Pirog vs. Martinez

[BM dnobagaV]

Who would you take in this amazing MW unification had it happened back in 2011 in the prime of both guys? Both being late bloomers in the sport, both having recently come off big stoppages over Jacobs & Williams respectively.

The Grandmaster: 70in reach, 31 years old, 18-0, 5'11

Maravilla: 73in reach, 36 years old, 47-2-2, 5'10


*Martinez, fighting to regain the WBO belt they stripped from him that Pirog won.

A class of styles you'd never seen before or will probably never see again!

[Sadiqkingofko]

As long as he doesn't get caught Martinez would win

[Sugar Adam Ali]

i would go with serg... pirog just wasn't round long enough to accurately judge him. Hard to base anything off one fight vs a green Jacobs...

Serg is much more proven

[The Akbar One]

Pirog would have got in that arse. Martinez is a bit over rated. He fought that bum Barker instead of Pirog. If you look at his resume, his best win is Paul Williams, a guy who isn't a middleweight. He beat Pavlik, but that was an alcoholic Pavlik, who had his boxing spirit taken away by old man Hopkins. Martinez fought scrubs like 154 pounder Euro scrub Dzinziruk, Euro scrub Darren Barker who wasn't even top 15 rated, until DiBella paid off the WBC right before the fight. Euro scrub Matthew Macklin etc. He could have fought Pirog anytime. He even ducked Pirog verbally in a video interview while traveling by car. Claiming there is no money in Pirog, even though he would have gotten the same purse he got for Barker, Macklin. Dzinziruk etc. A healthy Pirog would have beaten the over rated Martinez. Martinez struggled with Barker, Macklin, got a hometown decision over Murray where the ref took away a legit knockdown, and he got his arse whooped by old midget Cotto.

[billeau2]

Pirog would have got in that arse. Martinez is a bit over rated. He fought that bum Barker instead of Pirog. If you look at his resume, his best win is Paul Williams, a guy who isn't a middleweight. He beat Pavlik, but that was an alcoholic Pavlik, who had his boxing spirit taken away by old man Hopkins. Martinez fought scrubs like 154 pounder Euro scrub Dzinziruk, Euro scrub Darren Barker who wasn't even top 15 rated, until DiBella paid off the WBC right before the fight. Euro scrub Matthew Macklin etc. He could have fought Pirog anytime. He even ducked Pirog verbally in a video interview while traveling by car. Claiming there is no money in Pirog, even though he would have gotten the same purse he got for Barker, Macklin. Dzinziruk etc. A healthy Pirog would have beaten the over rated Martinez. Martinez struggled with Barker, Macklin, got a hometown decision over Murray where the ref took away a legit knockdown, and he got his arse whooped by old midget Cotto.

Great post. I also tend to think that Martinez is chronically over rated. There is something romantic about ambush fighters: Haye is another one... they move around the ring and then jump in like bullfighters, mongoose! bam! and when they connect it looks so glorious, not like Ward when he is putting in work hitting the body... more like Ali when he is dancing.

But at the end of the day what skills did Martinez have? he never fought inside, he never showed great precise punching... he showed athletic ability and speed and he was good enough to overcome Paul's reach and a diminished Pavlok's boxing skills.

Still I would caution equating Martinez avoiding someone with meaning Martinez would lose... But lets look at Pirov. Pirov was fantastic; one of my favorite fighters hands down, a throwback to when skills paid the bills and traps were set in the ring, footwork was executed with precise angles, etc... We tend to romanticize what could have been, I mean Ike Ibuchi, another one who had the gifts, the instinct...but we must always come back to reality as sobering as it is. and the fact is:

We don't know enough about Pirov to know if he could overcome the blinding athletascism of Martinez. I would bet on Pirov, but Martinez was unorthodox and ackward enough to present a problem to many. I would take Pirov to win this because Pirov makes adjustments and because he has skills that are first rate. But the physical presence of Marvella is such that it is a major advantage for him. It would be a good match in all probability.

[The Akbar One]

Great post. I also tend to think that Martinez is chronically over rated. There is something romantic about ambush fighters: Haye is another one... they move around the ring and then jump in like bullfighters, mongoose! bam! and when they connect it looks so glorious, not like Ward when he is putting in work hitting the body... more like Ali when he is dancing.

But at the end of the day what skills did Martinez have? he never fought inside, he never showed great precise punching... he showed athletic ability and speed and he was good enough to overcome Paul's reach and a diminished Pavlok's boxing skills.

Still I would caution equating Martinez avoiding someone with meaning Martinez would lose... But lets look at Pirov. Pirov was fantastic; one of my favorite fighters hands down, a throwback to when skills paid the bills and traps were set in the ring, footwork was executed with precise angles, etc... We tend to romanticize what could have been, I mean Ike Ibuchi, another one who had the gifts, the instinct...but we must always come back to reality as sobering as it is. and the fact is:

We don't know enough about Pirov to know if he could overcome the blinding athletascism of Martinez. I would bet on Pirov, but Martinez was unorthodox and ackward enough to present a problem to many. I would take Pirov to win this because Pirov makes adjustments and because he has skills that are first rate. But the physical presence of Marvella is such that it is a major advantage for him. It would be a good match in all probability.

People also forget that the Jacobs fight was pretty much the last fight where Pirog's back was in semi decent condition. Every fight after, he basically fought in an injured state, and didn't look as sharp.

[BM dnobagaV]

This is some Floyd Mayweather/Pernell Whittaker type defense. He just makes it look so seamlessly smooth.... He really had some crazy defensive talent. Seems as if the only type of fighter that could possibly bother him would be a Maidana-like brawler that makes it dirty.

Otherwise, I can't see Martinez outboxing him.

[Anthony342]

Agreed, sir.

[Elroy The Great]

the sex all day.

[billeau2]

This is some Floyd Mayweather/Pernell Whittaker type defense. He just makes it look so seamlessly smooth.... He really had some crazy defensive talent. Seems as if the only type of fighter that could possibly bother him would be a Maidana-like brawler that makes it dirty.

Otherwise, I can't see Martinez outboxing him.

Lol... I know right? When I see Pirov I get "that feeling." The feeling I get sometimes when watching Ibuchi... The perfect size, the granite chin, the natural smartness and technical proficiency...Now Pirov was a lot more talented than Ibuchi!, if his back had held out....man oh man!!