Tag: Julio Cesar Martinez

Julio Cesar Martinez to defend flyweight title on streets of Tulsa

Julio Cesar Martinez will defend his flyweight title against McWilliams Arroyo on Aug. 15 on the streets of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Promoter Eddie Hearn is definitely creative.

The head of Matchroom Boxing will stage fight cards in the garden of his offices outside London beginning next month. And, it was officially announced, his first post-lockdown card in the U.S. will take place Aug. 15 on the streets of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Julio Cesar Martinez (16-1, 12 KOs) will defend his world flyweight title against No. 1-ranked McWilliams Arroyo (20-4 15 KOs) in the main event.

Also, Cecilia Braekhus (36-0, 9 KOs) will defend her welterweight belt against Jessica McCaskill (8-2, 3 KOs). And junior welterweight prospect Shakhram Giyasov (9-0, 7 KOs) will face Francisco Rojo (22-3, 25 KOs).

The card will be streamed on DAZN.

“We are taking elite World Championship boxing to the streets in Tulsa!” Hearn said in a new release. “For our return in the U.S. we wanted to stage something as unique, ambitious and spectacular as we have with Fight Camp at Matchroom HQ in the U.K., and I believe that’s exactly what we have in Oklahoma.

“We had so many options and offers on the table for our return on August 15 from coast-to-coast, but I’m just not a believer in boxing in a studio setting. The fighters and the sport deserve more than that.

“Tulsa shared our vision of wanting to create something special, and I am thrilled to be working with the Mayor’s office, Joe Miller at the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission, and Tony and Bryce Holden on bringing a thrilling fight night to the city.

“With explosive Mexican Martinez defending his world title against Puerto Rico’s Arroyo, the undisputed welterweight battle between Braekhus and McCaskill, Uzbek star Giyasov … this is a line-up that could stop traffic. So we’ve done exactly that!”

Local officials have approved a plan to block off a series of streets downtown to create a boxing venue. The ring will be in the middle of the street at the intersection of 5th St. and S. Boston Ave. No fans will be present and strict social distancing and medical protocols will be in place.

Hearn has worked closely with Holden Productions, headed by veteran promoter Tony Holden, who Matchroom said was instrumental in bringing the card to his hometown.

“I can’t imagine a better place to host this event than downtown Tulsa at 5th and S. Boston Ave,” Holden said. “The backdrop is incredible, and with no audience possible during this pandemic, the site will be unsurpassed in terms of innovation, safety and visual impact.

“We’re looking forward to working with Eddie, Matchroom Boxing and DAZN in the great city of Tulsa.”

 

Eddy Reynoso has great expectations for Julio Cesar Martinez

Trainer Eddy Reynoso wants flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez to unify at 112 pounds and then move up to 115.

Is flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez a threat to Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez at junior bantamweight? His trainer, Eddy Reynoso, thinks so.

Martinez, an under-the-radar little man from Mexico, appeared to win a 112-pound title last August when he stopped Charlie Edwards in three rounds only to have the result declared a no-contest because he punched Edwards while he was down.

No problem. Martinez (16-1, 12 KOs) scored a ninth-round knockout of Cristofer Rosales four months later to win the vacant championship and successfully defended against Jay Harris in February.

Reynoso would like to see his 25-year-old protege unify against either Moruti Mthalane or Kosei Tanaka at 112 pounds and then move up to 115.

Julio Cesar Martinez earned a unanimous-decision victory over Jay Harris in the first defense of his flyweight title. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing USA

In Reynoso’s opinion, the sky is the limit with Martinez.

“He’s very disciplined,” Reynoso said in the second episode of Matchroom Boxing’s Spanish-language series “Peleamundo.” “He shows all the characteristics of a typical Mexican fighter. He likes to fight. He likes to train and more than anything, he’s a star.

“In such few fights he’s already won a world championship and I believe if he keeps on the same path, he’s going to do great things because he’s a good fighter who’s very fond of learning, he’s very technical. He’s there. He’s a great champion.

Reynoso went on: “He’s charismatic, he’s brave, he’s a very strong fighter for the division. He has lots of endurance. He’s not scared. Whatever fight you put him in, he’ll fight. He’s different than the other fighters. He has a few things to learn, but we’re going to vary the training to get him more technically sound fight by fight.”

Reynoso also likes Martinez’s demeanor.

“He’s always laughing and smiling,” he said. “He turns the fights into like a circus. He’s very positive. You never see him angry. He’s a very hard working, smiling, laughing, positive fighter.”

And, Reynoso added, Martinez is just getting started.

“We’re going to keep him at flyweight and try to defend and unify with Tanaka or Mthalane,” he said. “… We’re getting harder fights little by little. We’ll move up to 115 pounds to fight Estrada, [Carlos] Cuadras, Chocolatito, there’s so many good fighters. And I believe it’s step by step. We’ll keep him at featherweight then move up to super featherweight.”

The second episode of “Peleamundo” will hit Matchroom’s YouTube channel on Sunday. Welterweight contender Jessie Vargas is the host.

Matchroom Boxing to launch new Spanish-language interview show

Former two-division titleholder Jessie Vargas will host Matchroom Boxing’s new Spanish-language interview show “Peleamundo.”

