Sergio Martinez stunner helps revitalize boxing
If last weekend gave boxing a black eye, this weekend glittered it up and took it to Broadway as Sergio Martinez crushed Paul Williams in a highly anticipated
rematch.
First, on 13 November, there was the faux WBA heavyweight title clash in Manchester between champion David Haye and challenger Audley Harrison. The fight
lasted three unspectacular rounds, up until which point Harrison threw a total of one jab, before he was laid out flat by the “Hayemaker.”
That bout was just embarrassing to boxing fans. Not to mention the British Boxing Board of Control, who are still withholding part of Harrison's $1.6m purse
until they decide if he deserves it. Does he deserve it, for allegedly being a world-class contender and throwing one punch in nine minutes of action? After that, fans witnessed an incredible display by Manny Pacquiao, but in a bout with dubious matchmaking
to begin with.
This weekend was much better for the simple reason that boxing fans had the rematch between Martinez and Williams in Atlantic City to look forward to. Most
predicted it would match the intensity of their first bout last year, which was an instant classic and came close to making fight of the year.
This time around, things weren't meant to be so similar. The first round started quick, with both fighters jumping out of the corner. Williams, the freakishly
tall fighter, decided not to keep Martinez at a distance with his range, but vouched instead to turn the heat on immediately, a decision he would regret by the middle of the second round.
The punch came quick, and a replay was necessary to capture it in all its glory. Both went in for the kill in the middle of round two, but only Martinez
was left standing. He landed a brutal left hook that rearranged Williams' face and sent him crumbling forward like a sack of potatoes. Williams didn't even move as the referee counted him out, Martinez himself needing an instant to realize what had happened.
In retrospect, while it wasn't a predictable punch, there was an ominous feeling in the first round for Williams. As the taller fighter, he should have used
his massive reach, 82in, to keep the heavy-handed Martinez at bay. Instead he tried to mix it up, which can be a fatal decision for a tall fighter when he's facing a guy who has a lower and firmer center of gravity and the power Martinez did.
With the conclusion of the fight, there is no doubt that Martinez, 35, skyrocketed his career to fame, notoriety, and big paydays. Fans are already pitting
him in a fantastic bout with Manny Pacquiao, even though that's a logically unlikely fight due to the difference in weight (Martinez is a natural middleweight, Pacquiao just barely a welterweight).
For Williams, it's time to go back to the drawing board. His team recently stated he'll be going back to the welterweight division, as they feel he's able
to use his assets more prominently at 147lb.
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