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.

LAS VEGAS – And in an instant, Martinez-Chavez went from Pacquiao-De La Hoya to Chavez-Taylor.

Not since Manny Pacquiao retired Oscar De La Hoya had a small southpaw looked so profoundly dominant against a larger titlist as Sergio Martinez looked against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. for 11 rounds. And not since Chavez Sr. came back to stop Meldrick Taylor in the final seconds of a fight he was losing lopsidedly had such a profound change of fortunes been brought to a world champion the way Chavez brought it to Martinez in the 12th.

Saturday night, in a match at Thomas & Mack Arena that disappointed all expectations of suspense for 33 minutes before becoming an unforgettable thing in its final three, Argentine middleweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (50-2-2, 28 KOs) rose from the canvas in the final round to survive and decision Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1-1-1, 32 KOs) by unanimous scores of 117-110, 118-109 and 118-109. The 15rounds.com ringside scorecard concurred, marking 117-110 for Martinez – while marking the final round 10-7 for Chavez.

“We are two professionals,” Martinez said afterwards. “And we comported ourselves as professionals.”

The fight began the way all prognosticators believed it would. Martinez’s class was too much for Chavez in the first round and each of its successors. What little sense of geometry Chavez showed in the opening round, extending Martinez’s circles to the perimeter somewhat, was gone by the third.

“I began slowly,” Chavez said in the ring after the judges’ cards were read. “But I will not do that in the rematch.”

In fact, not till the sixth round did Chavez land anything consequential. Though Chavez was the much larger man, Martinez was the far more balletic, polished, athletic and accurate, hitting Chavez with nifty left uppercut leads and other inventive combinations. Chavez, sporting a knee brace and suffering abrasions and swelling round both eyes, was not dissuaded, however.

“This confirms me in boxing,” said Martinez, to an outnumbered but surprisingly vocal Argentinean group of fans. “Long live Argentina!”

More fatigued than he knew as the bell for the 12th rang, Martinez walked into a short Chavez left hook that wobbled and shocked him in the final two minutes. Martinez’s eyes bulged and he collapsed in the ropes. A pair of rights and lefts from Chavez then tossed him limply to the canvas. But Martinez rose, ran, held, slipped, and ultimately punched his way to the final bell, as suddenly enchanted Mexican fans rabidly urged their man on.

“Of course,” Martinez said when asked if he would grant Chavez a rematch.

“Long live Mexico!” cried Chavez at the end of his postfight interview.

ROMAN MARTINEZ VS. MIGUEL BELTRAN JR.
In an attempt at prophecy, or at least wishful thinking, Saturday’s excellent Top Rank co-main event featured a hard-pressing Mexican slugger named “Junior” against a foreigner named Martinez. Unfortunately for the emotional Mexican crowd, the Mexican did not prevail.

Fighting for a vacant WBO super featherweight title, Puerto Rican Roman Martinez (26-1-1, 16 KOs) sneaked past Mexican Miguel Beltran Jr. (27-2-0-1, 17 KOs), besting him by split-decision scores of 116-111, 113-114 and 113-114. The fight would have been a majority draw, were it not for a penalty assessed to Beltran in the championship rounds.

Each round of Martinez-Beltran featured punches both well leveraged and well landed by both fighters, but in each of the opening six rounds, regardless of what Martinez did, Beltran appeared to do a little more. In the sixth, Beltran landed the match’s most-devastating punch, a right cross that snapped Martinez’s head back between his own shoulder blades.

The seventh round, though, saw Martinez begin to establish a more effective attack, catching Beltran on the way in, with oddly placed punches. But by the middle of the eighth, Beltran again appeared the stronger man. By the end of the 10th, Martinez, game as he was, did not appear to want much more.

The 11th brought a point deduction to Beltran’s tally from overly officious Nevada referee Russell Mora, though, tightening ringside scorecards somewhat. Martinez also flurried in the 12th, appearing to steal that stanza as well. Ultimately, the fight was a close one that might have gone either way and probably should have gone the way of a majority draw.

MATTHEW MACKLIN VS. JOACHIM ALCINE
Matthew Macklin makes his ring entrance to a hybrid song of “Mack the Knife” and “Rocky Road to Dublin,” in a two-part nod to his nickname and heritage. But Saturday, he didn’t have to take his opponent very far down a rocky road before knifing him.

In the penultimate match of the evening’s undercard, Macklin (29-4, 20 KOs) caught Canadian middleweight Joachim Alcine (33-3-1, 19 KOs) with a flush right cross in the opening moments of the fight then marched him down, dropped him a second time and brought the match to an exciting knockout conclusion at 2:36 of round 1.

Despite a record with four losses on it, Macklin again proved that he can rally a crowd and make an exciting, satisfying match whomever he is given for an opponent.

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX VS. ROBERTO MARROQUIN
After a 2010 showing in Cowboys Stadium that brought loud boos from those fans not yawning, Cuban super bantamweight Guillermo Rigondeaux needed two years of exciting knockouts to make fans forget how displeasing his defense-first style can be. Saturday in Thomas & Mack Arena, though, they were reminded once more.

Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KOs) successfully, and rather easily, defended his WBA super bantamweight title against tough if limited Texan Roberto Marroquin (22-2, 15 KOs) by unanimous scores of 118-108, 118-108 and 118-109. And if there is a prizefighter today who fights like Floyd Mayweather as well as Mayweather does, he is Rigondeaux, right down to the cautiousness.

Rigondeaux established a superiority of reflex over Marroquin – a superiority of reflex Rigondeaux enjoys over most every opponent he faces – and then put the match on a form of cruise control that did little to entice fans. Possessed of every punch and step in the boxing lexicon, Rigondeaux does not appear to enjoy physical matches with larger men, and he certainly did not look for one with Marroquin, who appeared a weight class or two larger than Rigondeaux on Saturday.

Twice in the match Marroquin managed to land a pulled left hook that temporarily destabilized the Cuban southpaw’s otherwise flawless footing, but from each of those faux scares, Rigondeaux quickly recovered and returned to mastering Marroquin technically if not combatively.

In round 10, bored by Rigondeaux-Marroquin, the crowd – partisan Mexican though with an Argentinean contingent – began to sing futbol songs at one another till the match was over, despite Rigondeaux’s scoring the match’s one knockdown in its final two minutes.

MIKE LEE VS. PAUL HARNESS
Mike Lee is undoubtedly the best light heavyweight on the Notre Dame campus, but he is decidedly not the best light heavyweight in the world. Further evidence of this came at the midway point of Saturday’s undercard when Lee (11-0, 6 KOs) whacked away at Kansas City opponent Paul Harness (4-4-1, 3 KOs) for four rounds and ultimately prevailed by unanmious scores of 40-36, 40-36 and 40-36.

Questions about Lee’s power – he landed at least four clean right hands in every round without once felling Harness – and his defense, though, remain, and grow, with every showing. Despite leading comfortably in the fourth round, Lee nevertheless was tagged by several knee-buckling shots by Harness.

UNDERCARD
Highly regarded super welterweight John Jackson brought his undefeated record in the Thomas & Mack Center ring for Saturday’s third bout, against Cleveland’s Willie Nelson, and Jackson’s ‘0’ left the ring before Jackson did. In a close fight that might have been scored either way, Nelson (19-1-1, 11
KOs) decisioned Nelson (13-1, 12 KOs) by unanimous scores of 96-94, 96-94 and 98-92.

Before that, in an eight-round super welterweight match, Mexican Michael Medina (26-3-2, 19 KOs) scored a lopsided decision victory over North Carolinian James Winchester (15-5, 5 KOs). All three judges had the match 80-70 for Medina.

The evening began with an eight-round, unanimous-decision victory for California welterweight Wale Omotoso (23-0, 19 KOs) over Puerto Rican Daniel Sostre (11-7-1, 4 KOs).

Opening bell rang on a sparsely populated Thomas & Mack Center at 3:17 PM local time.

Follow all the action from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas as the long awaited Middleweight championship showdown with take place featuring recognized world xhampion Sergio Martinez and WBC champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The action kicks off with a five fight undercard at 8pm eastern/ 5 pm Pacific featuring two world title bouts as WBA Super Bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux defends against Robert Marroquin. The WBO Super Featherweight title will be contested by Rocky Martinez and Miguel Beltran Jr. Also Joachim Alcine battles Matthew Macklin an and appearance by Notre Dame favorite Mike Lee.

12 ROUNDS–WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE–SERGIO MARTINEZ (49-2-2, 28 KO’S) VS JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. (46-0-1, 32 KO’S)

Round 1 Martinez lands a left..Chavez lands a right to the body…Sergio more active…10-9 Martinez

Round 2 Hard left from Martinez…Body shot from Chavez…Combination and body shot from Martinez..Body shot and a jab..right hook from Martinez..Good body work on the ropes...20-18 Martinez

Round 3 Hard left from Martinez..Hard left from Chavez..Good body shot..Martinez landing to the body..Left hook from Martinez..straight left…Blood from the mouth of Chavez…30-27 Martinez

Round 4 Martinez lands a left..short right hook..Hard right from Chavez…hard right…Left/body from Martinez..Chavez landing left to the body..Big left from Martinez at the bell…40-36 Martinez

Round 5 Martinez lands 2 lefts to the body…50-45 Martinez

Round 6 Chavez lands a couple little shots in the corner..2 good rights…Good body shot..big rally from Martinez…Martinez picking Chavez apart…60-54 Martinez

Round 7 Straight left..Counter left…4 hard lefts on the ropes…Chavez landing and eating shots in return..70-63 Martinez

Round 8 Wide right from Chavez..Martinez going to the body..2 good left hooks from Chavez..Blood from Martinez left eye…79-73 Martinez

Round 9 Martinez lands a combination…89-82 Martinez

Round 10 2 good rights and 2 more from Martinez…body..Jab…99-91 Martinez

Round 11Great action with Chavez landing hard shots…Martinez landing in return…Martinez favce bloody…108-101 Martinez

