I feel bad for Sergio Martinez.
Yeah, I know: I should feel bad for his opponents. On Saturday night, inside a sold-out Theater at Madison Square Garden, Martinez lay waste to another would-be challenger to his middleweight throne, finishing off Matthew Macklin with an electrifying 11th-round knockout. It was the fifth consecutive win for Martinez -- fourth straight by knockout -- reestablishing himself as the top 160-pounder in the world.
So why do I feel worse for the virtually unblemished Martinez than the battered and bloodied Macklin?
Because Macklin will move on. He's a crowd-pleasing Irish fighter with a fan base that should not have any trouble getting another title shot.
Martinez? Who knows where he goes next.
Sure, there are options. There are plenty of middleweights wearing gold around their waists who want a shot at Martinez. WBO titleholder Dmitry Pirog has been chomping at the bit for more than a year for the fight. IBF champion Daniel Geale has been defending his belt overseas waiting for his chance. Gennady Golovkin, Andy Lee and Felix Sturm are all on the radar.
