Star is born with Martinez's upset of Pavlik

ATLANTIC CITY - To the world at large, boxing has Manny Pacquiao and maybe Floyd Mayweather as standard bearers for the sport. If promoter Lou DiBella can pull it off, maybe you can add the name of new WBC and WBO middleweight champion Sergio Martinez to that list of recognizable figures in the near future.

Martinez took care of his end of the deal when he upset champion Kelly Pavlik by finishing with a furious flourish over the final four rounds of their bout Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall. The Argentine southpaw already owned the WBC light middleweight title belt, so he now rules a wide swath of territory in the two weight classes above welterweights Pacquiao and Mayweather.

In addition to the speed, boxing skill, toughness and showmanship Martinez (45-2-2, 24 KOs) displayed while cutting up Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs), he possesses the good looks of the intercontinental jet-setter he aspires to become. Now it's up to DiBella to fulfill his job description and promote Martinez as boxing's newest star.

"First of all, he looks like a movie star," said DiBella, who added that even Oscar de la Hoya would be envious. "Women love him. He could be a poster-boy for the sport, and he's a terrifically entertaining fighter. And some of it is showmanship. Why does he leave his hands down? Because he can."

Martinez did survive a seventh-round knockdown from a short right hand by Pavlik, and after a fast start, he fell behind during the middle rounds of the fight. But when he scored in the first four rounds, Martinez indulged in some hot-dogging by shimmying his shoulders, winding up for a bolo punch and holding his hands down and daring Pavlik to hit him. He did more of the same toward the end.

Nicknamed "Maravilla" - Spanish for "marvelous" - Martinez said it was all "premeditated." Having fought his way out of poverty in Buenos Aires, he craves the spotlight and the financial rewards that go with it. At 35 years old, he knows there is a limited time to achieve his goals.

Pavlik actually holds the key to Martinez's future because he has the contractual right to a rematch. But Pavlik might move up to 168 pounds, and Martinez might choose to defend his 154-pound title. Promoter Bob Arum said Martinez could wind up fighting Antonio Margarito at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Or he could choose the winner of a scheduled bout between Kermit Cintron and Paul Williams. Those three opponents represent the two losses and one of the draws on Martinez's record.

"Sergio's still in his prime even though he's in his mid-30s," DiBella said. "He's just discovered how good he is. I think he has a window of multiple years now where he could really be a superstar."