk, Darren Barker, Matthew Macklin, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Murray) have had an astonishing combined record of 234-5-2, with Dzinziruk, Barker, Chavez Jr. and Murray all coming in undefeated.

In addition to meeting with HBO and attending to other business, Martinez plans on dropping by Macklin’s training camp to wish his former foe, and now friend, luck for his upcoming title challenge against Gennady “GGG” Golovkin on June 29, live on HBO at the MGM Grand Theaterat Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Macklin, who recently opened his brand new state-of-the-art training facility in Martinez’ adopted country of Spain, is now preparing for the world championship matchup in NYC with head trainer Buddy McGirt.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, World Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez suffered a cut over his eye, a broken hand and injured knee in his Saturday bout with Martin Murray that will force Martinez to sit out the rest of the yerar.

“He’s probably out for the rest of the year. I just can’t see him returning this year,” said Martinez promoter Lou DiBella. “He probably needs another surgery to remove scar tissue from the knee and he needs more time to rehab it than he gave it after the Chavez fight.”

Although Martinez pronounced himself in perfect health going into the fight with Murray — “All of my injuries have healed 100 percent,” he told ESPN.com a few days before the bout — it turned out they were not.

“He was never fully recovered from the knee surgery,” said DiBella, noting that the injury made it very hard for Martinez to plant his feet. “The knee was OK early in the training camp but it wasn’t perfect. But with three weeks left in camp, it got much worse. He probably would have postponed the fight if was in a normal arena. He was damaged goods going in against Murray.”

“People who noticed his body wasn’t cut were correct,” DiBella said. “It wasn’t a normal camp. Murray was big and strong though and deserves props.”

The 100 percent humidity and a wet canvas hurt and he was also fighting a very good opponent. Martin Murray is a good fighter,” DiBella said. “I was scared sh—— but he pulled it out in the 11th and 12th rounds and Murray said he was hurt in the 12th round.

“Sergio had to use every trick in the book in 11 and 12 to pull it out. The fight had the makings of an upset, but I’m just glad it wasn’t. But he was banged up going into the fight. It was a real gutty performance. In any case, Sergio’s body needs time to recover.”

DALLAS – The career of middleweight champion Sergio Martinez will not end any better than our sport ends its every practitioner’s career, and that is an unfortunate revelation made obvious Saturday, when the Argentine Martinez made a homecoming title defense against Englishman Martin Murray and won a unanimous decision narrower than what its three rainswept judges, surrounded in a soccer stadium by 40,000 Argentines, tallied. The decision was not controversial because the decision was really not the point at all.

This was an exhibition, a career retrospective of Martinez’s works, and if it was rougher than planned for the homecoming champion, a scrap more than a celebration, it will not appear that way in the official record, which reads Martinez UD-12 Murray.

There is a level of introspection to Sergio Martinez that is rare among professional athletes in general and prizefighters in particular, perhaps because Martinez did not come to acclaim until he was well in his 30s, which is to impart Sergio Martinez knew himself, what he was and what he thought of what he was, before others could tell him what he was and what they thought of what he thought of what he was. There is a composure to Martinez, an affability, a willingness to show vulnerability – yes, that is the differentiating word: vulnerability – rare among professional athletes and all but impossible among prizefighters.

I spoke to him in January, nearer his penultimate fight than Saturday’s, and he was willing to describe, in surprising detail and self-deprecation, what discomfortingly intense moments ended his September match with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. He treated rage-at-self and what drunkenness comes from sipping a homebrew of fatigue and abuse, and the revelatory fact nothing at the end went as he prepared it to go. Immediately after that I borrowed Thomas Hauser’s advice and asked Martinez what question he would ask those who ask him questions, his interviewers, if given the chance.

His answer was unique and personal: “What is the key to finding inspiration to write?” He spoke of what travails he encountered working on his first book, the hours cum days cum weeks of a blank page followed unexpectedly by a visit from the muse at three in the morning. Readers of this column will be unsurprised by how I answered: You must be willing to write garbage, Sergio, to keep your fingers flurrying on the keys, knowing your first draft is likely to be schlock anyway, and so why belabor it?

Saturday I was not in Buenos Aires, or Brooklyn, but rather at the final professional hockey game of the 2013 season in Lone Star State, this city’s Stars against the Detroit Red Wings, and I was not there to see either team or even the game of hockey, particularly, one I played through my adolescence, but rather an individual who plays the game close to perfectly as I have seen done: Pavel Datsyuk. His connection to Martinez is that Martinez is the professional athlete Datsyuk just edges on my list of favorite professional athletes. There is no one in any sport I appreciate more than Datsyuk.

I did not watch Saturday’s game, consequential as it was for the Red Wings franchise, but Pavel Datsyuk. When he was on the ice I followed him to the exclusion of the puck, and when he was not on the ice I was distracted, like other Texans, by campy fan-appreciation giveaways, shapely ice girls in lycra bottoms and a themeless potpourri of loud music. Datsyuk’s skating skills are now quietly eroded by knee surgeries; it is why he conserves energy by making large Cs more than large strides, more and more. His warmup stretching routine is novel for all the contortions it comprises, and his pregame skate was noteworthy for the number of times he lost edges, and the way he stood apart from the rest of the team, making passes to invisible marks on the boards, as his teammates swooped round him. While others collected pucks to fire at the Red Wings goalies – at them, not by them, by design – Datsyuk stood in innocuous places on the ice, passing the puck between the skates of his teammates to private spots on the boards.

Datsyuk is known in the league as “The Magician” for the innovative way he handles the puck, but that is missing the point of his greatness, which is a preparedness leavened by grit; no one makes it to the NHL without he can do things with a rubber disk and blacktaped blade of wood others appreciate in direct proportion to what hours they’ve practiced the same – which is altogether different from impressing naïfs and dilettantes, or Texans – but Datsyuk’s greatness is found in his individual battles with other men put on earth, they believe, only to play hockey. He defeats these men by being as good from either side of the puck, forehand or back, as no one before him has.

Martinez, for an enchanted stretch, bore a similarity to this. He stood before larger men and discouraged them, dis-couraged them, by causing their professionally aimed shots to miss by fractions of acceptable spaces in ways they could not predict. Martinez no longer has this capacity – as Martin Murray proved often, Saturday, but most especially in round 6, when Martinez invited Murray to discourage himself by missing Martinez repeatedly, and Murray repeatedly did not miss. Martinez hasn’t the technical perfection to perform adequately against larger men now that his reflexes have been taken by those larger men and what repairs to his body they’ve made necessary.

Saturday’s postfight happenings brought word Martinez will not return till April 2014. Better to call it a career, now, having filled a venue with his countrymen in a way no American prizefighter has done in decades.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

Sergio Martinez scored a close twelve round unanimous decision over Martin Murray to defend the WBC Middleweight title in front of 45,000 in Buenos Aeries, Argentina.

Martinez boxed well early but started eating some hard right hands from Murray. Murray boxed and moved and focused on the body of Murray. In round eight another hard right hand put Martinez on the deck which quieted the partisan crowd. Murray kept coming on with the right hand and sent the champion to the canvas but the punch was ruled a slip. Martinez did enough to win the final rounds to hold on to the decision which read 115-112 on all cards.

Martinez, 159.4 lbs of Argentina is now 51-2-2. Murray, 159.g lbs of St. Helens, UK is now 25-1-1.

Buenos Aires, Argentina(4/26/13) – Defending WBC Middleweight Champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (50-2-2, 28KO’s) and the U.K.’s undefeated WBA interim champion Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11KO’s) both weighed-in earlier today, with the champion tipping the scales at 159.4 lbs. while the challenger Murray weighed-in at 159.6 lbs.

Luis Carlos Abregu (34-1, 28KO’s) and Antonin Decarie (27-1, 8KO’s) both were also on weight for their vacant WBC Silver welterweight title match-up, with both fighters coming in at exactly 147 lbs.

All four combatants looked to be in tremendous shape as they gear up for tomorrow’s historic event.

The Championship bouts will take place at the country’s famed 50,000-seat Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina, with HBO World Championship Boxing providing live coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. It marks HBO Boxing’s first-ever telecast from South America and the first time the native-Argentinean Martinez has fought at home in over 11-years.

Photo Courtesy: HBO/Will Hart

The Martinez-Murray world championship telecast, which begins at 8:30 p.m ET/PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #MartinezMurray to join the conversation on Twitter. For constant updates on the fight, including videos, pictures and articles, visit www.dbe1.com, www.hbo.com or www.maravillavsmurray.com.

A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase through www.tuentrada.com

In city where almost every other street seems to be named Peron or Evita, promoter Lou DiBella saw a middleweight’s name on cabs, buses and billboards. On DiBella’s trip from the airport to his hotel in Buenos Aires, there it was, again and again.

Sergio Martinez.

Welcome home.

“He’s really like a rock star here,’’ DiBella said.

It’s been eleven years since Martinez last fought in Argentina, a beautiful country with a star-crossed history and boxing tradition undergoing a revival because of those who left to fight elsewhere.

Martinez (50-2-2, 28 KOs) returns Saturday night on HBO (8:30 pm ET/PT) against Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11 KOs) after more than a decade abroad. He lived and trained in Madrid. He fought in the UK. He made a pound-for-pound name in the United States. It was a journey of discovery, a personal quest. Martinez found what he believed was always there on his horizon.

He grew up in Quilmes, south of downtown Buenos Aires in a town known for a brewery, soccer and poverty. He tried soccer. It would have been hard not to. Google Quilmes. Then, look up the list of notable people from the town of about 240,000. Almost all of them are soccer players.

