Martinez aims to make Chavez Jr. toothless

Southpaw RING middleweight champion Sergio Martinez says that when he is finished beating up on WBC beltholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the 26-year-old native of Mexico will have to gum his food rather than chew it, if not, be spoon-fed by his father and former world champion by the same name.

"There is no way Chávez Jr. can beat me. I will knock him out inside seven rounds," said Martinez, a 37-year-old Argentine who has been dismissed by Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. as "a runner" whose style "stinks."

"I gave his father a baby bottle today so he can take it to his baby after I give Junior a real beating. He won’t be eating solid food with the few teeth remaining after I get through with him."

Martinez (49-2-2, 28 knockouts) made his statements during Tuesday's press conference in Mexico City, where he and Chavez Jr. (46-0-1, 32 KOs) were promoting their HBO Pay Per View-televised clash that is slated for Sept. 15 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

The stop was the fourth for Martinez and Chavez Jr. after days in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York last week.

In New York on Thursday, Chavez Sr. celebrated his 50th birthday by saying Martinez  has "been talking a lot of bulls__t," adding, "on Sept. 15th, all that bulls__t he's been talking, he's going to have to eat it."

Chavez Jr. was more understated on Monday. 

"I want to prove that I am the best middleweight in the world, and I will beat Sergio Martinez on September 15 to prove it," said Chavez Jr., a resident of Culiacan, Mex., who will face Martinez on Mexican Independence Day weekend.

"It will be a great night of boxing, a great night for boxing, and a great night of celebration for México as we will celebrate Independence Day and my great victory. This is a real fight between the two best middleweights in the world, and one that history will remember for a long time."

Photos by Rafael Soto, Top Rank

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lemuel.satterfield@gmail.com