Sergio Martinez Favors Paul Williams Rematch -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Sergio Martinez and Paul Williams are two of boxing's most feared fighters, so much so, that in the aftermath of their December, HBO-televised, non-title, middleweight (160 pounds) clash of southpaws -- during which both fighters were floored in the first round -- each has fought only once.

Otherwise, they have not been able to find willing opponents.

So now, it appears that HBO president of sport, Ross Greenburg, is pushing for a rematch of their battle, won by Williams (39-1, 27 knockouts) via disputed majority decision. According to a report by Boxingscene.com's Rick Reeno, the target date is Oct. 2.

"I have a lot of respect for Paul Williams. He is a great champion," Martinez's manager, Sampson Lewkowicz, told Boxingscene.com. "I believe he wants the rematch with Martinez."

In the months since their first meeting, the stock of Martinez has only grown.

The 35-year-old, Argentinian-born fighter dethroned WBC and WBO king, Kelly Pavlik, in April, his 12-round, unanimous decision raising his mark to 45-2-2, with 24 knockouts. Martinez has since been stripped of the WBO middleweight crown, as well as the WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) title.

Williams, meanwhile, is coming off of May's disappointing, four-round junior middleweight technical decision victory over former two-time world champion Kermit Cintron.

And one of the sticking points that delays a potential rematch with Martinez is the fact that Williams is pushing for a return to the welterweight (147 pounds) class, where he won two of the three world titles he has held.

"Williams' his promoter [Dan Goossen] is chasing a fantasy fight with Manny Pacquiao, which will never happen. Williams is too tall. Pacquiao wouldn't fight Yuri Foreman because he said Foreman was too tall, and Williams makes Foreman look small. The same goes for Floyd Mayweather Jr. He doesn't have to fight someone like Paul Williams. He can fight anyone and make just as much money," Lewkowicz, told Boxingscene.com.

"The fight with Martinez was very close and could have went either way," said Lewkowicz. "I guarantee the rematch will be just as exciting and if not the fight of the year, the rematch will be the first runner-up for fight of the year at worst."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com