He also dreamed of racing on the international bicycling circuit. But that ended when a prized bike was stolen when he was 15. That theft was part of an upbringing – mean streets, Argentina style – that prepared Martinez for what he would later forge into an instinct within a fighter ranked among the world’s top four, including Floyd Mayweather Jr., Andre Ward and Juan Manuel Marquez. Martinez, the son of a laborer, grew up around neighborhood bullies. He learned how to confront them. Fight them. Identify them.

Over the last four years, you could watch Martinez and detect an unshakable sense of self and confidence in what he can do. He engaged Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a wild punching duel in the 12th round last September. It looked like a foolish gamble then. He had an insurmountable lead on the scorecards. But he did it anyway, perhaps because he knew he could survive as he always has. It was an amazing three minutes that seemed to sum up the gutsy nature of a fighter with an unorthodox style.

Don’t look for the insecurities that lead to trash talk. You won’t find them. Don’t look for the complacency that leads to unexpected losses. It’s not there. If it had, it would have appeared and ended Martinez’ ambitions long before anybody in the U.S. of even Argentina knew who he was. He paid his dues, so often that there is widespread respect for him in his homeland. In the wake of his triumph over Chavez Jr., Martinez met Argentina’s president, Cristina Kirchner. When was the last time a U.S. fighter was invited to the White House?

“Sergio is hands down the greatest fighter I have ever promoted,” DiBella said during a conference call not long after he arrived Wednesday in Buenos Aires. “Not only because he is a terrific talent. Not only because he is at the top of the pound-for-pound list, right up there with Floyd Mayweather, but also because of the type of man he is. He is a good human being. He has a great sense of social consciousness. He’s back in his homeland where he’s waited for this opportunity, to fight again in Argentina for many, many years.

“You’re getting a chance to see a Hall of Fame fighter, who, in my mind, is one of the best middleweights who ever lived, and one of the two great middleweights in the history of Argentina.

“You can mention Sergio Martinez in the same sentence as Carlos Monzon at this point and you’re not doing any injustice to Monzon.’’

Over time, Martinez will get the appreciation he deserves. But time also poses a potential problem. He’s 38. According to longtime advisor Sampson Lewkowicz, he promised is dad that he would not fight past 40. He’s also coming off knee surgery for an injury suffered against Chavez Jr. Murray, a tough inside fighter managed by Ricky Hatton, is bound to test that right knee with pressure that will force Martinez to employ lateral movement.

There are also potential distractions. Martinez has fought in Buenos Aires, but never as a hometown hero who has captivated a nation. There were signs of it in September when a small crowd of fans waving the powder blue-and-white Argentine flag celebrated his victory over Chavez by dancing on the floor at Las Vegas Thomas & Mack Center. But that crowd figures to be just a tiny fraction of the 40,000 expected Saturday night at an outdoor soccer stadium.

Martinez is grateful for the attention.

But he promises not to be deluded by it.

“This is not going to be an easy fight, because Murray has lots to gain and little to lose,” he said. “Today, I see Murray in the same situation that I was in four years ago, and it takes a lot of hunger for glory to get here. I have nothing but respect for him.”

Respect for a craft and a country where the lessons began.

Buenos Aires, Argentina (4/25/13) – Yesterday afternoon, defending WBC Middleweight Champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (50-2-2, 28KO’s) and the U.K.’s undefeated WBA interim champion Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11KO’s) completed the final media day ahead of their anticipated World Championship bout that will air live on HBO from Buenos Aires, Argentina Saturday night. The Championship bout will take place at the country’s famed 50,000-seat Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina, with HBO World Championship Boxing providing live coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. It marks HBO Boxing’s first-ever telecast from South America and the first time the native-Argentinean has fought at home in over 11-years.

The day kicked off with a international media teleconference, and ended with the final press conference held in Argentina. The presser was attended by over 25 television networks, and included over 150 media outlets in total. The entire country is buzzing about the event on Saturday, as it will be the first time the champion Martinez will ever have defended his middleweight crown on his home turf.

Both fighters will weigh-in tomorrow, live at 11 a.m. ET. Below is a complete transcript from yesterday’s teleconference, as well as photo’s from yesterday’s final presser.

L-R: Pablo Sarmiento, Sergio Martinez, Lou DiBella

L-R: Sampson Lewkowicz, Ricky Hatton and Neil Marsh

Photo Courtesy HBO/Will Hart

Lou DiBella: Thanks, everybody for joining us tonight. I can’t tell you how thrilling it is to be here in Buenos Aires and to see the excitement around Sergio Martinez. When my cab arrived from the airport this morning to the hotel, I saw three buses with Sergio on them, four trucks and about six billboards. He truly is a huge star right now in his homeland and we’re excited to bring this home coming to you on Saturday night.

The event will take place at a Club Atletico Velez Sarsfield. I’d like to thank everybody who works at Club Atletico Velez Sarsfield for their help. Our sponsors Aerolineas Argentina and YPF I’d like to thank them. I’d also like to thank the Secretary of Sports for Argentina and the Argentina Boxing Federation, as well as (Carlos Rodriguez) and everyone from the WBC.

This event will be televised in the United States on HBO. It will be televised live. There is a terrific opening battle between Luis Carlos Abregu, 34-1 with 28 KO’s, and Antoine Decarie, 27-1, 8KO’s for the WBC Silver Title and that should be a terrific competitive fight. I’d like to say a few words first. I’d like to introduce the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports, my friend, Kery Davis.

Kery Davis: Thanks, Lou. I’m really excited. I’m not in Buenos Aires yet, but I will be there tomorrow. We look forward to – anytime Sergio Martinez fights, we look forward to it. He’s one of the best fighters in the world, so it’s always an event when he laces them up and steps into the ring, but this one is really special.

It really represents a home coming for Sergio and it’s something that we at HBO have looked forward to since Sergio’s rise to the top of the middleweight division. This will be our first time televising fights from Argentina. We expect there will be a lively raucous crowd, which always makes for good television, and I’m sure they’re going to be cheering on their hero and Sergio.

Sergio opponent, Martin Murray, is a top middleweight contender and you know, he’s going to be facing tough odds, but you know, he’s used to being in the lion’s den, if you will, because he’s got a great credential going into Germany and fighting the former middleweight champion, Felix Sturm. We really think it is going to be an entertaining fight. Telecast will start actually from Ontario, California where we’ll do a heavyweight fight between two big punchers – Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne.

We’ll follow that by doing the under card welt away fight that Lou just referred to between Abregu and Decarie and then we’ll go right to the main event. It’ll be a triple header on HBO. Our start time, again, will be 8:30 Eastern and Pacific, and we look forward to a really exciting event. Thank you, Lou and Sampson for putting it together for us.

Lou DiBella: Thank you, Kery. Thank you, Kery. I’m going to introduce first a few members of the Martin Murray camp and then I’ll introduce Sergio’s camp and then I’ll go through the fighters for a few words. Martin Murray is promoted by Ricky Hatton and he’s here with his manager, Neil Marsh – the loquacious Neil Marsh – who I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting yet. I’m going to start with Neil and let Neil say a few words about his fighter.

Martin Murray is 25-0 with one draw, 11 KO’s, he’s never tasted defeat. I’ve looked at tapes of him and he’s one of the toughest guys in the middleweight division, absolutely deserving of being, not only in the top ten, but probably in the top five or six. He’s a very, very good fighter. That’s one of the reasons why Sergio wanted this fight. Sergio doesn’t shy away from any challenge and Martin Murray presents a real meaningful challenge. Neil, would you like to say a few words about your fighter?

Neil Marsh: Yes. Obviously, I’m Neil and it’s a pleasure to be involved with such a big fight. This is a fantastic opportunity for us. As you know, Martin went to Germany, went into a lion’s den once before, which we believe all was in good standings here in Argentina. We’re fully confident about the task ahead. We believe it’s our time.

Lou DiBella: Thank you, Neil. As many people in boxing have heard over and over again, he’s sung in arenas all over the world, there’s only one Ricky Hatton, and I’d like that one Ricky Hatton to say a few words about his fighting. Ricky?

Ricky Hatton: Hello. Hi, guys. Yes, very much looking forward to this fight. Obviously, there are so many versions of world titles these days, but this is for the real middleweight championship. He’s number 3 pound for pound and I can’t speak any more highly of Sergio Martinez. I remember him from the early days back in England when he was boxing in England against people like Adrian Stone, so he’s really paid his dues and he deserves to be held in such high recognition, which he has obviously held.

Like any good fighter – a good fighter, and that’s exactly what Sergio is – every good fighter’s lane comes to an end sometimes and I believe its Saturday night. There’s always some young, hungry person that comes forward to set the mantle and I believe Martin Murray is the man. He’s been in the lion’s den before against Felix Sturm, put in a performance while he was there and it may have been a little bit too soon for him, but we didn’t. That will hold him in good set for the task ahead.

I’ve seen a change in Martin this week, to be honest with you. He knows if he would have just took the bull by the horns a little bit against Felix Sturm, he may be able to come away with a win. He’s put that light to his game and I’ve seen a nasty Martin Murray this week. He’s come over to Argentina, he’s not overawed by the occasion like you would expect in Argentina when you’re fighting someone as high of a name as Sergio Martinez. He’s reaming with confidence, he’s never looked as sharp and inspired, and he’s got a real nasty streak about him.