Round 12 Big right hurts Martinez..WOW…CHAVEZ ALL OVER MARTINEZ AND DROPS HIM….MARTINEZ IS BLEEDING AND HURT…ITS A WAR…MARTINEZ LOOKS LIKE HE WILL GET OUT OF THE ROUND….116-111 Martinez

12 Rounds–WBO Super Featherweight Title–Ramon Martinez (25-1-1, 16 KO”s) vs Miguel Beltran Jr. (27-1, 17 KO’s)

Round 1 Hard right from Beltran…2 more rights…10-9 Beltran

Round 2 Good left hook from Martinez…19-19

Round 3 Trading shots …29-29

Round 4 Beltran pounding Martinez in the corner…Hard right from Martinez..Good left hook..Martinez lands a good right…39-38 Beltran

Round 5 Beltran lands a hard right…Big left and right from Martinez…Beltran lands a right…Blood from the left eye of Beltran…48-48

Round 6 Beltran lands a counter uppercut..Good right from Beltran..58-57 Beltran

Round 7 Good body shot from Beltran…Hard body shot…Good combo from Martinez…Good body shot from Beltran…68-66 Beltran

Round 8 Good uppercut and body shot from Beltran…left hook to the body..78-75 Beltran

Round 9 Hard right from Beltran...88-84 Beltran

Round 10 Beltran lands a left and right..Body shot..98-93 Beltran

Round 11 Good right from Beltran..Martinez 4 punch combination…Hard right from Beltran…POINT DEDUCTED FROM BELTRAN FOR HITTING BEHIND THE HEAD…Good right from Beltran…106-103 Beltran

Round 12 Martinez lands a right…115-113 Beltran

116-111 Beltran; 114-113 Martinez; 114-113 Martinez

10 Rounds–Middleweight–Matthew Macklin (28-4, 19 KO’s) vs. Joachim Alcine (33-2-1, 19 KO’s)

Round 1 HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ALCINE….Macklin ALL OVER ALCINE AND DOWN GOES ALCINE FROM A LEFT HOOK…2 HUGE BODY SHOTS AND A FLURRY AND REFEREE JAY NADY STOPS THE FIGHT

MACKLIN TOK 1 AT 2:36

12 Rounds–WBA Super Bantamweight Title–Guillermo Rigondeaux (10-0, 8 KO’s) vs Robert Marroquin (22-1, 15 KO’s)

Round 1 not mucj…10-10

Round 2 Rigondeuax lands a counter left…20-19 Rigondeuax

Round 3 Marroquin lands a hard left hook…Straight right…29-29

Round 4 Right from Rigondeuax..Marroquin landsa left hook..39-39

Round 5 PERFECT LEFT DOWNS GOES MARROQUIN..49-47 Rigondeaux

Round 6 Rigondeuax lands a left to the body..59-56

Round 7 69-66

Round 8 Rigondeaux lands a big left..Good body…Marroquin lands a left hook to the body…79-75 Rigondeaux

Round 9: Left from Marroquin drives Rigo into the corner…Right hand..88-85 Rigondeaux

Round 10 Rigondeuax lands a uppercut to the body..leaping uppercut and another..98-94 Rigondeaux

Round 11 Good straight left from Rigondeaux..Good right from Marroquin…Body shots from Rigondeuax..108-103 Rigondeaux

Round 12 HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES MARROQUIN…118-111 Rigondeaux

118-108, 118-108, 118-109…RIGONDEAUX

10 Rounds–Jr. Middleweights–Willie Nelson (18-1-1, 11 KO’s) vs John Jackson (13-0, 12 KO’s)

Round 3 Jackson going to the body…

Round 4Nelson lands a hard right and left hook..Right down the middle

Round 5 Nelson Active

Round 6

Round 7

LAS VEGAS – The weekend’s first upset happened Friday, and it wasn’t by way of a punch at Thomas & Mack Center. In what may turn out to be the greatest surprise of Martinez-Chavez, barring of course an early stoppage, Argentine Sergio Martinez outweighed Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Friday afternoon at Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore Theater. But if either man was surprised, neither showed it.

Martinez, considered by most to be a small middleweight champion, and Chavez, considered by all to be an enormous middleweight titlist, shared a one-pound disparity on the scale: Martinez made 159, and Chavez made 158.

“He said it’s going to be a war,” Martinez said immediately after a talkative stare-down with Chavez that followed both making weight for their middleweight world championship match. “I want a war.”

Martinez, known as much for his cool demeanor and handsome countenance as his jazzy southpaw style, appeared uncharacteristically anxious Friday afternoon. Dressed in a black sweatsuit and dark shades, Martinez preceded Chavez to the stage and the scale and made a show of rallying a small Argentinean contingent waiving robin’s-egg-blue and white flags, stage left.

“He said that he is going to rip my head off,” said Chavez, when asked what words Martinez spoke to him after he climbed off the scale. Then Chavez, easily the cooler character Friday, laughed and shrugged.

