Hearn: Martinez-Chavez rematch deal ‘not imminent’

We’ve heard the reports, and so have you, that a rematch between Sergio Martinez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, six years after their first meeting, is near a done deal for November 17.

But ESPN reports that that’s not the case, as promoter Eddie Hearn says the deal isn’t close to done, and that he’s not sure the fight has any real value anyway, despite the fact that it would stream on DAZN if the deal is made.

“I have spoken to both fighters regarding the fight, but there is no contract, nothing signed, no deal in place. It’s something that has been discussed, but a deal is not imminent. It’s not at all done. … I’m curious about the fight, but honestly I don’t think it has legs, no pun intended.”

The pun, of course, is that the 43-year-old Martinez (51-3-2, 28 KO) was last seen in the ring in June 2014, when he tried to fight basically on one leg against Miguel Cotto, for which he paid the price of a 10-round beatdown before a mercy stoppage. ESPN also says that both Lou DiBella and Sampson Lewkowicz, who handled Martinez’s rise to stardom, won’t be involved if he does come back, as neither believes he should fight again.

Chavez (50-3-1, 32 KO) hasn’t fought since his pathetic May 2017 loss to Canelo Alvarez, where he appeared to do no more than the bare minimum of making weight and actually showing up.

So Hearn is probably right that the fight has no legs, no real juice, no intrigue. It’s been way too long since they first fought, neither man is relevant in the sport right now, and neither of them were ever that sort of next-level superstar that makes anything they do newsworthy to the majority of fans. It would be a curiosity, a novelty, or maybe something worse than that.

Of course, none of this means it isn’t going to happen, and if it does, you’ll be able to watch it, and we’ll surely cover it.