You know, again, with Felix Sturm, maybe he should have started a couple rounds earlier. He’s going to put light on Saturday night. He knows he’s got to be aggressive in this fight and I’ve seen a total change in his demeanor this week. The main thing from his promoter in coming out there, all the way to Argentina, I don’t want to see the occasion getting to him or anything like that.

That has certainly not been the case. He just can’t come quick enough for Saturday night, so we’re certainly grateful for sharing the ring with a champion as good as Sergio Martinez. I think every good champion’s ring comes to an end, and I think Sergio’s will be coming to an end on Saturday.

Lou DiBella: Thanks, Ricky. I disagree with you, but thank you very much. I’d like to thank everybody in Team Martinez, particularly (Miguel), for all that they’ve done. Of course, I would be remised if I didn’t allow my partner in this event, he’s representing Sampson Boxing, I’ve said this many times, but he’s one of the great minds in boxing. He’s had years of being Sergio’s advisor and now has been very active in putting this deal together with our partners in Argentina and with the Argentine Government. I’d like to introduce, from Sampson Boxing, Sampson Lewkowicz.

Sampson Lewkowicz: Thank you very much, everyone. Yes, I’m here. Thank you very much to everyone. I really appreciate the opportunity that Lou DiBella allowed me to prove that I’m – that I throw my heart on the boxing as a promoter.

This is going to be the biggest event that I ever did on my own with the help of a new team, as well as mine. How I can say thank you to HBO to make history – not only for HBO, but more for somebody that I like so much and I love so much, like my own son, Sergio Martinez. This is well deserved for him to be on top of the game in this one country of Argentina.

I never forgot – Kerry Davis one day told me, (unintelligible) it happened probably two years ago. I told him it would be a fantasy, and today it’s a reality. Thank you. Thank you to every one of you, and thank you for the prayers, the support and so much. Thank you on behalf of all of the Martinez team. Thank you. God bless you.

Lou DiBella: Thank you, Sampson.

And now to the fighters – I have tremendous respect for this young man. He’s never tasted defeat, I love the way he fights, he’s a high pressure fighter, he’s relentless. I thought he’d beat Felix Sturm, and I know that this is a real challenge. I know that he did not come to Argentina overwhelmed or scared. He came here believing he’s going to win and he’s been telling everyone close to him that he’s going to win. I’m sure he’s going to tell you the same thing right now, Martin Murray.

Martin Murray: Yes.

Lou DiBella: You want to speak your words, Martin?

Martin Murray: Yes. It’s a pleasure to be here fighting Sergio in Argentina.

I’m having a great training camp. Like you just said, I’ve not come over here to lose or to make numbers. I’ve trained out and I’m trained to win. Sergio is a great fighter who I’ve looked up to over the past couple years, but I really think it’s my time. Whatever Sergio brings on Saturday, I’ll be ready for. I’m just looking forward to being involved in a great fight.

Lou DiBella: Thank you, Martin. The next gentleman I’m going to announce is the greatest fighter I have ever promoted.

Not only because he’s a terrific talent, not only because he’s, in my mind, at the top of the pound for pound list, right with Floyd Mayweather, but also because of the type of man he is.

He’s just a good human being, he’s got a great sense of social consciousness, he’s back in his homeland where he’s waited to fight until this moment, until he could pull off this type of event, and this is going to be a great (unintelligible) of people at Club Atletico Velez Sarsfield supporting their hometown hero, supporting the future hall of famer, and it’s my honor to present my fighter, Sergio Gabriel Martinez. Sergio? Oh, and translating for Sergio will be Ricardo Figueroa. Sergio? Ricardo?

Sergio Martinez (translated by Ricardo Figuero)

Sergio Martinez: Good afternoon. How is everyone? Everything is well on his side, better than ever. I am very confident. I know that the expectations are very high, but I am training at a very high level and I am very confident that I am going to have a great fight on Saturday. This Saturday, this fight will end by knock out. My training and my confidence are at the highest level, even higher than the last fight with Chavez and therefore, I predict a knock out this Saturday night.

QUESTIONS:

Diego Zorillo: In Argentina, you’ve become like a folk hero. How do you take all of that into consideration with yourself?

Sergio Martinez: Everything that I’ve been through in my life, you know, has been so overwhelming and hard that the boxing would be actually the lightest of the hardest things that I’ve had to endure in life. That’s how I feel about that.

I’ve had to learn, you know, to deal with changes and the pressures of boxing, but that’s done hand in hand with kind of like how my life has been as far as things being rough and things changing as I’ve evolved as a fighter in my life.

(Diego Zorilla): How do you feel with the irony that you started out as an athlete playing soccer and you played in this particular stadium and now you’re going not only play there, but obviously now fight as a boxer, as a biggest event ever in that stadium. How do you feel about that?

Sergio Martinez: I can honestly tell you that I cannot say how I’m going to feel because I have to be in the ring at the time and after the fight, I’ll be able to answer that with certainty. I’m definitely very excited and I’m looking forward to this, but I’ll be able to answer that question when I step out of the ring.

(Chris Guns): Yes, my first question is for Martin. Martin, you fought all of your fights in Great Britain besides the Felix Sturm fight. Basically, he was past the time and it was almost an even fight according to everybody. What do you think prepares you for taking on this kind of animal in his homeland of Argentina?

Martin Murray: The Felix Sturm fight was a learning experience for me. I learned loads in that fight, loads of things I learned in that fight, that I will be bringing into this fight. The fact that it’s such a big challenge, I know that a performance on Saturday is going to have to be the best performance for me, but it’s a performance that I’m more than capable of doing, and the fact that it’s against such a great fighter and he’s got me up for it.

I like doing the type of fights now where I can do it again, and I will be doing it again on Saturday. Like I said, I’ll be looking forward to putting all of the training to producing and coming out victorious.

(Chris Guns): Sergio earned his name in the sport. A lot of people have him as high up as number two or three in the world. He’s faced everybody, all kinds of styles, from Paul Williams to Kelly Pavlik and he’s been in the big event against Chavez. How do you assess Sergio’s career and how do you feel like is your best plan to beat him? What is the best way to fight Sergio Martinez?

Martin Murray: Obviously, I’ve never fought anybody like Sergio’s style before, but I know all different types of style. That was hard to get an exact guy with Sergio’s style with it being so unique, but we got plenty of different styles of sparring partners, who all did the things that we needed. We’ve had a good training cap. As well as that, I’ve got a great trainer who is always coming up with the right game, has the right tactics. We just think and we know that we’ve got what it takes to beat Martinez.

(Chris Guns): Good luck, Martin. Sergio, it’s been a while since you fought in front of your hometown. What kind of reception have you received?

Sergio Martinez: It’s been amazing, the best that you can imagine possible, landing here and then having the people cheering you. Just the love is very overwhelming and how everyone is treating me right now.

(Chris Guns): I know Lou DiBella thinks highly of Martin Murray, but a lot of people don’t give him much of a shot against you.

Sergio Martinez: Statistics are just, you know, those are just numbers and what peoples’ opinions are, but this is going to be a very tough fight. I am fully aware of that and I would never take any of that for granted. I know how people can predict, but when you get in the ring, it’s a fight. This guy, he deserves to be in the ring with me and I don’t look at any of that stuff, so I’m prepared for a very, very, very tough fight.

(Chris Guns): I hear you and Martin Murray pull an upset, you never know. You can’t really overlook anyone, but if you are successful, what are the chances that your next fight might be against someone like (Genetti Galaskin) or (Peter Quillin), someone who people give a legitimate chance to fight and beat you?

Lou DiBella: I think we’d rather not talk about his next fight before this one. He’s got a pretty big challenge on Saturday night. We’ll worry about his next fight after the fight.

(Chris Guns): Okay, and one more question. You’re not getting any younger Sergio. I haven’t seen any signs of slippage from you, but nobody can decide when is time, unless maybe Bernard Hopkins, you’re talking. How much longer do you see yourself fighting and do you see any changes as you’ve gotten older? Do you see any changes in your skill?

Sergio Martinez: I don’t even think of that kind of stuff right now. I’m focused right now on this fight that is coming up. Maybe after the fight, I’ll talk with my team and as they move with their future plans, I can give a better answer to that, but right now, I don’t think about any of that as age or a time or date. Right now, that’s not even a question in my mind.

(Lem Satterfield): Hey Lou, how you doing? Hello to Lou, Samson, Martin and Sergio.

Martin Murray: How you doing?

Lou DiBella: Hello.

(Lem Satterfield): So listen, Sergio is six, one and one in his last eight fights. Every single one of them has been exciting, he cuts guys up, he knocks them out, he gets up off the canvas and wins, and his last fight was on Pay per View. My question for all three of you – Sergio, Samson and Lou – is he appreciated for who he is and what he is as a fighter?

Lou DiBella: I’ll take the first crack at that one, since it’s all three of us. First of all, you can look at that six, one and one, and it pretty easily could be 8 and 0, because I thought he beat Paul Williams the first time and he certainly beat Kermit Cintron. I think people are getting a treat in getting to see – and I thank HBO for this, because all of his fights since Alex Bunema have been televised by HBO. You’re getting the chance to a see in my mind, one of the greatest middleweights who has ever lived and one of the two great middleweights in the history of Argentina. You can mention them in the same breath at this point. You could mention Sergio Martinez in the same sentence as Carlos Monzon and you’re not doing any injustice to Monzon. That’s how great Sergio is. I think that among the people who know, they know they’re getting the chance to see an all-time great fighter and a future Hall-of-Famer.

Does he get the credit he’s due? Maybe not, but it’s coming more and more, and Saturday night in his homeland, there will be 40,000 plus people filling the stadium to show him the love and respect that he deserves.