While Saturday’s match for the lineal middleweight championship of the world – along with belts from The Ring, WBC and surely a few others – will be the biggest fight of both men’s careers, Chavez shows the demeanor of a man who knows other superfights will inevitably follow. Martinez, about whom the same cannot be said, appears to be channeling some of his handlers’ nervousness.

Part of what led to onlookers’ general surprise at Friday’s weighin, and specifically Chavez’s coming-in two pounds under the middleweight limit, were reports of undertraining by the Mexican champion. Numerous sources reported Chavez had skipped scheduled sessions with trainer Freddie Roach during his camp, preferring to work-out at home instead.

But Chavez’s promoter, Top Rank, expressed no concern. Chavez made weight easily, and apparently needs little instruction in how to cut-off a prizefighting ring, as he is expected to have to do against Martinez on Saturday.

Early Friday afternoon, one last thread of controversy was stitched in the Martinez-Chavez tapestry: Trainer Nazim Richardson will attend the wrapping of Chavez’s hands in behalf of the Martinez camp, Saturday. Richardson, of course, was the man who caught a hardening substance on the wraps of Antonio Margarito before the Mexican champion’s 2009 match with Shane Mosley.

Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer said on Friday that while he’ll be at both of Saturday’s fight cards – Martinez-Chavez, and Saul Alvarez vs. Josesito Lopez a few blocks away at MGM Grand Garden Arena – the main event he’ll be attending is Chavez-Martinez, as Kizer anticipates potential prefight controversy at Thomas & Mack Center.

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

LAS VEGAS – News conferences came like a one-two punch Wednesday and Thursday for dueling promotions Saturday night featuring Sergio Martinez-versus-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at Thomas & Mack Center and Canelo Alvarez-Josesito Lopez at the MGM Grand.

It’s been a rhetorical food fight, boxing’s version of Republicans and Democrats after back-to-back conventions. First, it’s Top Rank to the bully pulpit. Then, it’s Golden Boy’s turn. It’s Home Box Office- versus-Showtime. Ego-against-ego. An insult-fest. But should it be?

After widespread criticism for scheduling two major cards on the same night and amid all the ongoing negativity, there’s a chance at some numbers that might put a surprising spin on the business. Attendance at each could provide a powerful counter to an epitaph so often repeated, yet never proven.

If boxing is really dying, then a lot of people – maybe more than 30,000 at two venues within a couple miles of each other – have yet to hear the news.

There’s plenty of debate about box-office numbers promised by Golden Boy for Alvarez-Lopez in a 154-pound bout televised by Showtime. Golden Boy President Oscar De La Hoya said Thursday at the Canelo-Lopez news conference that 13,000 tickets had been sold.

“We are expecting a sellout,’’ De La Hoya said of a weekend celebrating Mexican Independence.

Top Rank doesn’t believe it. On the surprise meter, that ranks somewhere between zero and yawn. If the situation was reversed – and it will be one day, Golden Boy wouldn’t believe it either. Remember, Republicans and Democrats trust each other more than Top Rank and Golden Boy do.

For Martinez-Chavez, Jr., in a HBO pay-per-view bout for the middleweight title, Top Rank already has a sellout, 19,186, a boxing record at Thomas & Mack. Even if a sellout is announced for Alvarez-Lopez, there will be suggestions that Golden Boy gave away tickets to get there.

As of Thursday, it wasn’t clear what number Golden Boy needed for a sellout. Seating capacity at The MGM Grand Garden Arena has been 14,800. But Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said 2,000 seats can be added before Saturday’s opening bell. If there’s time to construct the addition and the seats are filled, the crowd would be announced at 16,800. Add the Thomas & Mack sellout, and the total would be 35,186.

“That would tell you a lot about the sport,’’ Schaefer said.

With apologies to Mark Twain, t would tell you that all those dire warnings of imminent death are greatly exaggerated.

It might also tell you what could happen if Golden Boy and Top Rank made peace and did business together. But that’s another story, if not a miracle. It didn’t sound as if peace were even a remote possibility Thursday. The irony is that the fighters were the diplomats. Canelo and Lopez praised each other. The only real trash talk came from Keith Kizer, the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s executive.

In an apparent reference to the controversy over the judging of Tim Bradley’s decision over Manny Pacquiao in June at the MGM Grand, Kizer seemed to take exception at HBO’s criticism of judges Duane Ford, CJ Ross and Jerry Roth.

“There was another fight here in June, but some of the veterans at ringside that felt badly that night won’t feel so bad this time, because HBO, (Jim) Lampley and (Harold) Lederman won’t be there,’’ Kizer said. “I like the Showtime announcers much better.’’

Kizer’s shot followed one at Showtime from Top Rank’s Bob Arum.

“Half the people who’ve got Showtime don’t know they have it,’’ Arum said.

Shot, counter-shot. The beat goes on.

