In an ill-tempered final press conference prior to their record-breaking showdown for the WBC middleweight title, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr of Mexzico and Sergio ?Maravilla? Martinez of Argentina blasted each other verbally in what many believe will be a prelude to smashing each other in the ring on Sunday, Manila Time at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The fight will be telecast on ABS-CBN Studio 23.
Martinez who feels he has long been unfairly deprived of a shot at Chavez Jr, son of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez Sr said ?I will beat you. I will beat you hard. I?m going to knock you out but before that I will make you suffer. May the referee and your corner have mercy on you and stop the fight because I won?t stop hitting you.?
The World Boxing Council reported that Martinez told Chavez ?you shouldn?t have taken this fight, you will regret it. You don?t respect this sport and I will knock you out for that.?
Chavez Jr didn?t back down. He said ?You can?t beat me. You have always dodged the No.1 in the division. I hope you don?t run this Saturday. I certainly hope you can stand up and fight.?
Chavez Jr concluded, ?I am going to retire you from boxing. I have seen your defeats and that?s what will happen this Saturday.
The eagerly anticipated title fight has shattered ticket sales at the Thomas & Mack Center, out-selling the world heavyweight championship battle between Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield which sold 19,151 tickets on November 13, 1999 when Lewis won a unanimous twelve round decision for the WBC/WBA/IBF and IBO titles.
The Chavez Jr-Martinez fight sold 19,186 tickets providing a testament to what promises to be a war in a Top Rank main event that fight fans are genuinely excited about.
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