Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
Former unified middleweight champion Sergio Martinez handled a tricky opponent with consummate ease last night as he knocked German-based Ukrainian Sergiy Dzinziruk five times on his way to claiming the WBC Diamond middleweight championship.
The 36 year-old avoided Dzinziruk’s sturdy jab for the most part, using his excellent combinations to keep the judges on his side and eventually started to wear “Razor” down, scoring his first knockdown in the fourth as Dzinziruk touched down from a glancing blow.
The Argentinean could sense Dzinziruk waning at this point and scored a flush knockdown in the fifth after a superb combination had his man bewildered. It was clear by this point that it was just a matter of time before Martinez would take the European out.
Dzinziruk gave one last effort in the seventh, opening a small cut about Martinez’s left eye, but that would only spur the Buenos Aries-born southpaw on and he battered Dzinziruk in the eighth round, knocking him to the canvas three times, before referee Arthur Mercante had seen enough.
It represents Martinez’s 47th career victory, cementing his place as one of the top boxers in the world today, with Martinez’s being just a super-fight against the likes of a Cotto or a Carl Froch, away from being considered one of the worlds best.
Martinez picked up the consolation prize of the quickly arranged WBC Diamond title after the WBC had no choice but to strip him of his middleweight title, as his mandatory challenger Sebastian Zbik was rejected by HBO and the title was handed to the German.
The $50,000 belt is just a one-off title that Martinez will not have to defend and the South-American could look at moving up to super-middleweight to challenge for a title at 168lbs, which would move him into the P4P territory alongside Mayweather, Pacquaio and Donaire if successful.
WBN Editor
“Maravilla” takes home WBC Diamond belt
Former unified middleweight champion Sergio Martinez handled a tricky opponent with consummate ease last night as he knocked German-based Ukrainian Sergiy Dzinziruk five times on his way to claiming the WBC Diamond middleweight championship.
The 36 year-old avoided Dzinziruk’s sturdy jab for the most part, using his excellent combinations to keep the judges on his side and eventually started to wear “Razor” down, scoring his first knockdown in the fourth as Dzinziruk touched down from a glancing blow.
The Argentinean could sense Dzinziruk waning at this point and scored a flush knockdown in the fifth after a superb combination had his man bewildered. It was clear by this point that it was just a matter of time before Martinez would take the European out.
Dzinziruk gave one last effort in the seventh, opening a small cut about Martinez’s left eye, but that would only spur the Buenos Aries-born southpaw on and he battered Dzinziruk in the eighth round, knocking him to the canvas three times, before referee Arthur Mercante had seen enough.
It represents Martinez’s 47th career victory, cementing his place as one of the top boxers in the world today, with Martinez’s being just a super-fight against the likes of a Cotto or a Carl Froch, away from being considered one of the worlds best.
Martinez picked up the consolation prize of the quickly arranged WBC Diamond title after the WBC had no choice but to strip him of his middleweight title, as his mandatory challenger Sebastian Zbik was rejected by HBO and the title was handed to the German.
The $50,000 belt is just a one-off title that Martinez will not have to defend and the South-American could look at moving up to super-middleweight to challenge for a title at 168lbs, which would move him into the P4P territory alongside Mayweather, Pacquaio and Donaire if successful.