Sergio Martinez a champion and king of a man

After winning the world title, Sergio Martinez often wore a crown into the ring prior to his fights. It was a fitting symbolism for a boxer who, as a man, was a king among men.

Martinez, the former middleweight and super welterweight champion who announced his retirement during the International Boxing Hall of Fame ceremonies in Canastota, N.Y., on Saturday, was one of the better fighters of the last decade or so.

But you'd have to look far and wide to find a classier, more socially aware man than Martinez. He gave of himself constantly on behalf of issues he believed in and was a giant in the anti-bullying campaign.

While his boxing skills were terrific, there were better fighters before he came along and will be better ones who succeed him.

Where he'll be missed is in the example he set for so many. He was always in magnificent condition and prepared expertly each time out. There was never any question whether Martinez would make weight, nor was there any debate about whether he'd be able to finish the fight hard.

He was a natural athlete who exceled in cycling and soccer before getting into boxing at the extremely late age of 20. But he adapted to the sport quickly and soon showed the rest of the pack how it was done.

At his peak, he reached No. 3 in the mythical pound-for-pound rankings, and scored a series of significant victories. His most memorable win was a one-punch knockout of Paul Williams in a rematch for the linear middleweight championship.

But he also defeated Kelly Pavlik, rallying down the stretch to pull out a victory in which he trailed early, to win the middleweight belt. He also bested Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a pay-per-view bout in 2012 that became an unexpected box office hit.

He was quick, he had good reflexes and he hit hard enough to make opponents wary. He was awkward and fought with his hands at his waist, and threw punches from angles opponents didn't expect. That paid big dividends when he starched Williams in the second round in dramatic fashion in 2010 in Atlantic City, N.J.

He was a fun, exciting fighter to watch, but his impact upon the sport went far beyond his 51-3-2 record, 28 knockouts and world titles at 154 and 160 pounds. Martinez showed others how to do it in terms of his willingness to accept all challenges and to be ready at all times. Plus, he was always classy, always giving and eager to support anyone who was downtrodden and needed help.

Martinez was born in a poor neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was bullied himself as a child. It had an impact upon him forever and changed how he acted.

He worked tirelessly with the "WBC Cares" programs that donated money and support to boxers and their families in need. In addition, he would routinely visit battered women's shelters to offer encouragement and support.

When former world champion Edwin Valero murdered his wife and then committed suicide the next day, there was much public mourning for the talented but troubled boxer. Martinez was outraged and was angry that fans didn't remember Valero's wife, Jennifer.

To his next fight, he wore a patch on his fight shorts with her name on it in memory and tribute.

That's the kind of guy he was. He was a great athlete who used the fame he earned in the ring to do good in the world.

Boxing is the loser because he's no longer competing, but have no doubt, Martinez isn't done fighting. This time, though, the fight is just going to be for the downtrodden and the disadvantaged.

He was a champion as a boxer, but a king of a man. He'll be missed greatly by a sport that so desperately needs more like him.