Image via WikipediaThe world middleweight championship is one of the marquee titles in professional boxing, a prize held by some of the greatest fighters who ever lived.
It’s not, apparently, good enough for Paul Williams and Sergio Martinez. The two will meet on Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., for the World Boxing Council version of a crown, albeit with a ridiculous agreement insisted upon by Williams’ team that the upper weight limit is 158 pounds and not the division limit of 160.
That’s just another sign of the negotiating power wielded by Williams’ adviser Al Haymon, who dictated to everyone involved – HBO, Martinez promoter Lou DiBella and Williams promoter Dan Goossen – what the terms of the fight would be.
But the middleweight belt is just a sidelight to the Williams-Martinez rematch. The real prize, if any of those would answer honestly, is a fight with the reigning pound-for-pound king, Manny Pacquiao.
Goossen has made no secret of his desire to pit Williams against either Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr. DiBella hasn’t been as vocal, but be very certain if Martinez prevails on Saturday, DiBella will plead the case for a Pacquiao-Martinez bout.
They’re going to have to be content with the middleweight belt, however, because Pacquiao isn’t going to fight either man.
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, didn’t dismiss the possibility at the postfight news conference Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, that Pacquiao could face the Williams-Martinez winner, but he did on Tuesday.
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