Sergio Martinez can’t stand in one place for too long against Chavez Jr

By Boxing News - 08/06/2012 - Comments

Image: Sergio Martinez can't stand in one place for too long against Chavez JrBy Dan Ambrose: Sergio Martinez (49-2-2, 28 KO’s) will need to stay on his bike against WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-0-1, 32 KO’s) next month on September 15th if he wants to win this one. It’s not that Chavez Jr. is too big of a puncher or too talented a fighter. The issue here is that Chavez Jr. will likely coming into the fight weighing over 180 pounds and will probably have a 15 pound weight advantage against the smaller Martinez.

If all things were equal, and both fighters came into the fight weighing 160-165 lbs, Martinez would butcher Chavez Jr. and blow him out of the ring. Unfortunately, Chavez Jr. balloons up in weight after he rehydrates and is one of the biggest middleweights I’ve ever seen. With the World Boxing Council having no rehydration limits to keep fighters from being able to gain a ton of weight after they weigh-in, Chavez Jr. is free to gain as much weight as he likes once he’s made the 160 pound limit. Martinez doesn’t balloon up in weight after he makes weight; he gains about five pounds and that’s it. He’s not one of those fighters that is basically a cruiserweight but who cuts a ton of weight to make weight a couple of divisions below his own weight in order to fight against smaller guys. Martinez doesn’t do that, and instead he uses his speed, power and movement to win his fights.

Martinez will have to be able to keep out of the way of Chavez Jr when the two fighters get near the ropes because Chavez Jr. will be looking to trap him so that he can land his body punches one after another.

Martinez has an edge over Chavez Jr’s recent opponents in that he realizes that it’s not a good idea to stand with his back against the ropes letting Chavez Jr. tee off on him with his huge weight advantage.



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