Sampson Lewkowicz: Sergio Martinez has jumped the fence to see what’s green on the other side. He’s motivated, he’s a human being and he’s got the heart for the people.

It creates an enigma that people – if he didn’t know about boxing today in Argentina especially, it’s all part of the human being of Sergio Martinez and today, you see the boxer. I believe that it’s an example for many area boxers that you need to get out of that circle to get to the people because at the end of the day, that will make you whatever you are today.

Today, I’m very, very proud to be part of this team with Lou, with Sergio, with (Pablos Samiento), with our assitant Raquel. This is an unbelievable team and I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone and hopefully we continue for one more year, because Sergio promised to his mother that he would not fight at age 40.

(Lem Satterfield): Sergio? Can Sergio answer that question?

Sergio Martinez: : I feel that respect is earned and I was once was in a situation where Murray wis. You have to earn your respect in this game. Everything I have done and everything I have accomplished, I have earned.

(Lozoro Malrose): Sergio, after your last fight, what do you feel you have to improve on and how do you feel with the pressure of fighting in front of your family?

Sergio Martinez: I am very conscious that there are a lot of things that you always have to improve, things with my trainer (Pablo) – we work on many things. I wouldn’t think to say, what are those things that I have to improve on or that I have improved on, but we’re very conscious of that and we continue to work to improve.

Bob Velin: Hey Sergio and Lou, how you doing? Sergio, I guess the obvious question is what does it mean to you to be back fighting in your home country after 11 years, and has it been more of a distraction for you training down there and getting ready for your fight or have people basically, you know, let you do your thing down there?

Sergio Martinez: Of course. When you come home and you’ve worked hard, people show love and appreciate and I have felt that and that receptiveness from the fans and the people, but that has not distracted me whatsoever. The eight weeks of camp have been wonderful, including this last week that we have moved camp here Everything has been great, no distractions. I’m ready to go.

Bob Velin: Question for Lou – what’s it been like to be down there with Sergio and just traveling around with him and did you go to his hometown, and how was that?

Lou DiBella: Actually, I just got in and to be honest, Sergio is laying pretty low this week. He takes – I mean, if you know Sergio, he takes fight week very seriously and it’s usually not a very social week for him. He likes to sort of keep to himself and get into his head for the fight. That’s always been the way and he’s not changing the routine here, even though he’s in Argentina.

For me, it’s been a little bit freaky. I mean, I got off an airplane and the room to get through customs, there was like 5,000 people in it and a couple of thousand recognized me, but I haven’t been here since I was a kid, so it just shows you the star power of Sergio Martinez and what he means in this country.

Like I said, like from my cab to the airport to the hotel, I passed I don’t know how many billboards, how many trucks, how many buses that had Sergio’s image on it. He really is like a rock star here right now and the atmosphere is charged and everyone knows about the fight.

By the terms – you know, I’m going to do some sightseeing in the next few days and get around Buenos Aires a bit and try to check out where Sergio is from, but I don’t expect to see Sergio all that often other than the press conference and the night of the fight, because I’m used to him at this point. His way is to very much keep focused and stay on his own and to himself this week.

(Jorge Javier): Well, Sergio, you know, we know that Argentina is a football crazy country and that’s been the main sport for many years. How do you feel your event will impact, you know, the actual people from your country there to continue to move on and make boxing a stronger, bigger sport, and have fighters such as yourself and other fighters you mentioned, to make them want to become boxers and come to the United States and follow their dreams as a boxer as you have?

Sergio Martinez: I feel that I have done my ground work and my fellow fighters are laying the ground work for boxing to become a much more popular sport, which is in fact popular already, but as I mentioned, it’s not at a level where soccer is, but we’re definitely working hard and laying this ground work. Not only the boxers, but I wants the companies – promoters, etc – to continue to promote and help boxers develop in order for them to become successful and future champions.

(Jorge Javier): I would also like to – this one is for Lou. Lou, with 50,000 people in Argentina, can Murray get a fair shake in a close fight there in Argentina?

Lou DiBella: Yes, I think he can get a fair shake in a close fight, yes. I do. I think he can get a fair shake. Now that being said, 40,000 people screaming for one fighter, you know, that gives that fighter that hometown advantage as far as his motivation and it might affect close rounds, but if Martin Murray wins the clear cut fight, I believe Martin Murray is going to get the decision.

Jim Slater: This is for Martin Murray. How we doing Martin?

Martin Murray: Yes, I’m good, thanks. Are you?

Jim Slater: Yes. I’d just like to ask you – it might sound a bit crazy – but most people think in this country, certainly, all the pressure is on you. Is there a chance in your mind that there’s more pressure on Sergio? As great of a fighter as he is, you know, it’s his homecoming, he wants to please his fans, he’s predicted the knock out. Do you think he might try too hard maybe to put on a show and this could work to our advantage?

Martin Murray: He’s obviously going to win best, just like me, but he’s a very smart fighter. Everything he’s done has worked for months and I can’t see him changing, but he’s, you know, he said he’s going to knock me out, so maybe he’s just trying a bit too hard and he could end up in trouble, but I plan for there to be 12 hard rounds and that’s what I think the fight is going to be.

Jim Slater: Hello, Ricky. Great to speak with you.

Rick Hatton: Hi, mate.

Jim Slater: Just one quick question. I know time is short.

Rick Hatton: Sure.

Jim Slater: Obviously, you’re not the fighter going to this one, you’re the promoter and you’re the advisor to Martin, but have you got that same kind of vibe, that same kind of feeling in your bones that you had entering your fight where you were the big underdog? Have you got that same kind of vibe that the upset is going to happen?

Rick Hatton: Very much so. This is why I went into promoting in the first place. You know, boxing is a passion for me and I was very fortunate through boxing to fulfill my dreams and make a wonderful future for myself and my family and my kids. What I’m doing is I’m helping people such as Martin to fulfill their dreams, you know?

Come Saturday night, I’ll be throwing every punch for Martin, but he has a wonderful chance. He knows he’s an underdog and he knows he’s up against it, but you know, we just feel it’s the right fight at the right time for Martin and although we all have the utmost respect – well I mean, when I boxed, I had the utmost respect for him, but when the bell went, I had to show him no respect. I’m seeing the same from the fighter.

He’s not coming over here to make up the numbers. He’s not coming over to get a sun tan. He’s come over because he barely believes he can beat Sergio. Sometimes when fighters tell you, “Yes, yes, I’m confident and I’m going to win” you can see right past them, but that is not the case for Martin. He’s got that nastiness that he knows he’s going to need to show the fighter and we’re just all jumping out of our skin waiting for Saturday to come.

It’s an exciting time for me as a promoter. I became a world champion and now I’m promoting lads outside winning world titles, so it’s going to be a very, very proud night for me, just like it is for Martin.

Jim Slater: Absolutely, and would this eclipse your win over the great Kostya Tszyu? I mean, you talk about great British away wins. Would this top your win even if Martin can do it?

Rick Hatton: Yes, I might say that, you know, when they mentioned the Kostya fight as one of the best British wins, that was with (unintelligible) – he was number two pound for pound and the best in the division. Sergio is number three pound for pound and the best in the division, but Martin is coming over to Argentina to fight a fermentable champion in his backyard and he’s marking some things off. You know, I think it wouldn’t even have clicked my win against Kostya Tszyu. That’s how big this fight will be for Martin.

Jim Slater: Right, well thanks very much Ricky. Thanks very much, mate. All the best, mate. We’re all pulling for you. Sergio is a great champion and obviously we respect him, but obviously in our pride, pride has to have the last word, and all of that is to Martin Murray.

Lou DiBella: I think that’ll wrap it up. I’d like to thank everybody for joining us. If you’re in Argentina right now, we’ll see you at Club Atletico Velez Sarsfield. If you’re back in the states, tune in on HBO at 8:30 Eastern time to get that Areolla/Steverne fight and then you’ll see Luis Carlos Abregu against Antonin Decarie, and of course, the true middleweight championship of the world, the real middleweight championship of the world, one of the pound for pound greats, Sergio Martinez, and undefeated Martin Murray from Great Britain. Thanks for joining us all and we look forward to this home coming on Saturday night. Take care.

The Martinez-Murray world championship telecast, which begins at 8:30 p.m ET/PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #MartinezMurray to join the conversation on Twitter. For constant updates on the fight, including videos, pictures and articles, visit www.dbe1.com, www.hbo.com or www.maravillavsmurray.com.

A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase through www.tuentrada.com

Buenos Aires, Argentina (4/24/13) – Earlier this afternoon, WBC Middleweight Champion “Maravilla” Martinez (50-2-2, 28KO’s) and the U.K.’s undefeated WBA interim champion Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11KO’s) held the final media conference call ahead of their World Championship bout that will air live on HBO from Buenos Aires, Argentina this Saturday evening. The card, which will be televised live beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, will be the first for Martinez in his native country of Argentina in over 11-years, and first ever since becoming Middleweight World Champion. The Championship bout will take place at the country’s famed 50,000-seat Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina. It marks HBO Boxing’s first-ever telecast from South America.

The two will meet face-to-face later on this afternoon in Argentina at the final press conference for the event. Below are quotes from the call.

SERGIO MARTINEZ – Champion

Thank you everyone for joining in on this call. Everything is going well with me and my preparations right now, better than ever. My team and I are extremely confident going into this fight, and the expectations are very high, and because of that I know that this is going to be a great event and a great night for my countrymen on Saturday night.