But if predictions are fulfilled and the numbers add up Saturday night, there won’t be an argument about whether the business still has a heartbeat.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (September 11, 2012) – This week’s Méxican Independence Day weekend World Middleweight Championship event between undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion and Son of the Legend, JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR. (46-0-1, 32 KOs), of Culiacán, México, and two-division world champion and pound for pound kingpin with the matinee idol looks, SERGIO “Maravilla” MARTÍNEZ (49-2-2, 28 KOs), of Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina, sold its last remaining tickets today at 1:58 p.m. PT. Chávez Jr. vs. Martínez will become the highest-attended boxing event in the history of the Thomas & Mack Center with 19,186 seats, eclipsing the Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield heavyweight championship rematch, which previously held the record with 19,151.

“Viva Chávez and Martínez,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “The last two tickets were purchased just before 2 p.m. PT and our sellout has produced a paid gate of over $3 million. How appropriate that on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Julio César Chávez vs. Hector Camacho, the Thomas & Mack’s fourth highest-attended event [17,972], which took place on September 12, 1992, that Julio César Chávez, Jr. surpass his father’s record in an epic fight of his own. Father and son will be forever linked as two of the highest-attended paid boxing events in the building’s history. Naturally, the live pay-per-view telecast will be available to all cable and satellite TV systems in the Las Vegas area.”

“This is a celebration about everything that is great about boxing,” said promoter Lou DiBella. “This is obviously a fight that everyone wanted to see and thanks to Sergio and Julio everyone will have the opportunity to see — live on pay-per-view. I strongly recommend that boxing fans in the Las Vegas area buy their tickets to the closed circuit screenings at Wynn Las Vegas now before they sell out too.”

Promoted by Top Rank®, Zanfer Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Wynn Las Vegas, AT&T and Tecate, the Chávez Jr. vs. Martínez Middleweight Championship Event will take place Saturday, September 15, Méxican Independence Day Weekend, at the Thomas & Mack Center, on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

Remaining tickets to the Wynn Las Vegas closed circuit presentation are priced at $70 for reserved seating in the intimate Encore Theater and $50 for general admission in the Lafite Ballroom at Wynn. Tickets are inclusive of applicable taxes and fees and can be purchased by calling (702) 770-7118, through the website wynnlasvegas.com or by visiting the Wynn Ticket Office (Friday-Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. PT / Wednesday-Thursday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. PT) or the Wynn Concierge (Daily: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. PT.)

The Chávez Jr. vs. Martínez world championship telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #ChavezMartinez to join the conversation on Twitter. For Chávez Jr. vs. Martínez updates log on to www.toprank.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com.

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

September 11, 2012 – Gary Shaw Productions newly crowded unified WBA and IBF middleweight champion, Daniel “Real Deal” Geale (29-1, 15 KOs), is scheduled to arrive in Las Vegas this week to be ringside at the September 15, 2012, Julio Chavez Jr. (46-0-1, 32 KOs) vs. Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 28 KOs) showdown, taking place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Geale, coming off his most impressive victory where he dethroned Germany’s Felix Sturm (37-3-2, 16 KOs), is interested to see who comes out victorious between Chavez Jr. and Martinez, as a possible fight with the winner could be next for him.

“The winner of Chavez Jr. and Martinez could be my next opponent,” said Daniel Geale. “I’m willing to fight the best out there and my promoter Gary Shaw is ready to make it happen. It’s an interesting fight and the winner puts himself in a great position to challenge me. I never shy away from a great test and I’ll be ready to go when Gary Shaw tells me who my next opponent will be.”

Geale’s fellow countryman, undefeated featherweight contender Joel Brunker (23-0, 13 KOs), who scheduled to make his U.S. debut on October 27, 2012, will join him while they both attend fight week activities.

“I’m excited to be traveling to the United States and be present for Chavez Jr. vs. Martinez,” stated Brunker. “I’ll remain in the States and start my training camp in preparation for my fight scheduled for October 27th. Daniel Geale and I both want to show the United States audience what we are made of.”

“I’m extremely excited to be promoting the best fighters out of Australia,” Shaw said. “Grange Old School Gym has been fantastic working with me and Daniel Geale, and it’s been a pleasure working with Angelo DiCarlo with Joel Brunker. The future looks bright for my company being that we have a great working relationship with all the top talent from the land down under.”

MIAMI (September 11, 2012) — World Boxing Association Super Bantamweight Champion Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux is expected to defend his title this Saturday evening against Robert Marroquin (22-1, 15 KOs), on the Sergio Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. HBO Pay-Per-View event, live from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A Circuit Court in Miami ruled on August 21 to enjoin Rigondeaux (10-0, 8 KOs) from engaging in any bout not approved by his manager, Gary Hyde, and also enjoined Rigondeaux from participating in this Saturday’s scheduled show promoted Top Rank.

Last night, however, Hyde and Top Rank reached a resolution to allow the Rigondeaux-Marroquin title fight to go forward, and the Nevada State Athletic Commission was informed this morning.

“Thanks to my attorneys, Patrick English and Bill Brown, we have negotiated a far superior deal to fight Robert Marroquin on September 15th,” said Hyde, who has managed Rigondeaux since the two-time Olympic gold medalist defected from Cuba in 2007. “‘Rigo doesn’t get involved or side tracked by legal dramas. He has promised me that he is at his all-time best and that he will KO Marroquin.”

