For Sergio Martinez, his last two fights ended in disappointment. In February of 2009, despite what seemed to be a knockout blow by Martinez, the judges decided that his fight with Kermit Cintron was a draw. Then again, in December of 2009 Sergio Martinez lost a controversial decision in his fight against Paul Williams. These two fights must have stuck in the head of Martinez because he left no room for doubt that he was the winner of his fight with Kelly Pavlik.

Much was made about the difference in size between the two fighters. Pavlik was the bigger man, and presumably, the man with the more powerful punch. But for that to be a factor, Pavlik had to land that punch. Something he had trouble doing throughout the fight. Martinez kept on the move throughout the fight, making it difficult for Pavlik to land effective punches against him. For those who believed that Martinez would tire, they were wrong. Martinez was able to neutralize Pavlik with the speed that he was able to move around the ring.

From the first round, Martinez was on the move. However, he was not trying to avoid confrontation with Pavlik. He was simply trying to keep that confrontation on his terms. It was Martinez who initiated the first meaningful exchange between the two. Throughout the first round, these exchanges were brief. And yet, Martinez was able to open up a cut on the left eye of Pavlik.

The pace picked up in the second round. Martinez kept on the move throughout the round, turning Pavlik to the left and to the right. The other thing Martinez was doing was concentrating his attacks on the eye of Pavlik. Throughout the round, Martinez was smiling as he was landing his punches. And never, throughout the fight, did Martinez lift his arms to defend himself. In the press conference after the fight, he said that if he did not fight with his hands down, he would not be marvelous, a reference to his alias Maravilla. Martinez used his movement as his defense. As long as Pavlik could not hit him, he did not need to keep his hands up. The next two rounds continued much like the first two. Even when Pavlik was able to land a shot, it lacked power because Pavlik was unable to plant his feet.

However, Pavlik did not get to where he is today by sheer luck. He seemed to start to figure out the allusive Martinez the longer they fought. In the fifth, Pavlik landed a solid right to the head of Martinez. This signaled a shift in the fight. Martinez started to slow down, giving Pavlik time to set up his shots. Pavlik was landing more solid shots throughout the fifth round. Size was beginning to be a factor in the fight.

In the sixth round, Martinez and Pavlik were mixing it up more in the center of the ring. Pavlik’s height and reach were causing Martinez some trouble. Pavlik was able to land his shots as Martinez was trying to come in to land his. And still, Martinez was giving Pavlik too much time to plant his feet and deliver his punches. But Martinez adjusted again, going back to circling the ring in the seventh round. Still Pavlik was able to knock Martinez to the canvas as he was backing away. Although their feet were somewhat crossed, Martinez went down with the punch Pavlik threw. Referee David Fields started the count. Pavlik remained aggressive throughout the round and remained in control throughout the eighth round.

Once again, Martinez picked up the pace in the ninth round. He was moving and landing once again, going back to what gave him the early rounds of the fight. He was also able to open a cut on the right eye of Pavlik. Now Pavlik had two cuts to deal with, and his face was covered in blood by the end of the round. Toward the end of the round, Martinez wound up like he was going to throw a punch but didn’t. Maybe it was psychological, something to remind Pavlik of his loss to Hopkins.

Martinez kept up the pressure in the tenth round, seeming to throw more punches than the round before. He kept aiming for the cuts. With the blood streaming down the face of Pavlik, it was no doubt that he was having trouble seeing. Pavlik tried to turn the tide of the fight in the eleventh, coming out of his corner very aggressive. But Martinez was able to keep control of the fight by circling and once again opening the cuts on Pavlik’s eyes. Martinez had a strong flurry at the end of the round. Pavlik had no response for this.

The twelfth round once again saw a dominant Martinez. Still circling, he was able to keep Pavlik from planting and landing any effective shots. Martinez landed a hard shot, knocking Pavlik back to the ropes. By the end of the fight, Pavlik was once again covered in blood.

Sergio Martinez had left no doubt in the mind of the fans there who had won that fight. Boardwalk Hall was filled with Pavlik fans, and many were walking out before the decision was announced. All three judges scored the fight for Martinez, and all three judges were within a point of each other. Even Bob Arum, promoter for Kelly Pavlik, said in the press conference that it was an easy fight to score. Martinez won the early rounds and the late rounds by moving and keeping Pavlik off of his game. Maybe this fight doesn’t make up for the last two, or maybe it does. This was for the WBC, WBO, and Ring Magazine Middleweight titles. The only question left is whether or not Kelly Pavlik truly wants that rematch.