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Yesterday’s media conference call featured Middleweight Champion, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez in advance of his “Diamond Elite” clash with WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion, Sergiy “Razor” Dzinziruk on March 12 from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods, airing live on HBO World Championship Boxing.
WBC Emeritus Middleweight Champion, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez:
“It definitely wasn’t a lucky punch (vs. Paul Williams II). Anybody who has seen the tape – it’s not too long – see me throwing the same punch six times and landing five and then I knock him out. It was a premeditated punch, not lucky.”
“Like Lou said, he wants me to knock this boy out; however, people don’t know the quality of this champ to knock him out. I need to do the job and I’m ready to fight, if I knock him out or go the distance. But I will predict a knockout. I’m ready for either.”
“I’m very happy and content that I finally got my dues (after Williams II) to be recognized. It’s because of the hard work in the gym that I was able to come up with this victory.”
“I never want an easy fight. I want to fight the best. Mayweather cannot fight me; Manny Pacquiao cannot fight me. So, I need to fight somebody very challenging and the best opponent, or the best challenger, is Sergiy Dzinziruk. Nobody else is left.”
“Everybody’s wrong. The fight was officially made by HBO and HBO got the best available opponent, Dzinziruk, because he has the credentials. I didn’t lose the title, only for a few months, because after I beat Dzinziruk, whoever is at 160 (pounds) I want to fight, regardless of whom it’ll be. And I have no issues with that and nobody forced me to fight because I only want to fight the best.”
“I believe that in a way I gave up the title because I have a promise to fight Zbik and I needed to give up the title. However, I’m very proud and honored to be fighting for the Diamond belt that, I believe, is the most beautiful belt I’ve ever seen. There is lots of prestige to be part of that and I thank the WBC for this great opportunity and the WBC never closed to door to me, to the contrary, the WBC opened the door. Today, I am who I am.”
“It’s really a pity in my case because of problems fighting opponents or challenges. I’m not thinking of going up to 168 (pounds) because I’d be too small physically. So, I plan to stay at 160 for the rest of the year and then see what it takes for the future. I believe I’m too small for ’68. I will give too much of an advantage to 168-pounders.”
“I’m surprised that he (Dzinziruk) talked like that (“Sergio isn’t special”). But he will find out March 12th that he was wrong. I believe I have something special.”
“Really, this is the hardest training camp I’ve ever had. Former two-time champion, Daniel Santos, is with me, who fought Dzinziruk, and the other (sparring partner), Austin Trout, is the WBA 154-pound champion. I have the best sparring partners I can get.”
“I know very well…I’ve fought similar guys (to Dzinziruk) several times in Europe, but the problem is, no press in America know them. I’m used to it and he will use all of his intelligence against me and wait for me to make a mistake to counterpunch. I know what I need to do to avoid any complications. So, I have no problem with that.”
“It was very hard and sad to give up the title. I wanted to defend that title every time I could until the end of my career. But at this time I’m happy with the outcome, if my next fight after this I will recoup the title. I will demand to fight for the title, on behalf of my promoter, if he wants me to fight at 160, so (the winner of) Zbik and Chavez Jr. must face me or give up the title to me.”
“It (Feb. 21 was his birthday) was a very happy day for me. I got up at four in the morning, as normally, and finished training at 10 o’clock at night. It was no different except that I received phone calls of congratulations from all over the world and that was happy for me. But I worked normal like every day.”
“I will never celebrate – I dislike parties – after the fight. I like to be with my close friends and have dinner. That’s special. No, I won’t party after any fight. I don’t like parties.”
“I need to dictate the pace of the fight. I will not allow him to dictate. I’m the champion and I want to be the pound-for-pound best. So, I need to prove I can dictate the fight. The strategy I plan to use is being discussed. I just started discussing it with my trainer, Gabriel Sarmiento, because we do that the last week. For now, the only thing I do is training like I would train for any other fight.”
“It will be very good for Cotto, for me, and the fans so maybe it can happen in 2011.” (In regard to a fight between Martinez and Miguel Cotto.)
