At 47 years outdated, and ranked at third in WBA’s middleweight rankings, former two-time world champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez is definite that in 2023 he’ll get a brand new alternative to combat for a world title and he goals to problem Gennady Golovkin – even when his life is in danger.
“If I can decide who to problem, I’d say Gennady Golovkin,” Martinez informed Izquierdazo. “Somebody can inform me that Golovkin goes to kill me. Sure, I do know he can kill me. Or not. I additionally know that I may give him a boxing lesson. I’m getting higher each day. I’m not getting nearly as good as I used to be, I’m getting significantly better”.
Martinez reigned at junior middleweight and middleweight whereas being a recurrent title in pound for pound rankings. He retired in 2014 after being stopped by Miguel Cotto. In 2020, after six years in retirement, Martinez returned to boxing dedicated to be a world champion once more. Since then, Martinez has fought 5 instances, successful all of them in opposition to decrease degree competitors.
However now, Martinez is extremely ranked and he thinks {that a} combat could occur quickly in opposition to both the tremendous champion Golovkin, or the WBA’s “common” common champion Erislandy Lara.
“I purpose to combat Gennady Golovkin”, Martinez stated. “Possibly my supervisor will purpose at Lara. However I do know {that a} combat with Lara is perhaps tremendous boring. Lara will get on his bike and dances round you, shifting and shifting, so it could be an unsightly combat. With Golovkin, I believe it could be a pleasant combat to see, even when he can break me into items, or not”.
Really, Martinez bets on him to provide an excellent combat in opposition to Golovkin.
“It’s full insanity, I do know, however I’ve all the religion in me that I may give a unprecedented combat in opposition to Golovkin”, Martinez stated. “And I must (combat at an important degree), as a result of If I don’t, I’ll die or he’ll kill me. With Golovkin, there’s a good match of types, I believe we might give an important combat. I must carry out at a unprecedented degree to win it. I’ve all the religion in me, and I do know it’s loopy, as a result of if I don’t, Golovkin will kill me and destroy me”.
Martinez is conscious of his age. He’s 47, however his potential opponents will even be above 40 when the time comes for the combat. In April, Erislandy Lara will flip 40 years outdated, and Gennady Golovkin will likely be 41.
“I’m eight years older than Lara, and virtually the identical as Golovkin”, Martinez defined. “I’ll flip 48 years outdated in February, seven greater than Golovkin”.
However the Argentinian feels that age won’t be a key think about a possible combat with Golovkin or Lara.
“When two champions face one another, or a champion with a compulsory challenger, there’s little distinction between them”, Martinez stated. “What’s going to make a distinction is the mind, not the age. It received’t even be bodily health, as a result of all of us have an important situation on the required degree for a world champion. Each Golovkin, Lara and me, if we combat one another, we will likely be at a really excessive degree from a bodily standpoint. However (the distinction) is the top, who has a greater tactic and technique, and who has a greater relaxation the final week earlier than the combat”.
Martinez accepts that his degree of opposition since his return to boxing has been very low, and that places him a decrease degree than Golovkin or Lara.
“I’m nonetheless not on the degree of Golovkin or Lara, for now,” Martinez conceded. “As a result of the extent of opposition that I’ve had is inferior, and generally very inferior. However I wanted contact with the ring, with the ropes, the referee. I wanted friction, I wanted an opponent attacking me, punching me, aiming to actually harm me. That’s what I wanted, and I do know that I’m progressing and evolving by leaps and bounds.”
Sergio is conscious that due to his present WBA rating the chance for a world title can come at any second. However he’s additionally conscious that it could possibly be delayed till 2024, and by then, he will likely be 49 years outdated.
“I perceive that by being ranked as third, the world title combat would possibly come at any second”, Martinez stated. “I can inform you that in 2023, from July onwards, I’ll get a world title combat. March 2024 on the newest. By then, I will likely be 49 years outdated. However properly, Bernard Hopkins fought till 51, and he received his final combat at 50”.