Sergio Martinez looked shot after the first minute of the first round. He was rocked by a left hook that had him reeling all over the ring after finally falling face first to the canvas. His face looked in pain as he layer on the canvas, we didn’t know if it was from the punch or something about his knee. As he went up again he was met with an assortment of combinations by his predator and dropped hard once again. He got up and showed his discontent, this time he didn’t look as hurt, he seemed to be frustrated, and at that moment we knew his knee wouldn’t hold anymore. He was dropped a third time and he still looked shaken, his eyes were still there and he made sure the referee knew he was clear minded. He answered his questions clearly and continued. Many doubted he would survive round two, but he did. His proud reign as the middleweight championship was finally about to end after two years of injuries that started in that dreadful 12th round against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in a fight he begged to have. It would turn out to be his downfall. The injury to his knee that he suffered in that fight would come haunting him until the 10th round of his fight with Miguel Cotto, where he would eventually lose his title in dramatic fashion.
Seeing a man like Sergio Martinez manhandled by a much smaller boxer like Miguel Cotto is shocking indeed, yet, when all is said and done, it doesn’t seem as surprising considering what has transpired during the last 18 to 20 months. Martinez was there for the taking and Freddy Roach, Miguel Cotto’s trainer (and ex Chavez Jr’s) knew it. He took the gamble much like he did when he put his pupil Manny Pacquiao against Oscar de la Hoya. Everybody thought he was crazy when he said that De La Hoya couldn’t pull the trigger anymore, but he knew. We will never doubt Freddy anymore, he knows an opportunity when he see’s it. “He can’t pull the trigger anymore” said Freddy before the fight, and everybody laughed. Roach saw a beaten up fighter in Martinez and he wen’t for the opportunity. He predicted a 4th round knockout and he almost got it in the 1st. “Nostradamus” I said. Yet after really thinking about it, we all knew, but didn’t want to accept the fact that Martinez was spent goods after the Murray fight back in April of last year.
The Middleweight championship is one of the 8 original weight classes in our sport, one of the most coveted prizes in our sport and one that is very difficult to get for a Welterweight belt holder. Many have tried and failed, the size differential is substantial and not everybody can get past the power+speed combination of a middleweight champion. Sergio Martinez is an awkward fighter known for his athleticism and sudden burst of power. He was no easy out for anybody, and just thinking of the idea of him fighting any of the current welterweight champions made many laugh. Martinez is too big, strong, fast and powerful for any of those fighters to beat. Yet, Miguel Cotto, a small Welterweight came in with the perfect game plan that included a nice combination of punches to the body, straight leads and a powerful left hook to beat the much bigger man. Now he belongs in a select group of fighters that include Ray Robinson, Mickey Walker, Roberto Duran, Emile Griffith and Ray Leonard who have managed to win the Middleweight championship after reigning in the 147 pound division.
For Puerto Rico it also means that they finally have a four division champion. Considering the island’s deep historic roster of great champions and never having had a four division champion seemed wrong, but now, after Cotto destroyed Maravilla, they finally have it. Yes, there may be greater champion’s in the list, such as Carlos Ortiz, Felix Trinidad, Wilfredo Benitez, Wilfredo Gomez and maybe even Hector Camacho, but none of them can say that they won the lineal Middleweight championship of the world. Yes, Trinidad won an alphabet title in that division but was destroyed by the real champion. Cotto has four divisions under his belt and will forever hold that against the Puerto Rican greats. He is now obviously a lock for the Hall of Fame, and he can only add to his resume from now on.
Something I’ve been saying for the past year or so is that the true greats dare to be great. Floyd Mayweather has been eating up B- fighters for the last 10 years and dominates in ways that makes him look as the best ever (as he likes to call himself), yet, for any knowledgable boxing fan, he’s just doing nothing that will elevate him in the all time great ranks. He doesn’t have a definite win in his career, he hasn’t put himself in a situation where he is the underdog, where people don’t see him winning in any sort of ways, in other words: he hasn’t dared to be great. I said it after the Maidana fight, he needs to challenge himself and look for the Middleweight title. He should fight Martinez, Golovkin or even Andre Ward. He should try to do something great. Well my friend, most of your fans said that you were to small to do that and guess what? Somebody beat you to it. Miguel Cotto dared to be great and now belongs with the greats.
The RepubliKa Boxing 