BRISTOL'S prodigal son Adrian Stone challenges for his old IBO light-middleweight title against Sergio Martinez, an Argentinian based in Madrid, at the Whitchurch Leisure Centre in Bristol this Thursday (October 9).
Stone won the vacant IBO title in 2000 with an easy stoppage of Michael Carruth, a southpaw like Martinez. He made three successful defences before stepping up and losing to American star Shane Mosley for the WBC welterweight crown in 2001, after which he severed his American connections and took 18 months out.
Now guided by Chris Sanigar, Stone has rattled off three quick wins and bombed out Zimbabwe's Farai Musiiwa in his last fight in the fourth - but not before being rocked in the first.
"I really wasn't expecting such a tough fight," he told Sky Sports. "As I really haven't been too busy of late, that woke me up. But I look at every fight as a very tough fight. I train hard for every fight regardless of my opponent and his record," he added.
"I've done that ever since I moved to the United States and it won't change now I've come home to give it one last shot. I thought about it a lot and realise there are more chances for me in England. There's no place like home. I'm pleased to be here."
Martinez, who won the IBO title in an upset over Richard Williams in June, is the kind of fighter who could spoil the homecoming party. His only loss in his 31 fights came to current WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito on a seventh round stoppage in Las Vegas in 2000 - a man who was blowing everyone away in one or two rounds at the time. A slick-boxing southpaw, Martinez is tough, seasoned and looks to have bucketloads of stamina. He shrugged off two knockdowns, low blows and a bad cut to floor and almost stop Williams in the final three minutes of their Manchester 12-rounder, but is not a big puncher by rule (only 11 stoppages or knockouts) and wore Williams down with stinging combinations and good movement.
The 28-year-old also boasts a seventh round stoppage over countryman Sergio Acuna, who gave Anthony Farnell all kinds of problems a couple of years ago (but was blown out by Steve Roberts), and unanimously outpointed Francisco Antonio Mora over 10 rounds - who took Robin Reid 12 rounds and extended IBO middleweight champion Raymond Joval in Holland, breaking the Dutchman's jaw.
His pedigree goes back a long way. He represented Argentina in the 1997 world amateur championships in Budapest, losing on points in the second series to Rumanian amateur star Adrian Diaconu (currently unbeaten as a pro fighting out of Canada). He turned pro later the same year and went unbeaten in his first 17 pro fights before the ambitious match with Margarito in February 2000 took him back to the drawing board. He has since reeled off 13 straight wins, including a unanimous points win over Javier Blanco in Buenos Aires in 2001 for the Argentinian welterweight title. He never lost the title in the ring, but was stripped after relocating to Spain last year.
Not the biggest light-middleweight in the world (he weighed 10st 12lbs for the Williams challenge), Sergio has brought his speed up a weight with him, but Williams clearly had the edge in strength and power that night, and Stone's own successful campaign at light-middleweight should also hold him in good stead, though both men are blown up welters in truth.
And both uprooted of course, though Stone opted for gritty Patterson in New Jersey, a different world to sunny Madrid. "I was supposed to go to America for six months to spar and have a couple of fights," he said recently, "and wound up staying there for 12 years.
"In America you fight the best of the best," he continued. "There's a lot of guys in the UK who are well-known who just wouldn't make it in America. I've got that experience and now I can come to England and win titles."
Experience indeed. He went 11 tough rounds with Vernon Forrest in 1998, fighting on despite a broken jaw he suffered in the sixth - and his three round knockout defeat at the hands of Shane Mosley doesn't look so bad in light of The Sugar Man's recent win over Oscar De La Hoya. "I don't think there's any disgrace in losing to two guys who have both been regarded as pound-for-pound the best in the world," he says himself.
At 32, and with a record of 33-4-2 (26), he is still a force.
Martinez's movement, fast hands and southpaw style will hold him in good stead against pressure fighter Stone. But the Bristol man is an educated pressure fighter. He's not the quickest puncher in the world, but the shots are quality, hurtful shots - and you only have to look at his high knockout ratio to know he hits harder than Martinez. Yes, Stone's chin has been found wanting a few times, but the fact Martinez ain't a banger only adds to the advantages in the home man's favour. Adrian is also far more experienced at championship level and looks a cut above most European fighters after his American apprenticeship, Martinez included.
The champion's win over Williams was a good one. But lightning doesn't strike twice. Stone should grind him down to a late stoppage or convincing points win.
make or break for "The Predator"
Good write up.
This should be a nice little contest. Martinez didn't get the credit he deserved for the systamatic boxing lesson he gave Williams. He has very fast hands and is a fine boxer.
However, while I'm not buying this illness line handed by Adam Smith, Richard Williams has never been a consistent performer (look at the two performance vs Samuels). Stone has been, and I think is just a shade better in most departments than Martinez.
Stone by a close (ish) but correct Pts decision.
This should be a nice little contest. Martinez didn't get the credit he deserved for the systamatic boxing lesson he gave Williams. He has very fast hands and is a fine boxer.
However, while I'm not buying this illness line handed by Adam Smith, Richard Williams has never been a consistent performer (look at the two performance vs Samuels). Stone has been, and I think is just a shade better in most departments than Martinez.
Stone by a close (ish) but correct Pts decision.
Hey, what a good fight that was.
Martinez's jab with the right looked great, as did his right counter. He was hiting Stone clean, at will.
From the 3rd (after the first KD) he knew he was gonna win, started dropping the shoulders, feinting and going for 1 shot knockouts. This was the only time he looked at all messy.
Everytime he got back to his boxing, he rocked Stone big time.
A "fit" Williams still wouldn't have beaten this guy IMHO.
What a good performance.
Martinez's jab with the right looked great, as did his right counter. He was hiting Stone clean, at will.
From the 3rd (after the first KD) he knew he was gonna win, started dropping the shoulders, feinting and going for 1 shot knockouts. This was the only time he looked at all messy.
Everytime he got back to his boxing, he rocked Stone big time.
A "fit" Williams still wouldn't have beaten this guy IMHO.
What a good performance.
Well, I got that one wrong. I was impressed with Martinez against Williams, and although I didn't see this contest (other things came up) I heard Martinez was very impressive.
He looks like he could hang in there in world class, and I'm glad cause he's one of the old school (Ken Buchannon esque) boxers.
How about Martinez vs Karmazin.
He looks like he could hang in there in world class, and I'm glad cause he's one of the old school (Ken Buchannon esque) boxers.
How about Martinez vs Karmazin.