Trainer Gabriel Sarmiento in the House, Promoter Gary Shaw Gives Away The Store
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Gary Shaw is one of today’s top boxing promoters. On August 17, 2013, at Revel Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Gary Shaw watched two of the fighters in his stable, world middleweight champion Daniel Geale and super bantamweight champion Jhonatan Romero, lose their world championship belts.
Gary Shaw actually lost three times on that night without even realizing it.
Gabriel Sarmiento, the trainer of current internationally recognized World Boxing Council World Middleweight champion Sergio Gabriel Martinez, showed up in the co-main event in the corner of unheralded Kiko Martinez of Valenciana, Spain. Whose decision it was to give the 28-4 Kiko Martinez a shot at 23-0 world super bantamweight champion Jhonatan Romero of Cali, Columbia. On paper, Romero stood 5’9 ½” and had a 69 inch reach to Kiko Martinez’ 5’5” and 66 inch reach, a decisive advantage.
In reality, Gabriel Sarmiento had a good laugh. It appears Sarmiento took Kiko Martinez under his wing, and retrained Kiko Martinez to fight in a style very similar to former world flyweight champion Scotty ‘The Bulldog’ Olson, who stood only five feet tall but came forward fighting like a bulldog, hitting with massive power.
Kiko Martinez immediately cut off the ring and trapped the taller champion Romero on the ropes, and beat him up with power shots on round one. Romero jabbed side to side effectively while on the move in round two. In rounds three, four and five, Romero moved side to side but for some reason lacked an offense. The shorter Kiko Martinez fought his way inside with a vengeance, landing a grand total of 158 power shots, finally finishing Romero on the ropes in a corner after giving Romero a frightful beating.
It became evidence Sarmiento had studied footage on Romero, and had trained Kiko Martinez not just as a power hitter, but to come forward with pressure, cut off the ring, take whatever shots necessary to get inside on Romero and walk him down. Romero’s corner appeared not to have any knowledge of the opponent, and Romero clearly was not able to either execute or change his game plan. With a swollen left eye from both punches and a butt, and too tired to keep up with the world championship pace Sarmiento had Kiko Martinez set, Romero took a frightful beating before the bout was stopped at 2:40 of round six by referee David Fields.
By Gary Shaw allowing Gabriel Sarmiento into the arena, Shaw allowed perhaps the best boxing trainer in the world to study Daniel Geale’s fighting technique, as well as Darren Barker’s new and old fighting techniques. As Sarmiento already trained Sergio Gabriel Martinez for his knockout of Barker, Sarmiento was able to extrapolate everything he needed to know for Sergio Gabriel Martinez to beat Geale if it ever happens, or better prepare for a rematch between Sergio Gabriel Martinez and Barker.
Geale, many believe, has the superior inside and outside awkward fighting style which has the best chance of beating Sergio Gabriel Martinez. However, with Sarmiento in the house, Gary Shaw literally gave away the store. The chances of a bout between Geale and Sergio Gabriel Martinez have been diminished, even if Geale beats Darren Barker in a future rematch. Sarmiento now has first hand experience observing Geale’s fight style and will know how to beat him, as well as relatively dealing with any changes in the game plan. Since Sarmiento is rarely in the United States, Shaw provided him a golden opportunity.
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