After the legal situation that forced WBA Super Bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux out of a potential champions showdown on on September 15th, once-beaten Robert Marroquin will now face Alejandro Lopez as part of the Julio Cesar Chavez – Sergio Martinez Pay Per View card on that date according to San Rafael of espn.com

“Lopez was scheduled to fight in a couple of weeks, so he’s been training for at least six weeks,” Moretti said. “If he’s anything like the kid that showed up against Teon Kennedy, this ought to be a heck of a fight.

“Top Rank respects the court’s decision but we are extremely disappointed that his manager, his attorney (Pat English) and co-promoter (Caribe Promotions) would try and stop a kid from fighting when he wants to fight on Sept. 15 and agreed to pay these parties their agreed upon shares,” Moretti said. “It makes no sense and is completely unjust — but to be expected when inexperienced people let there egos get in the way of a fighter’s development.”

It’s hard to know whether September’s promise is a new dawn or just a familiar set of oncoming headlights in another head-on collision with a demise predicted and heightened by August’s doom and gloom.

No matter how you look at Andre Ward-versus-Chad Dawson Saturday in Oakland, Calif., and a dueling Las Vegas’ twin bill on Sept. 15 featuring Sergio Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at Thomas & Mack Center and Canelo Alvarez-Josesito Lopez at the MGM Grand, however, it is hard not to see potential for a comeback that is a boxing specialty. No business does it better.

Reliable resiliency is there in a shifting alignment that offers a way out of the never-never land of talk and only talk about Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Yeah-yeah, it could still happen. But a generation of lost fans doesn’t care anymore. The good news is that there is always a new one. In part, chances at winning over generation-next rest in what happens with fighters poised to succeed Pacquiao and Mayweather.

For now, the intriguing battle is for No. 2 spot in the pound-for-pound debate. The fading Pacquiao, second on most lists behind Mayweather, is in jeopardy of falling to third or even fourth after evidence of decline in his last two fights, controversial decisions over Juan Manuel Marquez and Timothy Bradley.

“Me, I believe I’m No. 2 at this moment,’’ Martinez said Wednesday in a conference call for his showdown with Chavez Jr. in a HBO pay-per-view bout for the middleweight title.

A better argument might come from Ward, if he remains unbeaten (25-0, 13 KOs) Saturday in a HBO-televised bout against light-heavy champion Dawson (30-1 17 KOs), who agreed to come down in weight for a 168-pound fight in Ward’s hometown. Mayweather stays at No. 1 because of his perfect record (43-0, 26 KOs). Martinez can’t make that claim. Even if he beats Chavez Jr., there are still losses to Antonio Margarito and Paul Williams and two draws on his resume (49-2-2, 28 KOs).

Predictably perhaps, the more circumspect Ward isn’t as bold about his place in the pound-for-pound debate as Martinez, who has become more outspoken in an escalating exchange of trash talk with Chavez Jr.

For the most part, Ward’s attention isn’t easily diverted by anything beyond the challenge immediately in front of him. That means the dangerous Dawson. Everything else is just talk that would take him away from the task at becoming an equal of fighters he admires, including Mayweather and Sugar Ray Leonard.

“They’re masters,’’ Ward said. “I’m trying to be a master.’’

The guess is that Ward will never quit trying. The goal will be there for as long as he is fighting. It’s a motivational piece to a Ward persona that in a couple of years could put him at the top of the pound-for-pound crowd.

Even in the build-up for Dawson, he seemed to look for something that would drive him to knock out slights, imagined or real. Dawson’s camp praises him. But the skeptical Ward deflects it.

“I think they’re giving us some superficial credit because they have to,’’ he said. “…To listen to them tell it, they have every advantage in the book. I think they’ll discover that isn’t the case.’’

Ward’s insightful trainer, Virgil Hunter, had his own spin.

“Our advantage is being at a disadvantage in their eyes,’’ Hunter said.

If there’s a disadvantage during the next nine days, it is expected to be in betting odds against Chavez Jr. and Dawson. But even those are slim. Spring an upset, and one or both will suddenly leap to the front of a line in the fight for spots at the pay window long occupied by Pacquiao and Mayweather.

Bob Arum, Chavez Jr.’s promoter, said an earlier opportunity for big money against Martinez was resisted precisely for the moment that will transpire on Sept. 15.

“We could have taken a chance against Martinez a year ago,’’ Arum said. “If he wins – and we believe he will, he will become an attraction on the level of Pacquiao, Mayweather.’’

Meanwhile, a hint at Mayweather’s immediate future could unfold at the Canelo-Lopez fight at the MGM Grand. Canelo keeps talking about how he wants to fight Mayweather. His representatives at Golden Boy Promotions have advised caution. At least, Golden Boy President Oscar De La Hoya did on May 5 in the wake of Canelo’s victory over Shane Mosley. But an impressive victory over a smaller Lopez on Showtime might sweep aside concern that Canelo is getting ahead of himself.

