"Margarito is on his way out. If we were to fight...I don't want to be the one to retire Margarito to be truthful. I'm not interested in avenging that loss from 11 years ago because it's only a number. That loss doesn't bother me at all. And sure, I would be interested in a catchweight; nothing lower than 154 pounds and nothing higher than 164 pounds...I would give Cotto, Mayweather, and Pacquiao great fights for the public and the fight fans that would love to see these fights. At this point in my career right now, I feel very strongly that I can beat all three of them," stated middleweight king Sergio Martinez, who made a strong statement about his claim to the pound-for-pound crown after his 8th round TKO of previously unbeaten Sergiy Dzinziruk this past weekend. Check out what he had to say about his performance, his future plans, including a July 9th return to the ring, and much more.
PC: Congratulations on the big knockout win.
SM: Thank you so much, I appreciate it.
PC: Which was harder, the fight or saying Sergiy's last name (laughing)?
SM: (Laughing) No, no, no, his last name was easy. Dzinziruk! The fight was harder (laughing).
PC: Your jab was your most effective weapon throughout the fight, but Dzinziruk was the taller and longer fighter. How did you make your jab work so effectively against such a tall fighter?
SM: The important thing about boxing is it's not the length of your arms, but it's your footwork. I was able to be more dominant because of my footwork.
PC: After the jab started landing, the straight left hand soon followed. Was that the game plan going in, to get the jab working effectively and then come down the middle with the left hand?
SM: Yeah, definitely. I just wanted to find my rhythm and find my distance and just be able to land that left hand. Absolutely!
PC: Before the round in which you stopped him, you were saying you couldn't see out of your left eye. How is the eye doing now and what happened to it?
SM: When the cut happened, I couldn't see and I wasn't sure if it was blood or Vaseline. I wasn't able to see for most of the previous round. I only had my right eye in the 8th round. My eye was really affected and I couldn't see out of my left eye at all. I could only see out of my right eye for the entire 8th round.
PC: Was there anything about Dzinziruk that surprised you during the course of the fight?
SM: He was probably the most intelligent fighter that I've ever fought. What really impressed me was his patience. That really surprised me a lot.
PC: You drew some comparisons to one of the commentators during the fight; that was Roy Jones Jr. How does it feel to be compared to a guy like Roy Jones Jr.?
SM: It's really an honor, but sometimes, these commentators exaggerate quite a bit. Roy Jones is Roy Jones and he's always going to be the best in my book. I'm Sergio Martinez and I know sometimes they get carried away, but it's all good.
PC: They said during the telecast that you weren't interested in a rematch with Antonio Margarito because you would hurt him. Is that the case and are you willing to fight catchweight fights for the right opponents?
SM: I'm definitely not interested in a fight with Margarito. I'm at a different point in my career and Margarito is on his way out. If we were to fight...I don't want to be the one to retire Margarito to be truthful. I'm not interested in avenging that loss from 11 years ago because it's only a number. That loss doesn't bother me at all. And sure, I would be interested in a catchweight; nothing lower than 154 pounds and nothing higher than 164 pounds.
PC: Sergio, you have a confidence now where, to me, it seems like you truly don't believe that guys like Mayweather, Pacquiao and Cotto can go 12 rounds with you.
SM: It's not that I'm super confident or anything, but I believe in my hard work and what I put myself through in my training camps, and that's where the confidence comes from. I'm very sure of my team and I'm very sure of myself. I would give Cotto, Mayweather, and Pacquiao great fights for the public and the fight fans that would love to see these fights. At this point in my career right now, I feel very strongly that I can beat all three of them.
PC: When would you like to step inside of the ring again?
SM: I would love to come back in July; preferably July 9th!
PC: Any reason for that particular date?
SM: It would be a good date to give me an opportunity to fight again later on in the year in late October or November. That date will just give me enough time and enough rest and that's the only reason that I would want to fight at that date.
PC: You told me I owed you $2,000 after the last interview. After your last performance, I guess this is a $2 million interview (laughing).
SM: (Laughing) Actually, it's the contrary. I owe you the money. You write good things about me; you write the truth about boxing, you work hard for boxing and write your best. I want to be the one to owe you money, but don't freaking charge me (laughing).
PC: Thanks! It's an honor to get a compliment from a guy like you and to have the privilege to speak to you, so the pleasure is all mine.
SM: Thank you, my pleasure!
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]