Prediction: Dzinziruk will neutralize Martinez’s speed and power with his jab

By Boxing News - 03/11/2011 - Comments

By Chris Williams: Former two division world champion Sergio Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KO’s) is the favorite on Saturday to beat unbeaten Ukrainian Sergiy Dzinziruk (37-0, 23 KO’s) in their fight for the Diamond middleweight title at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Martinez, 36, has the speed and power advantage over the 35-year-old Dzinziruk. However, those are the only advantages that Martinez has in this fight and it might not be enough for him to get a win – at least that’s not controversial.

Dzinziruk, a southpaw with Olympic credentials, has the best jab in the junior middleweight and middleweight divisions, and knows how to neutralize speed and power with his jab alone. Dzinziruk doesn’t plod forward the way that some of Martinez’s victims have done in the past. Dzinziruk moves and doesn’t try to slug it out with his opponents. He’s the thinking man’s fighter and is always planning moves ahead of time.

Martinez has looked great against limited fighters like Paul Williams, Kermit Cintron, Kelly Pavlik, and Alex Bunema. None of those fighters are even close to being as good as Dzinziruk in terms of boxing ability. Martinez is going to find out early on that his movement, speed and power aren’t going to be factors in this fight. He’s going to have to try and box with a boxer, and that’s not going to work for Martinez because he’s not as skilled as Dzinziruk is in that department. Martinez’s only hope in winning this fight is if Dzinziruk tries to slug with him, and that’s not going to happen.



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