Thread: Sergio Martinez... What's happened?

He looked TERRIBLE in his fight against Murray. Is he just getting old?

Probably is age and also injury after the JC Junior fight. The inactivity has hurt him.

Didn't he start late as well?

Sadly, as much as i am hoping against it. I think the fame has gone to his head. Dictating the fight happen in Argentina and i think after the fight, he referred to himself as a "superstar". I winced when I heard that word.

I'm not 100% sure. He looked spectacular against Junior for 11 rounds, and he even fought back in the final seconds on the 12th round to show his heart, but it appears the injuries he suffered in the Junior fight didn't heal properly. Allegedly, he is fighting again in March/April. We'll make a final assessment then, but it appears that his body is getting to the point where it doesn't respond as well as it has in the past.

I just read his hand and his knee are fine now and he's back in light training. Don't think he'll ever be the same again though. I think he'll have a tuneup against somebody he can beat and then he's out of his HBO contract. In the meantime Floyd fights the Matthysse-Garcia winner. Then they fight each other at 155. Floyd gets to claim he won the middleweight world championship against the top 160 pounder and a pound for pound guy, Martinez gets a massive retirement payday.

Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing

I just read his hand and his knee are fine now and he's back in light training. Don't think he'll ever be the same again though. I think he'll have a tuneup against somebody he can beat and then he's out of his HBO contract. In the meantime Floyd fights the Matthysse-Garcia winner. Then they fight each other at 155. Floyd gets to claim he won the middleweight world championship against the top 160 pounder and a pound for pound guy, Martinez gets a massive retirement payday.

I actually hope this happens but Sergio batters Floyd. Sergio deserves the pay day he started late and worked hard fighting in other peoples countries.

I see Sergio's next fight being against Cotto in March/April.

Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing

I just read his hand and his knee are fine now and he's back in light training. Don't think he'll ever be the same again though. I think he'll have a tuneup against somebody he can beat and then he's out of his HBO contract. In the meantime Floyd fights the Matthysse-Garcia winner. Then they fight each other at 155. Floyd gets to claim he won the middleweight world championship against the top 160 pounder and a pound for pound guy, Martinez gets a massive retirement payday.

I thought Floyd didn't do catch weights? Oh wait. I doubt Floyd fight Martinez. Again, there is the HBO/Showtime thing. Martinez can't fight on Showtime and Floyd is signed to multiple fights there.

I think it's just age catching up with him. I think BHop kinda spoiled us and now we expect guys to be able to fight into their late 30s and early 40's with the same kind of efficiency they had in their late 20s and early 30s.

Historically, it's very hard to find guys with Martinez's speed style that were top fighters at 38. Look at how Muhammad Ali looked at 38 against Larry Holmes. Ray Leonard looked ancient at 35 against Terry Norris. At 38, Roy Jones was a joke, as was Pernell Whitaker (although obviously Sweetpea's life choices had something to do with that too).

All things considered, I think he's doing quite well for a 38 year old. He's still considered one of the top p4p guys in the sport. I think it's a shame he didn't break out and get the big fights until he was in his mid 30s.

Originally Posted by greynotsoold

Didn't he start late as well?

Yes I think he did and he played a lot of soccer and cycled loads which as Master will testify, often wrecks your knees.

Are we just not giving Murray enough credit? He fought a good fight that looked to frustrate Martinez. Given it was his first fight in Argentina for a very long time he was really looking to impress and threw shots that were never going to land cleanly and left himself open to more shots then usual.

Originally Posted by Silkeyjoe

Are we just not giving Murray enough credit? He fought a good fight that looked to frustrate Martinez. Given it was his first fight in Argentina for a very long time he was really looking to impress and threw shots that were never going to land cleanly and left himself open to more shots then usual.

Sergio stopped Barker and Macklin also comprehensively beating a near light heavy in Chavez. Sergio performance has more to do with injury and inactivity than Murray performing well.

He's old and injury prone. He just had his second knee surgery so and that's pretty much the end for him at the top level. Mobility was one of his biggest assets but he's never going to be the same after those knee injuries especially at that age..

He's done.. Im 95% sure that Peter QUillin would destroy him. Im not sure he could beat Danny Jacobs at this point.

His style isn't one to carry well into old age, hell it was surprising to see him do well at 35 with his style. Injury and age saddly have taken its toll, if I was his management id have him fight a soft touch for a return bout and then a big payday retirement fight.