I have respect for Martin, but there is no doubt in my mind that this fight is going to end by knockout. My training for this fight has been the best I have ever had and my confidence is at the absolute highest level, and for that reason I guarantee this fight will end with a knockout on Saturday night.

MARTIN MURRAY – Challenger

It is an absolute pleasure to be here in Argentina. The people here have treated us with nothing but respect and we are very happy to be here in this country. Sergio is a great fighter, and I have nothing but the utmost respect for him. All that being said though, I didn’t come here to lose. I have had a great training camp and I feel that this is my time. Whatever Sergio brings on Saturday night I will be ready for it.

LOU DIBELLA – Promoter of Martinez

I can’t you how thrilling it is for us to be here and to see the excitement around this event and around Sergio. He truly is a huge star here in his homeland and we are just so excited for his homecoming on Saturday night.

Want to thank everyone who has been involved in putting this event together, including our partners here in Argentina, and my great partner and great friend with Sergio, Sampson Lewkowicz, as well as our sponsors and everyone from the Club Atletico Velez Sarsfield stadium.

The fight on Saturday night is not going to be an easy fight. Murray is one of the toughest guys in the middleweight division and he is a very, very good fighter and for that reason Sergio wanted this fight, because Murray presents a real and meaningful challenge.

Sergio is hands down the greatest fighter I have ever promoted. Not only is he a great boxing talent, but he is a great human being. He has waited for this opportunity, to fight again in Argentina for many, many years. I am excited to see all of those fans on Saturday night who are coming out to supporting their hometown hero and a future hall of famer.

SAMPSON LEWKOWICZ – Martinez Long-Time Advisor

Thank you to everyone involved in this event, especially our partners here in Argentina, Lou (DiBella) and of course everyone at HBO.

On Saturday night we are making history with this event and I have to thank HBO for that because they made this all possible. I love Sergio like my own son, and it is an honor to me to be able to provide him with this opportunity. We have talked about this for a long time, doing this event here in Argentina, and with Lou and HBO we have been able to make it a reality.

RICKY HATTON – Murray Promoter

We are very much looking forward to this fight on Saturday night. Obviously there are so many versions of world title’s these days, but this one is for the real middleweight championship. I can’t speak anymore highly of Sergio, he has paid his dues and deserves to be held in the absolute highest recognition. Like any great fighter though, everyone’s reign comes to an end at some time and I truly believe Sergio’s will come to an end Saturday night. I have seen a change in Martin this week, he is nasty right now. He knows the task at hand, and he is drilling with confidence. He has never looked as good as he has in the gym for this fight. I have seen a total change in his demeanor this week and Saturday cannot come quick enough for us. We are grateful to be sharing the ring with such a great champion on Saturday night, but we know that we are going to come out on top.

KERY DAVIS – Senior V.P. HBO Sports

All of us at HBO are very excited for this. Anytime Sergio fights it is a huge event for us, being that he is one of the best fighters in the world, but Saturday night is going to be very special. This is our first time ever televising a fight in Argentina, and we expect a very lively and raucous crowd on Saturday night. Murray presents a real challenge for Sergio. He is one of the top middleweight contenders in the world, and while he will be facing very tough odds on Saturday night, this isn’t the first time that he has had to enter into an opponent’s Lion’s den and because of that we expect nothing less than a spectacular event on Saturday night.

The Martinez-Murray world championship telecast, which begins at 8:30 p.m ET/PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #MartinezMurray to join the conversation on Twitter. For constant updates on the fight, including videos, pictures and articles, visit www.dbe1.com, www.hbo.com or www.maravillavsmurray.com.

A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase through www.tuentrada.com

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (April 19, 2013) – Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum announced today that the World Boxing Council (WBC) No.1-rated welterweight contender CARLOS “El Potro” ABREGU had signed an exclusive contract with Top Rank. Abregu, one of the division’s most exciting fighters, will make his Top Rank and his 2013 debut Next Saturday! April 27. He’ll be facing Top-Five contender Antonin Decarie, in Buenos Aires, in a 12-round welterweight bout for the vacant WBC Silver Championship. The Abregu vs. Decarie rumble will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, as part of a tripleheader which will also feature the Sergio Martinez vs. Martin Murray WBC middleweight title fight, beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

“We are delighted to have Carlos as part of our Top Rank group of fighters. He is a good, strong welterweight who will perform at the highest level against top competition,” said Arum.

Abregu (34-1, 28 KOs), from Salta, Argentina, is a two-time South American welterweight champion. He enters this fight riding a two-year, five-bout winning streak with all five victories coming by way of knockout. In his last fight, on October 27, he knocked out previously undefeated contender Thomas Dulorme in the seventh round of their HBO-televised bout.

Decarie (34-1, 28 KOs), of Laval, Québec, Canada, is world-rated No. 5 by the WBC.

New York, NY / Buenos Aires, Argentina (4/8/13) – Last week, tragedy struck the country of Argentina when torrential rains caused heavy flooding in La Plata, the low-lying capital and province of Buenos Aires.

Middleweight kingpin Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez was devastated upon hearing the news of the flooding that, as of last week, had claimed the lives of at least 50 people and left thousands without power. Martinez will be defending his WBC middleweight crown on April 27in his much-anticipated ‘Homecoming’ against England’s undefeated interim WBA middleweight champion Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11KO’s) at the country’s famed 50,000-seat Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield, in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina. HBO will provide live coverage of the bout beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

“I want to send my deepest condolences and all of my sympathy to the people of Buenos Aires. What has happened there is terrible,” said Martinez.

In an attempt to lend a helping hand, Martinez, along with the organizers of the April 27 event, will be donating $100,000 to Caritas La Plata.

“Along with the organizers of my fight, we have decided to donate $100,000 to Caritas La Plata to help assist the families that were affected by this tragedy. Do not stand in front of your TV watching and regretting what has happened. Stand up and donate what you can.”

Below is the website with information to make a donation.

http://www.caritaslaplata.org.ar/

The Martinez-Murray world championship telecast, which begins at 8:30 p.m ET/PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #MartinezMurray to join the conversation on Twitter. For constant updates on the fight, including videos, pictures and articles, visit www.dbe1.com, www.hbo.com or www.maravillavsmurray.com.

A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase through www.tuentrada.com

New York, NY / Buenos Aires, Argentina (4/2/13) – Middleweight kingpin Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (50-2-2, 28KO’s) and England’s undefeated interim WBA middleweight champion Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11KO’s) were both well under the 30-day weight limit for their upcoming WBC middleweight championship bout on April 27 in Martinez’ home country of Argentina. Martinez-Murray, taking place at the country’s famed 50,000-seat Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield, in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina, will be shown live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Both Martinez and Murray were already in tremendous shape, weighing in at exactly 170 lbs. each, just 10 lbs. above the middleweight limit.

The Martinez-Murray world championship telecast, which begins at 8:30 p.m ET/PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #MartinezMurray to join the conversation on Twitter. For constant updates on the fight, including videos, pictures and articles, visit www.dbe1.com, www.hbo.com or www.maravillavsmurray.com.

A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase through www.tuentrada.com

New York, NY / Buenos Aires, Argentina (3/27/13) – On April 27th, Middleweight kingpin Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez will make his much anticipated ‘Homecoming’ in his native country of Argentina, when he looks to defend his WBC middleweight title against England’s undefeated interim WBA middleweight champion Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11KO’s). Martinez-Murray will take place at the country’s famed 50,000-seat Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina and will be shown live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

In the live televised co-feature, Martinez’ fellow countryman, longtime welterweight contender Luis Carlos Abregu (34-1, 28KO’s) takes on fellow top-rated contender Antonin Decarie (27-1, 8KO’s) for the vacant WBC Silver welterweight world title.

“Boxing needs to step into the 21st century and use the technology that we have available to us, to make sure that justice prevails in this sport,” stated the WBC’s Mauricio Sulaiman. “Justice is not served in our sport when fouls or accidental actions occur, creating unjust results. The WBC has used Instant Replay for the last five years with great results, and we are very happy to be working together with the highly prestigious TV network, HBO, for this historic event.”

“The WBC has always been at the forefront of advancing boxing either through medical safety standards and technology as well as the overall betterment of the sport. This is just another example of the WBC helping boxing take another step forward,” stated DiBella Entertainment’s V.P. Ron Rizzo.

“We are supportive of this initiative and happy to lend technical assistance so the officials can make their determinations,” said Rick Bernstein, executive producer, HBO Sports. “Instant replay can be a valuable asset since everybody’s goal is to have the correct call.”

“I will never forget when everyone criticized Don Jose Sulaiman, President of the WBC, when he changed the distance of world championship fights from 15 rounds to 12 rounds. Now, every major sanctioning body follows that same rule for championship bouts. Hopefully for the good of boxing, everyone will follow him and use instant replay to avoid any more controversies in our beloved sport,” said Sampson Lewkowicz, longtime advisor of Martinez.

The Martinez-Murray world championship telecast, which begins at 8:30 p.m ET/PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #MartinezMurray to join the conversation on Twitter. For constant updates on the fight, including videos, pictures and articles, visit www.dbe1.com, www.hbo.com or www.maravillavsmurray.com.

A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase through www.tuentrada.com

New York, NY / Buenos Aires, Argentina (3/22/13) – On April 27th, Middleweight kingpin Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez will make his much anticipated ‘Homecoming’ in his native country of Argentina, when he looks to defend his WBC middleweight title against England’s undefeated interim WBA middleweight champion Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11KO’s).