If Mayweather decides he wants to fight the popular Mexican redhead now instead of later, there’ll be no waiting.

Another future will have arrived.

VENTURA, CALIF. (August 27, 2012) — Threats and an incident of vandalism over the weekend at the Oxnard-based training camp of two-division world champion SERGIO MARTINEZ (49-2-2, 28 KOs), of Argentina,has forced the cancellation of Martinez’s Media Day Workout, scheduled for Tuesday, August 28 in Ventura, Calif. Martínez is deep in training for his upcoming challenge of undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion and Son of the Legend, JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ, JR. (46-0-1, 32 KOs),of México.

“This past weekend Sergio received threats from an unknown source and the car in front of his home was vandalized,” said Lou DiBella, Martinez’s promoter. “Unfortunately, until we have a security team in place, we are going to have to suspend any and all public and media appearances for Sergio, including the upcoming media day scheduled for tomorrow in Oxnard. We apologize for the inconvenience to the media and fans that have planned on attending tomorrow’s event.”

Julio César Chávez’s Las Vegas Media Workout, scheduled for Thursday, August 30, beginning at 2:00 p.m., at the Top Rank Gym (3041 Business Lane, Las Vegas, NV. 89103), will go on as scheduled.

Promoted by Top Rank®, Zanfer Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Wynn Las Vegas, AT&T and Tecate, the Chávez Jr. vs. Martinez Middleweight Championship Event will take place Saturday, September 15, Méxican Independence Day Weekend, at the Thomas & Mack Center, on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. The live pay-per-view undercard will feature four exciting bouts.

Remaining tickets to the Julio César Chávez Jr. vs. Sergio Martinez World Middleweight Championship, priced at $600, $400, $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center box office and Town Square Las Vegas Concierge. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.unlvtickets.com. To charge by telephone call (702) 739-FANS.

HBO’s Emmy-Award®-winning reality franchise returns with an all new edition when 24/7 CHÁVEZ JR./MARTÍNEZ premieres This Saturday! Sept. 1 at 11:45 p.m. ET/PT. Episode two debuts Saturday, Sept. 8 at 12:30 a.m. ET/PT on HBO.

The Chávez Jr. vs. Martinez world championship telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #ChavezMartinez to join the conversation on Twitter. For Chávez Jr. vs. Martinez updates log on to www.toprank.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com.

The dog days of August, an unexpected offseason, is full of more idle speculation than medal winners among the American men at the London Olympics. There’s little to celebrate and much to anticipate before it starts all over again next month. A busy September includes one night — the 15th — with two good cards: HBO’s telecast of Sergio Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center and the Showtime telecast of Canelo Alvarez-Josesito Lopez down the street at the MGM Grand. A couple of miles of Vegas neon will separate the two. After a barren August, an embarrassment of riches awaits. Or maybe just embarrassment. Until then, it’s just a guessing game.

A few more guesses:

Manny Pacquiao. Further uncertainty is about the only way to interpret his latest decision. Reports about him moving his next bout from Nov. 10 to Dec. 1 seem to say he doesn’t really know what he wants. Advisor Michael Koncz says the new date is a political necessity. It eliminates a potential interruption of training by allowing Pacquiao time in October to refile his candidacy for re-election to the Filipino Congress, according to Koncz, who was quoted as saying he has to be in the Philippines to file the documents. But Filipino media reports that he does not have to be there. He can mail in the documentation, according to the reports. The contradictions only muddy uncertain waters. Just who does he plan to fight? Reported options are Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto and Timothy Bradley. There would be a lot less uncertainty about Pacquiao if he had announced the opponent along with the new date. As it is, there are questions about whether retirement is another option.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. It’s been three weeks since he walked out of a Las Vegas jail after serving about two months for domestic violence. There’s still no word on what his plans are. Pacquiao doesn’t seem to be among them, at least not during the final months in 2012. Keep an eye on Twitter, Mayweather’s favorite way to communicate. Also keep an eye on Canelo-Lopez. It’s not the biggest fight on Sept 15. Martinez-Chavez is. But Golden Boy Promotions has dropped hints that Canelo might be Mayweather’s next opponent if Lopez doesn’t score an encore of his upset of Victor Ortiz.

50 Cent. Keep another eye on the rapper whose birth name, Curtis Jackson, is included on the promotional license that sets him up as a potential rival to Golden Boy and Top Rank. He might have some very different ideas about who Mayweather, his friend and confidante, should fight next.

Juan Manuel Marquez. He plans to write a book. At least three of the chapters figure to be about how he says he got
robbed against Pacquiao, who won two disputed decisions after a draw against the tactically-skilled Mexican. A fourth chapter looks doubtful, if only because the proven risk isn’t worth an iffy reward for Pacquiao

Ricky Hatton. Yeah-yeah, we read the rumors about a Hatton comeback, possibly against Paulie Malignaggi. Can another Oscar De La Hoya rumor be far behind?

