Distractions don’t deter Martinez

Contrary to what the numbers in the sports book say, the odds appear stacked against Sergio Martinez as he attempts to win back what he believes rightfully still should be his.

If Martinez hopes to be the WBC middleweight champion again, he not only will have to beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on Saturday in front of a pro-Chavez crowd of 19,186 at the Thomas & Mack Center, but he also might have to overcome the politics of boxing.

"At the end of the day, it's about being the champion," Martinez (49-2-2, 28 knockouts) said this week at Wynn Las Vegas. "It's not about money. It's about being the best fighter."

Chavez (46-0-1, 32 KOs) will make $3 million Saturday, while Martinez's purse is $1.4 million. Martinez, a 2-1 betting favorite Thursday at the Wynn race and sports book, didn't seem concerned.

"Chavez will get more money," Martinez said. "But he will also get more of a beating."

The 37-year-old from Buenos Aires, Argentina, has an impressive resume. He owns a clear-cut victory over Kelly Pavlik in 2010 that gave him the WBC middleweight belt. He retained the title with his famous second-round knockout of Paul Williams later that year, avenging a 12-round majority decision loss to Williams in 2009. Martinez's only other loss was a seventh-round technical knockout by Antonio Margarito in 2000 at Mandalay Bay.

But when Martinez refused to make a mandatory defense last year against Sebastian Zbik because HBO supposedly didn't think it was worthy of televising, he was stripped of the belt. Then, in a touch of irony that only boxing can conjure up, Chavez got to fight Zbik on June 4, 2011, for the suddenly vacant title.

Chavez won a 12-round unanimous decision and on Saturday will be making his fourth title defense. The whole situation has irked Martinez and his promoter, Lou DiBella, because they were told that Chavez would fight Martinez in March. Instead, Chavez fought Marco Antonio Rubio on Feb. 4 and beat him.

"If someone takes your place who doesn't deserve it, you're going to get upset," Martinez said. "I don't understand why everyone thinks he's a great champion. He's not. He doesn't deserve to be champion.

"The only thing that's wrong is he has my belt."

Now, Martinez has the opportunity he has wanted for more than a year. Still, DiBella is concerned that WBC president Jose Sulaiman's cozy relationship with the 26-year-old Chavez (he is Chavez's godfather) could have an impact on the outcome. Sulaiman recently bet a radio talk-show host dinner that Chavez would beat Martinez. And while politicians make bets of a similar nature all the time, mayors and governors don't decide or influence the Super Bowl or the World Series.

"The bet, in of itself, is no big deal," DiBella said. "But is it appropriate? I don't think so."

Martinez said he would have loved to have Sulaiman make that same wager with him.

"I'm sorry he didn't bet with me because I could enjoy his company and dinner and have him pay for it," he said.

And given Martinez's history with the WBC, perhaps he should be worried. But if he is concerned about not getting a fair shake Saturday, Martinez isn't showing it.

"The speed and power that I will deliver to Chavez will be enough to knock him out," Martinez said. "I will not wait for the judges. I don't want a gift. I just want justice to be done."

■ NOTES - Today's weigh-in at the Encore Theater at Wynn is open to the public, with Chavez and Martinez expected on the scales at approximately 3:40 p.m. ... Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who is co-promoting the fight with DiBella, said the HBO Pay Per View numbers are tracking well and the fight could do close to 500,000 buys. "The early indications are very strong," he said of the PPV, which will be available on Cox Cable and DirecTV at a cost of $49.95.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.