In the live televised co-feature, Martinez’ fellow countryman, longtime welterweight contender Luis Carlos Abregu (34-1, 28KO’s) takes on fellow top-rated contender Antonin Decarie (27-1, 8KO’s) for the vacant WBC Silver welterweight world title.

Both bouts will take place at the country’s famed 50,000-seat Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina, with HBO World Championship Boxing providing live coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Only one week after tickets went on sale, just a few hundred were left available for purchase at the entire 50,000-seat venue. With the bout being the first for Martinez in his native country since 2002, and first ever as world champion, the expectations for the turnout on fight night were high, but even the organizers of the event in Argentina were blown away by the fan response.

“I am very pleased with the way the event has been received by my fellow countrymen and I promise to give them a performance that will be talked about for years to come,” stated the Champion Martinez. “This is a dream come true for me and I hope it inspires the youth in Argentina and the world that with hard work and a clean lifestyle anything is possible.”

Martinez added, “I would also, from the bottom of my heart, like to thank HBO Sports president Ken Hershman, who I asked personally when I was out to lunch with him, Sampson (Lewkowicz), Lou (DiBella), and Nathan (Lewkowicz), in New York City, if HBO could facilitate a fight for me in Argentina after the Chavez fight. Ken Hershman promised they would work on it and now it has come to fruition.”

“This is a massive opportunity for me and it’s going to be a hard fight, but it doesn’t daunt me at all,” said the undefeated champion Murray. “I’m told there’s going to be about 50,000 people in the stadium so it’s going to be very hostile. I’m always in the zone when I enter the ring though, so it makes no difference what people are doing around me. I’ll just be focused on going in there and doing my job.

“Sergio Martinez is easily the best middleweight in the world so obviously I’ll need to raise my game to beat him, but myself, and my team, know that’s something we’re very capable of doing. Winning this will make me the number one middleweight in the world and set up some more huge opportunities. Being on HBO is an absolute honor. It is the biggest stage in the world. There’s stardom to be had, but I don’t box for that. I’m doing this to prove I’m the best middleweight in the world and for the future of my wife and kids.”

“We are thrilled to be involved with this gigantic and historic event,” said Martinez’ longtime promoter Lou DiBella. “Argentina’s favorite son, long-reigning middleweight champion Sergio ‘Maravilla’ Martinez, returns to his native land to defend his crown against the undefeated English challenger Martin Murray. In the co-feature, you have fellow Argentinean Luis Carlos Abregu facing Canada’s Antonin Decarie, in a highly anticipated welterweight matchup, with the World WBC Silver Championship at stake. This will be the first time that this great stadium will play host to a world championship boxing event, adding to what promises to be a truly memorable night for the sport of boxing and for the great country of Argentina.”

“HBO Boxing is delighted to be able to present live Sergio Martinez’ middleweight title defense from his homeland,” said Kery Davis, Senior Vice President, Programming, HBO Sports. “This doubleheader from Buenos Aires will have a true international flavor and spirit. We know all four fighters will be bringing their A-game on fight night. Boxing fans are in for a real treat. The telecast from a high-energy, open-air stadium will be exciting.”

“This is a massive step up for Martin but I think he could be getting Martinez at the right time. He (Martinez) was rocked all over the place in his last fight against Chavez Jr. and he’s 38-years-old,” said former world champion and promoter of Murray, Ricky Hatton.

“Martin has really come into his own the past couple of years and, to be honest, I think if he can pull this off it will go down as one of the best wins by a British fighter in history. When I beat Kostya Tsyzu he was ranked number two pound-for-pound in the world and I think most people have Martinez at number three. The difference is though that Martin’s going away from home for this fight, so if he wins, I think it’ll be bigger than my fight with Tsyzu.”

“This event will be a celebration, not just for the country of Argentina, but for the viewers of the best network in boxing, HBO,” proclaimed Sampson Lewkowicz, the longtime advisor of Martinez.

“The hard work for this event has paid off and we are now focusing on providing the fans of Argentina and the viewers of HBO a fantastic show that will rival any other production that they have seen in the past,” stated Martinez’ business manager Miguel Ángel de Pablos.

Never in the history of the sport has the President of a country made the official announcement of a fight as is the case with Martinez’ upcoming bout. In addition to announcing the world championship bout, Argentina’s President, Cristina Kirchner, also revealed that the fight will be shown live on public TV Channel 7 in Argentina, allowing 40 million Argentineans to see their champion defend his title on free television.

The bout against Murray will be Martinez’ first since regaining his WBC belt from Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the son of the legend. On September 15, 2012, in a masterful performance in his first HBO PPV headliner, Martinez, globally recognized as one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world, dismantled the powerful, undefeated Mexican winning a dominant 12-round unanimous decision before a record-setting, sell-out crowd at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV.

Since defeating Kelly Pavlik for the championship in 2010, Martinez has made five title defenses, including four by devastating knockout, against top opponents with a combined record of 173-4-1.

The 30-year-old Murray, a former Commonwealth and British champion, is unbeaten in 26 professional bouts since turning pro in 2007. Unlike Martinez, who had a very limited amateur pedigree, Murray began boxing at just 11 years old and had a stellar amateur career that included winning the ABA (British senior) title in 2004.

In just his second year as a professional and with only 10 fights under his belt, Murray competed in the U.K.’s ever-popular ‘Prizefighter Middleweight Tournament’, knocking off two fellow undefeated prospects and ultimately winning the tournament in the process.

In 2009, he signed with Hatton Promotions, joining forces with one of Britain’s most popular boxers in its long-storied history, Ricky Hatton.

The bout will not be the first time that Murray has traveled into enemy territory. In 2011, he challenged longtime WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm in Sturm’s home country of Germany. In a give-and-take fight, Murray was dealt a 12-round split draw against Sturm, one that many boxing insiders questioned loudly.

Not to be deterred, Murray won both of his contests in 2012, including his most recent outing when he picked up the interim WBA middleweight title scoring a devastating sixth-round TKO over previously undefeated Jorge Navarro (12-0, 10KO’s) on November 24, 2012.

The Martinez-Murray world championship telecast, which begins at 8:30 p.m ET/PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #MartinezMurray to join the conversation on Twitter. For constant updates on the fight, including videos, pictures and articles, visit www.dbe1.com, www.hbo.com or www.maravillavsmurray.com.

A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase through www.tuentrada.com

Former Middleweight beltholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr was fine $900,000 and suspended for nine months for his positive post fight drug test following his loss to Sergio Martinez in September that showed that Chavez had marijuana in his system.

“I’d like to apologize to everyone in boxing,” Chavez told the commission. “I know this has been a very bad thing for me and my career. A lot of things have been said about it and my reputation. I respect boxing a lot. I’ve been in it a long time. I try to do the best I can and will continue to try to do the best I can because I love boxing more than ever.”

“The nine months is fine, but a 30 percent fine on a purse of $3 million, that’s extortion,” Chavez promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com. “That means Julio has to make a decision — is he going to contest the fine in court or he can elect not to fight ever again in Nevada. There’s no question the nine months is the nine months, but it’s ridiculous money, particularly since you already take out 30 percent for taxes.

“I was hoping for nine months, that worked out. The fine is an absolute stunner. You don’t do that to an athlete. Which athlete in any sport has been fined as much as $900,000?”

Under questioning from the commissioners, Chavez admitted that he smoked marijuana “eight or nine days before the fight.”

“I feel very bad about the situation,” Chavez said. “I know I committed a big error, a mistake. I wanted everyone to know this has hurt me and that I let a lot of people down. It was a big mistake and I know it has damaged me.”

Chavez was asked why he thought the commission should be lenient on him.

“I’m asking for leniency so I can fight as soon as I can, but I am willing to take my punishment,” he said. “I know I committed an error.”

Asked why he decided to smoke before the fight, Chavez said, “I was told it would help my stress. I was tense for the fight and someone mentioned it to me and that’s why I did it eight or nine days before the fight.”

Chavez would not say who suggested he smoke marijuana other than that it was a “personal friend of mine from Los Angeles.”

Chavez was asked if he had felt pressure before previous fights and answered, “Never like this time.”

On why he smoked marijuana before this fight and not any other, Chavez said, “I couldn’t tell you the exact reason why I did it. I just can tell you I was under a lot of stress and had family problems, a lot of things going on in my life. Just something I did. It was the biggest mistake and I’ll never do it again.”

Chavez said he never smoked before any other fight, but declined to answer whether he had ever smoked marijuana at all, answering only, “I wasn’t myself. I was not thinking properly

“He didn’t answer if he had smoked before and that has an impact on me making a decision,” commissioner Pat Lundvall said.

“He’s well aware of the rules of the commission,” Lundvall said.

“He’s going to fight June 16, we cleared that with the commission,” Arum said. “They told us we can promote the fight during the suspension as long as the fight takes place after the suspension is up. But we were not going to take this fight to Las Vegas anyway. We have a hold on a building in Texas or we may do the fight in the new arena in Mexico City. One thing we won’t do is have Chavez fight in Mexico during the suspension [where he could get a license].”

New York, NY (2/5/13) – Middleweight kingpin Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez was on the cover of this month’s Argentine edition of Rolling Stone magazine that hit stands yesterday.

The WBC middleweight champion Martinez (50-2-2, 28KO’s) is set to defend his crown April 27th against the U.K.’s undefeated Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11KO’s) at
Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina. The soccer stadium will be set up to hold 50,000 + people, and will be the first fight for Martinez in his native country of Argentina since 2002. HBO’s World Championship Boxing will provide live coverage of the event. Martinez has already begun training for his defense on the 27th.

