By Jim Dower: If former WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KO’s) wants to keep his status as the best fighter in the middleweight division, he’s going to need to not only beat Sergiy Dzinziruk (37-0, 23 KO’s) on March 12th at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The 35-year-old Martinez is facing someone that is very hard to beat, let alone look good in beating him.

This is going to be a problem for Martinez because right now he’s won over a lot of boxing fans with his wins over Kelly Pavlik and his recent 2nd round knockout victory over Paul Williams last November. Martinez could lost a lot of fans on March 12th unless he finds a way to not only win but impress in doing. Dzinziruk, 34, is a fighter that plays it safe at all times fighting behind his jab and high guard.

He’s never easy to hit because he doesn’t open up like less disciplined fighters do. This isn’t going to be one of the big power punchers that Martinez has been facing nor will it be someone like Williams, who throws a lot of punches. Dzinziruk will be jabbing Martinez repeatedly, and keeping out of the way of his straight left hands.

Martinez is going to have to show a sense of urgency otherwise he’s going to end up with a puffy face and perhaps a closed eye or two. He can’t just let Dzinziruk jab him because his jab is too good and he’s not going to give Martinez too many openings. Martinez is going to have make his own opportunities by taking the fight to Dzinziruk to try get him to make some mistakes.