Andre Ward and Chad Dawson. It looks like the best of September. Martinez-Chavez Jr. is getting most of the attention, which also means all of the expectations. Those might be very hard to fulfill. Ward-Dawson on Sept. 8 in Oakland, Calif., isn’t surrounded by all of the hype, in part because neither fighter engages in much braggadocio. But the fight, an All-American bout, might introduce a new argument to a pound-for-pound debate grown stale by the unresolved blather about when or whether Pacquiao and Mayweather will fight. Ward-Dawson “sells itself,” Ward told the media Thursday in hometown Oakland. It does.

Gennady Golovkin. Never heard of him? That’s a question Golovkin, an unbeaten middleweight and Olympic silver medalist from Kazakhstan, hopes to quit hearing in the U.S. sometime after he fights for the first time in America on Sept. 1 when he kicks off next month’s schedule on HBO After Dark against Grsegorz Proksa at Turning Stone Resort in Verona, N.Y. “We’ve made it clear we’ll fight anybody in the middleweight division,” Tom Loeffler of K2-Promotions said of Golovkin. In a month that includes middleweight Chavez Jr. and Martinez, Golovkin needs to make his American debut a memorable one.

Devon Alexander and Randall Bailey. Showtime and HBO will stage a preliminary Sept. 8 to their Sept. 15th duel for viewers. That’s when Showtime will televise the Bailey-Alexander welterweight at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on the same night as HBO’s telecast of Ward-Dawson. Alexander-Bailey has the makings of a classic boxer-puncher confrontation. Bailey already is making it fun. Bailey, who says his one-punch KO power makes him the last of a kind, has little patience for Alexander’s speed and boxing skill. “Everybody gets hit with that right hand,” Bailey said during a conference call. “Question is, when you get hit with that right, what are you gonna do?”

In September, at least, we’ll get the chance to find out.

Dan Rafael of espn.com reports that two of the three televised undercard bouts for the much anticipated Sergio Martinez – Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fight on Sepetmber 15th in Las Vegas have been set.

WBA Super Bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux will take on once beaten Robert Marroquin while former Middleweight title challenger Matthew Macklin will take on former Jr. Middleweight titlist Joachim Alcine.

“Everybody has agreed to extend it so he can be on this card,” said promoter Bob Arum. “He signed a bout agreement for the fight, so the fight with Robert Marroquin, that’s a done deal.”

“Marroquin feels he can beat him and he really wanted this fight. He is up for this kind of challenge,” Arum said. “Rigondeaux is probably one of the best fighters around, but one thing is even if he’s one of the best fighters around, he’s a little chinny and Marroquin can hit pretty good.”

“Alcine fought really well in his last fight against David Lemieux and I thought Macklin made a lot of fans with his performance against Sergio,” said Lou DiBella,who promoted both Macklin and Alcine. “It think it’s a really good fight. Alcine is a little older now so he will be more in front of Macklin. It’s a very high skill level middleweight fight and it very well could create the next opponent for Chavez whether he loses or wins against Sergio.”

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

TUCSON – Antonio Margarito said Monday that a fight between him and fellow Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. would be more exciting than a speculated bout between Chavez and Argentina’s Sergio Martinez for the middleweight title.

“Between two Mexicans, I think it would be better,’’ Margarito said after his bout against Abel Perry on May 26 at Casino del Sol was formally announced during a news conference at the southern Arizona property.

Margarito wasn’t trying to eliminate Martinez as a potential fight for Chavez, the son of a Mexican legend.

“I’m not saying it shouldn’t be Maravilla,’’ Margarito said in a reference to Martinez’ nickname. “I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying that I’m here too.’’

The controversial Margarito emerged as a possibility for Chavez, since his management put together the May 26 bout, Margarito’s first since a loss in December to Miguel Cotto. Another factor fueling the speculation is that Top Rank represents both Margarito and Chavez, who faces Andy Lee on June 16 at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Tex.

Margarito, a former welterweight champion, will fight Perry at middleweight, 160 pounds. Margarito predicts that he will feel stronger at the heavier weight. He said he was at 172 pounds Monday.

Margarito is training for the first time in Tijuana, his hometown. Javier Cortez is working as his trainer. Raul Robles is working as his conditioning coach. Trainer Robert Garcia, who was in his corner for loss to Manny Pacquiao and Cotto, is not expected to join him in Tijuana. However, Margarito co-manager Sergio Diaz said Garcia will in his corner at opening bell for Perry, a Colorado Springs fighter who has won his last five fights, four by stoppage.

Phoenix junior-welterweight prospect Jose Benavidez Jr. is also scheduled for the Casino Del Sol card. His opponent has yet to be determined.

Benavidez expects his right wrist to be fully recovered in time for his first fight since a victory in November on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s disputed decision over Juan Manuel Marquez. Benavidez underwent surgery on the wrist in late January.

He has returned to trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Calif., after working out for several weeks at Central Boxing in downtown Phoenix. He said he has resumed sparring.

“Went eight rounds twice over the last couple of days,’’ Benavidez said. “The wrist is getting better. In three or four, weeks it’ll be all the way back.’’

Photo by Phil Soto/Top Rank