“I am very appreciative to Rolling Stone for placing me on the cover,” said Martinez. “It is a great honor for me, and I had a great time working with the people at Rolling Stone on the latest edition of their magazine.”

“We at DBE have always believed that Sergio rocks. What better publication then to grace the pages of Rolling Stone. That is just flat out cool,” said long-time promoter Lou DiBella.

Martinez’ management team of Sampson Lewkowicz, Miguel Ángel de Pablos and Nathan Lewkowicz were also excited about Martinez being featured on the cover.

“I am very proud and very excited that he is being recognized for his popularity in Argentina. This is a tremendous honor to be part of, let alone on the cover of such a historic magazine as Rolling Stone.” – Sampson Lewkowicz, long-time advisor.

“The hard work of the team is coming to fruition and Sergio is now recognized throughout the world as a true superstar.” – Miguel Ángel de Pablos, business manager.

“It’s a very well written article and it introduces people that do not follow boxing to one of the sport’s best representatives.” – Nathan Lewkowicz, VP Sampson Boxing

“The passion caused by the great and sublime in nature, when those causes operate most powerfully, is Astonishment; and astonishment is that state of the soul, in which all its motions are suspended, with some degree of horror.” – Edmund Burke, “A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, Part Two,” 1757

It is the horror that concerns me. Horror, after all, is what the 18th-century Irishman uniquely identified – an ingredient of astonishment that might otherwise escape us. Horror is what I unknowingly wished to get at the morning after Argentine Sergio Martinez nearly succumbed to his 12th-round sacking by Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Sept. 15 at University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center: “a burst of something so chemically pure the body hates it, an intensity unendurable for more than a few seconds.”

That was the sensation I experienced in the final 90 seconds, or at least the moment of those seconds that started when Martinez, the world’s middleweight champion, collapsed between the ropes, straightened himself, then got pounded rightwards to the mat. There was a sensation of horror, a sensation that something torturous was afoot, and that its consequences would resonate. Without a rooting interest per se (it was my seventh Chavez fight, having first interviewed him in the concourse of America West Arena seven years before; it was my first Martinez fight, having first enjoyed a conversation with him in July, one that treated, in part, Martinez’s delight with John Kennedy Toole’s novel “A Confederacy of Dunces” and its relish of absurdity), I was decidedly more horrified by Chavez’s felling Martinez midway through their final round than any of the 300 flush blows with which Martinez’s black leather striped Chavez’s face and body.

Chavez was not the match’s thinker, not by any stretch, and perhaps that’s why. Throughout, Chavez concerned himself only with striking or blocking while trusting pedigree to guide him through a geometry of the ring others need years to master but Chavez absorbed as a boy spying on his dominant father; Chavez was not setting traps, disproving theories or making inquiries of any Martinez attribute save weakness. Martinez, meanwhile, analyzed every set of Chavez stimuli at every moment, checking it against its immediate predecessor and its forming template, a means of combat more enervating for a person of Chavez’s temperament than even the Argentine’s relentlessly pumping legs and bobbing, uncovered chin would be for someone of Chavez’s flaccid conditioning.

There were several things that happened in round 10, the gravity of whose consequences went at first unnoticed: An accidental banging of heads to which Chavez reacted theatrically and Martinez more subtlety, and when Chavez pushed the back of Martinez’s neck till he dropped him on all fours. I recorded both in my notes but didn’t assign either sufficient import. The headbutt opened a gash inside Martinez’s scalp line, and if it did that, it dazed him, too, setting his magnificent brain misfiring. But the way Martinez had to lift himself from the mat was more significant still: It revealed his fatigue.

There is something naturally stressful about being chased by a larger man, especially one intellectually incapable of dissuasion or discouragement, but each movement Martinez’s legs made till that instant they’d made through training camp, and their fatigue was a slow-mounting thing. Rising from his knees, though, put Martinez’s legs in a unique enough position to shock him with how much strength had fled, and his jaw dropped in a large O that remained through the explosive finish.

“But pain is always inflicted by a power in some way superior, because we never submit to pain willingly. So that strength, violence, pain, and terror, are ideas that rush in upon the mind together.”

Here again Burke instructs us. However devastating Martinez’s blows to Chavez’s head were, no matter their longterm consequences, Chavez’s punches were more dramatic to behold, because they more evidently pained the smaller man, causing a submission Martinez did not expect, did not in any conscious way allow for – more macho than his rivals know – but, in empathy, must have imagined. There was an imposition of will in the final round, when Chavez succeeded, mostly, in brutalizing a man 15 or so pounds smaller, and it followed the moment Martinez came off his stool in misplaced triumph, gloves raised as if the ordeal were over, and Chavez lumbered off his stool like a man not even keeping a tally of lashes, rounds or punches – a tormentor in his own timezone, one devoid of urgency, a man who a round earlier had to silence his ferocious father’s barking from behind by saying over his left shoulder, “ya, ya, ya (enough, enough, enough).” For paternal prodding and its impatience with spectacle, actually, were all that agitated Chavez the whole evening.

“Beauty in distress is much the most affecting beauty.”

In Part Three of his classical treatment of aesthetics, Burke explored the linguistic ploy every culture uses of making the beautiful diminutive and the ugly large. Chavez, in the moment of the 12th round he spun Martinez for a second time to his knees and elbows on the mat, remains ogre-like in my mind, careless, insatiable, enormous, ugly. Martinez, I see, reduced to tininess, preciousness – enfeebled and distressed. He would swell to normal size a half minute later, with the paddled apron’s signal of 10 seconds, but those moments of Martinez’s diminishment and fragility hold within them, for me, the door to another chamber of prizefighting’s palatial appeal.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

New York, NY / Buenos Aires, Argentina (12/4/12) – It was officially announced last week that WBC Middleweight Champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (50-2-2, 28KO’s), who will be presented with his new belt this week at the WBC Convention in Cancun, will defend his title next against England’s undefeated interim WBA Middleweight Champion Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11KO’s) in Martinez’ home country of Argentina. In a historic move, the event was announced by the President of Argentina, Cristina Kirchner and will be held on April 27. The bout will be broadcast on HBO’s “World Championship Boxing”.

“I’m privileged and honored to take part in Argentinian history in the announcement of my homecoming fight in my homeland with President Cristina de Kirchner and I want to thank my fans for supporting me throughout my career and I promise to give them a show they will be proud of on April 27,” said Martinez.

“On April 27, the great Sergio Martinez will defend his title against a worthy challenger in front of fifty thousand adoring Argentinians. This will be a historic night for middleweight boxing and I am thrilled to be Sergio’s promoter and to be part of an event of this magnitude,” said promoter Lou DiBella.

“I am very honored to be a part of such a historic event,” said Martinez’ longtime advisor Sampson Lewkowicz. “This will be a very special night for me as this has been a dream and request of Sergio’s to be able to defend his championship in front of all of his adoring fans in Argentina, the country that loves him so much for a long time.”

Never in the history of the sport has the President of a country made the official announcement of a fight as is the case with Martinez’ upcoming bout. In addition to announcing the world championship bout, President Kirchner also revealed that the fight will be shown live on public TV Channel 7 in Argentina, allowing 40 million Argentinians to see their champion defend his title on free television.

The bout will be Martinez’ first in Argentina since February 2002, and his first since winning a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., which was shown live on HBO PPV on September 15. Martinez is, in fact, undefeated in Argentina, winning 24 of 25 bouts, with one draw later avenged, since turning pro in 1997. He will look to continue that streak against Murray on April 27.

The 30-year-old Murray, a native of the United Kingdom, is coming off a sixth-round TKO over previously undefeated Jorge Navarro on November 24. The lone blemish on Murray’s record is a split decision draw to longtime reigning WBA Middleweight Champion Felix Sturm.

Madrid, Spain / New York, NY (11/13/12) – Yesterday afternoon, reigning middleweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez underwent surgery to repair his right knee and ankle, both which were injured in his last fight against then WBC Middleweight Champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Martinez had the operation done in Spain, where he has been living since relocating from his native Argentina earlier in his career. The operation was done by highly regarded doctor Villamor Perez, the personal physician for the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I.

“I am very, very happy with how the operation went,” said Martinez. “I will be rehabbing for two or so weeks and then I will be back in the gym, and begin preparations for my next title defense, which will take place next year in my native Argentina. This will be my first fight there in many years and I am really looking forward to defending my title in front of all of my great fans in Argentina.”

“We are very pleased that Sergio’s surgery today was successful with no complications. He’ll be back on his feet in a few weeks and able to train shortly thereafter,” said promoter Lou DiBella. “He’ll have no problem getting ready for an April fight and we hope to help him realize his dream of defending the WBC Middleweight Championship in his homeland of Argentina.”

“Now that the surgery is complete, I have no doubt that Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez will be back better than ever and continue to show everyone that he is one of, if not the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. We want to thank everyone who has sent their thoughts and prayers to Sergio for a successful and speedy recovery,” said longtime advisor Sampson Lewkowicz.

“It was an absolutely perfect operation,” said Martinez’ business manager Miguel Angel de Pablos. “Doctor Villamor Perez did a magnificent job and we couldn’t have been any happier with the outcome. Sergio will immediately begin working with our own personal doctor Raquel Bordons on his rehab, and will be back in the gym very soon.”

World Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez is looking into fighting in his homeland of Argentina on April 27th according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“The most important thing he wants to do is fight for his people in his country,” Sampson Lewkowicz, Martinez’s adviser, told ESPN on Monday. “We need to comply with that wish. He deserves to fight at home in front of his own people. Always he was the visitor. It’s time to be the hometown fighter.”

