On Friday night, Sergio Martinez celebrated his 55th career victory in Madrid but still cannot justify a loft ranking with the World Boxing Association.
‘Maravilla’ returned from six years out of action due to a knee injury in 2020. He has so far reeled off three low-key victories.
The latest saw the Argentinian out-point Macaulay McGowan dominantly winning a unanimous decision. Scores after ten rounds read 99-89 [twice] and 98-90.
Martinez put McGowan down in rounds seven and ten into the bargain and improved to 55-3-2.
That’s all good and well that a past champion and pound-for-pound star can make a comeback pick up some decent money. And the fact that Sergio can still make 160 pounds thirteen years after his debut at the weight is astounding – so fair play to him.
But it’s his WBA Rating that raises serious questions. It’s been eight years since Martinez faced a solid top-tier opponent.
Therefore, how the WBA can rate Martinez at number four, even before the contest, is beyond me. It’s yet another example of why the WBA takes some much heat.
The whole top fifteen WBA middleweight list is a car crash that needs instant attention.
Despite most of his best wins coming at super-middleweight of late, Chris Eubank Jr. gets rated at one. Some of the names from ten to fifteen too are unfathomable.
But here we are. Sergio Martinez could conceivably fight for the WBA title this year at 46. The southpaw is in the frame for a title shot.
And despite his apparent lack of mobility and the fact injuries still hamper him, the veteran could get thrown to the wolves against Eubank, Jaime Munguia, or Erislandy Lara.
Let’s hope the Sergio Martinez renaissance never gets that far – for all our sakes.
WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION RATINGS
January 2022
WBA SUPER CHAMPION
RYOTA MURATA JPN
WBA WORLD CHAMPION
ERISLANDY LARA CUB
1 CHRIS EUBANK JR OC GBR
2 JAIME MUNGUIA MEX
3 MAGOMED MADIEV RUS
4 SERGIO MARTINEZ ARG
5 ANATOLI MURATOV GER
6 LIAM WILLIAMS GBR
7 MICHAEL ZERAFA OCEANIA AUS
8 ZHANIBEK ALIMKHANULY KAZ
9 LUIS ARIAS USA
10 AMILCAR VIDAL URU
11 MIKALAI VESIALOU BLR 12 JEISON MANUEL ROSARIO DOM
13 CHRISTOPHER OUSLEY I/C USA
14 SVEN ELBIR GER
15 DANNY DIGNUM GBR
The views expressed in this article are opinions of Phil Jay.
Phil Jay – Editor of World Boxing News since 2010 with over one billion views. Furthermore, follow WBN on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews.