Matchroom Boxing USA has announced the imminent launch of a Spanish-language series “Peleamundo.”

Former two-division titleholder Jessie Vargas will host the show, which will appear on Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube channel “Peleamundo.” Vargas will interview the biggest Spanish-speaking fighters in the Matchroom stable and others.

That includes Juan Francisco Estrada, Julio Cesar Martinez, Roman Gonzalez and Amanda Serrano, as well as prospects Diego Pacheco, Alexis Espino and Marc Castro.

Vargas also will speak to legends of the sport, celebrity boxing fans and fans in general in his #AskJessie section.

The show is set to launch this coming weekend.

“I am so excited to be part of this new series ‘Peleamundo’ with Matchroom Boxing USA,” Vargas said. “There is a wealth of elite level and rising Hispanic fighters in the Matchroom Boxing USA stable and the Latino fight fans are some of the most knowledgeable and passionate followers of our great sport. I can’t wait to bring them exclusive interviews with their favorite fighters and also get the fans on the show to answer the questions they have.

“As the show develops, I hope to be talking to some of the real greats of the game and my favorite fighters, as well as going behind the scenes at Matchroom Boxing USA shows. It’s going to be a blast!”

Said promoter Eddie Hearn: “I am delighted to bring ‘Peleamundo’ to the Hispanic fight fans. There are so many fantastic fighters with a Latin flavor, and I am sure that we will create some fantastic exclusive content with both the launch interviews with some of the biggest names in the game and when Jessie hits the road at our shows.

“Not only will we hear from current World champions like Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez and Julio Cesar Martinez, but it is also a brilliant opportunity to introduce our young fighters like Diego Pacheco, Alexis Espino and Marc Castro to a new audience.”

Julio Cesar Martinez outpoints Jay Harris in first flyweight title defense

Julio Cesar Martinez beat Jay Harris in a much more closely contested fight than was reflected in the judges scorecards Saturday night…

Julio Cesar Martinez didn’t get the stoppage that most expected him to get for his first defense of his flyweight title, but he put up a dominating performance anyway.

In a fervent 12-rounder, Martinez out-slugged untested Jay Harris, dropping him once en route to a unanimous decision win Saturday night at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco Texas on the Mikey Garcia-Jesse Vargas card. 

The judges scored it 118-109, 116-111 and 115-112, all for the 25-year-old Martinez, who had previously never gone the distance in a 12-round bout.

“Thank God, it was a very tough battle,” said Martinez, who earned his flyweight trinket by defeating Cristofer Rosales in a vacant title shot in December. “I’ll defend this title many times. There is no fear right here.”

An entertaining offensive fighter who throws punches with abandon, Martinez (16-1, 12 KOs) started off fast and appeared to be on track for an early stoppage.  But Harris (17-1, 9 KOs), from Swansea, Wales, was far more game than expected. While his head snapped back repeatedly from Martinez’s hard-winging shots early on, Harris was able to put up a decent fight in the second half of the bout. He worked diligently behind a jab and consistently answered Martinez’s flurries with his own combinations. Harris also repeatedly dug himself out of holes. In Round 7, Harris looked as though he was going to get stopped, but he fought back to arguably win the round.

Martinez’s commitment to the body paid off thirty seconds into Round 10, when he landed a hard left and right to the flanks that forced Harris to take a knee. Nevertheless, Harris was able to beat the count.

Asked if Harris surprised him at all, Martinez said, “Harris is a very strong fighter. I know that’s why he was undefeated.”

A possible matchup could be a unification against Japan’s Kosei Tanaka.

Julio Cesar Martinez to defend flyweight title on Feb. 29

Julio Cesar Martinez will make his first title defense against Jay Harris on a Feb. 29 card featuring the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas bout.

Julio Cesar Martinez didn’t celebrate for long. He introduced himself as a flyweight champion in December and he will fight to validate his sudden place alongside the other 112-pound champs with a title defense in February.

Martinez (15-1, 12 KO) will make his first title defense on Feb. 29 against Jay Harris (17-0, 9 KOs) of Wales on a DAZN card featuring the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas welterweight bout in Frisco, Texas, it was announced this week.

Martinez got the only cheers on a card remembered for the debris tossed at Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on Dec 20 in Phoenix. Martinez displayed power and poise, winning a ninth-round TKO of former champion Cristofer Rosales, a Nicaraguan who had never been stopped.

“I’m so happy to be back fighting so soon,’’ Martinez said. “It was a special moment to become world champion but now I must continue to work hard.’’

In part, the 24-year-old Martinez, of Mexico City, is staying busy in an attempt to gain some name recognition.

“It’s perfect to have Julio back fighting so quickly,’’ said Martinez trainer Eddy Reynoso, who also trains Canelo Alvarez. “It’s all part of developing him as a fighter.  He has so much potential, and I believe he is going to dominate and unify the division in time.’’

Despite Martinez’s new found title, Harris has a better record. The Welshman is unbeaten (17-0, 9 KOs). He scored a fourth-round stoppage of three-time Olympian and two-time bronze medalist Paddy Barnes on Oct. 11 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

“Julio is a great young fighter,” Harris said, “but I am feeling in the form of my life and this gives me the opportunity to shock the world.”