Lewkowicz said the specific venue and opponent are not determined, but they have a short list for both.

“We have four on the short list,” Lewkowicz said of the possible opponents.

The leading candidate is England’s Martin Murray (24-0-1, 10 KOs), whose draw came in a world title bout against then-middleweight titleholder Felix Sturm in December 2011. Murray would have to win a fight he has scheduled to remain in contention. He is slated to face Jorge Navarro for a vacant interim belt on Nov. 24 in Manchester, England on the undercard of former junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton’s return from retirement against former welterweight titleholder Vyacheslav Senchenko.

“Martin Murray is the desired opponent, as long as he wins his upcoming fight,” Lou DiBella, Martinez’s promoter, told ESPN. “There’s a huge competitive thing between Argentina and the Brits.

“Sergio will be ready by April,” DiBella said.

Said Lewkowicz, “He will have plenty of time recuperate for a fight then.”

“Sergio is a giant superstar in Argentina now,” DiBella said. “One of the venues being discussed is a 50,000-seat soccer stadium with a retractable roof.”

Lewkowicz said the target date for a rematch with Mexican star Chavez is Sept. 14, the same weekend on which he met Chavez this year — Mexican Independence Day weekend.

He said he and Top Rank’s Bob Arum, Chavez’s promoter, have been discussing it.

“Bob and I discussed it and that is the appropriate time for the rematch,” Lewkowicz said.

World Middleweight Champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez of Maravilla Box Promotions will make his promotional debut in his home country of Argentina on Saturday, November 3, in the city of Colon, in Entre Rios, Argentina, in a jam-packed night of professional boxing presenting two world title fights and several top contenders in important battles.

Co-promoted by Maravilla Box, Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing and Carlos Gonzalez of Best Box, the exciting night will feature in the 12-round main event, WBA #2 contender Roberto “La Araña” Vasquez (32-5, 22 KOs) of Panama City, Panama, taking on WBA #3 contender John Mark “Iceman” Apolinario (17-2-1 4 KOs) of Sarangani, Philippines, for the Interim WBA World Bantamweight Championship.

The 29-year-old southpaw Vasquez is a former WBA World light flyweight Champion. 22-year-old Apolinario won the WBO Oriental Super Flyweight title in 2009.

In the night’s 10-round co-main event, Cecilia “La Reina” Comunales (9-1, 6 KOs) from Paysandu, Uruguay, will make the first defense of her WBA female lightweight title against Simone Da Silva Duarte (11-3, 4 KOs) from Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The 23-year-old Comunales won the title with a TKO 1 over Maribel Santana last March.

On the jam-packed undercard:

In a 10-round super featherweight bout, Israel Hector Enrique “Cachito” Perez (23-2-1, 13 KOs) from Oxnard, California via Buenos Aires, will face Orlen Padilla (19-3-1, 17 KOs) from Puerto Colombia, Colombia.

In a 10-round featherweight bout, Jonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (8-0, 8 KOs) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, will face Emerson “The Winner” Santos Carvalho (10-3-1, 8 KOs) from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

In another 10-round super featherweight bout, Fernando David “El Vasco” Saucedo (46-5-3, 4 KOs) from Buenos Aires, Argentina takes on Cristian El Tigre Palma (18-6-1, 5 KOs) from Lautaro, Chile.

In a 10-round welterweight bout for the vacant WBA Fedelatin Welterweight Title, Azael “Turbo” Cosio (15-1-2, 12 KOs) from Santa Marta, Panama, will face Cesar Humberto Velez (11-3-1, 4 KOs) from Cordoba, Argentina.

In an 8-round super lightweight bout, Juan Carlos “Merengue” Abreu (12-0, 11 KOs) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, will face Claudinei “Volcano” Lacerda (14-6, 10 KOs) from Sombrio, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

And in another 10-round super featherweight bout, undefeated Braulio “El Chavo” Rodriguez (9-0, 9 KOs) from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, will take on Roberto Santos de Jesus (14-7, 10 KOs) from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The beautiful City of Colón in Argentina is located on the western shore of the Uruguay River and lies opposite Paysandú, Uruguay. Colón is the center of an important tourist region, featuring high-quality hotels, a casino, and also a hot springs and associated facilities.

The event will be televised by TyC Sports in Argentina, in Panama on RPC Channel 4, in Uruguay on VTV and on TV5 in the Philippines.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has tested positive for Marijuana following his unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Sergio Martinez this past Saturday night in Las Vegas.

“The commission let (Top Rank’s Carl) Moretti know (Tuesday) night that he tested positive,” said Chavez promoter Bob Arum. “I can’t really get excited about it. There’s no promoter in boxing who could pass the marijuana test, including myself.

“Julio is going to have to explain to the commission what happened and the commission will be guided accordingly. If there was a trace of marijuana, to me, it’s not the same as using a performance-enhancing drug. That is cheating.”

“I will release the results from the event once I get them all back, but Top Rank’s statement is an accurate reflection of the conversation I had with them (Tuesday),” Kizer said. “We had a positive test, one from that card.”

“Of course, we’re disappointed in him,” Arum said. “Hopefully, he can learn a lesson here and next time get in top shape for the fight. But it shows you the immaturity here. He needs to grow up.”

“Of course, we’re disappointed in him,” Arum said. “Hopefully, he can learn a lesson here and next time get in top shape for the fight. But it shows you the immaturity here. He needs to grow up.”

New York, NY (9/19/12) – Just hours before he was to step into the ring for the most important fight of his life against the now former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., The Ring Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez took the time to make a dream come true for one special family.

Days before the fight, Martinez’ camp received a touching letter stating that a family of five was driving 550 miles from Albuquerque, NM, to attend the fight to see Sergio, their favorite fighter. The family’s two oldest sons are severely disabled, with the oldest suffering from Cerebral Palsy while his brother has Downs Syndrome. The oldest son’s birthday had just passed on September 14, and while they knew their request “would be a stretch,” they asked if Sergio could meet the boys.

“Even though I was deep in my preparation and focused on the fight later that night, my team told me about a special request from a fan who was traveling very far with his sons to see my fight. I learned about the hardships that both of his sons face and that it would be a birthday surprise if I met with them and posed for a photo. There was no way I was going to let them down.”

“I believe that Karma is powerful,” said Martinez’ promoter Lou DiBella. “Sergio met with these young men just hours before his fight, rearranging his schedule to do so. He invited no press or camera crews and it had nothing to do with last minute promotion. It had to do with a sense of compassion and social responsibility by a kind, good hearted man.”

After meeting the family, Sergio went on to reclaim the WBC Middleweight Championship–which had been stripped from him–and defend his The Ring Middleweight Championship with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Chavez Jr.

LAS VEGAS – Two major cards separated by a short ride looked like an accident about to happen. Look again. Sergio Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at Thomas & Mack Center and Canelo Alvarez-Josesito Lopez at the MGM Grand were a lot of things. It was a good night to wear a sombrero. It was a long night in line for a cab and a longer line at the bar.

It was one shot of Pancho Villa, a shot of Peron, another shot of soccer and endless shots of tequila. Above all, it was thoroughly Vegas, at least Vegas before the recession. It was also boxing at its best, which also means some of its worst. Nothing can be so irresistible and so distasteful at the same time.

But there it was Saturday night, a double shot and 180 proof of what is so compelling about a sport that just won’t die no matter how hard it tries to kill itself.

It was impossible to see the depth of its unique resiliency Saturday. I tried. But there was just too much to see. My night started at the MGM Grand. It ended at Thomas & Mack with a brilliant victory by Sergio Martinez, who survived a wild 12th-round comeback from Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.

My cab driver predicted the winner. But not the drama.

“Martinez by knockout,’’ the driver said beneath an old cowboy hat that he had to have been wearing 25 years ago when he collected fares from fans who watched Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin, Hagler, Robert Duran and Thomas Hearns.

But it was Chavez who almost won by knockout. Chavez sent Martinez spinning down and onto the canvas in the 12th round, immediately conjuring up memories of how his dad, Julio Cesar Legend, beat Meldrick Taylor with two seconds left so long ago.

An encore for the Chavez family didn’t happen, not even on a weekend celebrating Mexican Independence. Chavez blamed himself after losing a unanimous decision. He said he started his stubborn assault too late. Martinez, a proud Argentine, also put himself in harm’s way when he didn’t have to. In the end, however, Martinez wouldn’t let Chavez steal a victory or the middleweight title he had ensured himself on the scorecards. Argue with Chavez’ early rounds. Argue with Martinez’ last round.

But don’t argue with the climactic finish. A record crowd of 19,187 at Thomas & Mack loved it. Mexicans and Argentines, alike, cheered loudly, filling the old basketball arena with chants that echoed down the aisles and through time.

Boxing isn’t back. It never left.

Not long after leaving the MGM Grand, super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez scored a fifth-round KO of Josesito Lopez in a bout that was probably more significant for the number of people in the seats than it was for the victory. The undersized Lopez was overmatched. Canelo had been favored by odds as big as 14-1. Yet, a capacity crowd of 14,275 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena showed up. There’s been a nasty debate between Golden Boy Promotions and rival Top Rank about how many tickets were sold and at what price. Yet on a night when Canelo was a laughable favorite in a Golden Boy promotion up against Top Rank’s intriguing Martinez-Chavez Jr. showdown, Canelo filled the seats.

“That underlines just how big an attraction Canelo is,’’ Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said.

It underlines much more than that. Two cards within a couple of miles of each other drew a total of 33,462 fans. That’s no accident.