Carlos Acevedo was ringside for Saturday night's middleweight title clash between Kelly Pavlik and Sergio Martinez.  For more from Carlos, check out his blog, The Cruelest Sport.

If Argentina has anything similar to the concept of menefreghista, then Sergio Martinez is probably its most visible practitioner. Martinez is practically unflappable in the ring, and his disregard for consequences between the ropes, often reckless, is indicative of the remarkable confidence he has as a fighter.  Last night before a crowd of over 6,000 at Boardwalk Hall, Martinez laughed, showboated, boxed, boogied, brawled, ignored a knockdown, and shouted "Mas!" at a bloody and bewildered Kelly Pavlik before being rewarded with an upset unanimous decision over the recognized middleweight champion of the world. Final scores were 116-111, 115-111, and 115-112.

Pavlik, trying to reclaim a reputation sullied over the last year and a half, simply could not catch up with Martinez, whose speed and athleticism, combined with a natural ability to stymie, were just too much for him. Compared to Martinez, Pavlik appeared to be fighting with leg irons on.

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Carlos Acevedo previews Saturday night's HBO main-event featuring Kelly Pavlik vs Sergio Martinez.  For more from Carlos, check out his blog, The Cruelest Sport.

Kelly Pavlik looks to storm the Big Time again when he meets whirlwind Sergio Martinez tomorrow night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City in a fight that promises to be a humdinger.

Pavlik, whose annus miserabilis of 2009 became a cyberspace soap opera, enters the ring as a slight favorite over Martinez, perhaps because Martinez is viewed as a blown-up junior middleweight.

If recent form is any indication, Martinez, 44-2-2 (24), may have the edge entering the bout. His last two opponents, Paul Williams and Kermit Cintron, easily outstrip the not-so dynamic duo of Miguel Espino and Marco Antonio Rubio, both part of the recent Kelly Pavlik Stress Management Tour.

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