Tag: Michel Rivera

Frank Martin laser focused on one thing: landing ‘opportunity to get my belts’

Lightweight contender Frank Martin is laser focused on one thing: “I want to get the belts.”

If Frank Martin had stubborn doubters before his fight against Michel Rivera in December, they probably came around afterward.

The 135-pound contender not only defeated previously unbeaten Michel Rivera, he outclassed him, pitching a shutout on one card and getting one-sided nods on the other two to claim the most significant victory of his career.

In fact, he made it look so effortless that viewers might not fully appreciate what he accomplished that night.

“I made it look easier than it was,” said Martin, who faces Artem Harutyunyan on Saturday in Las Vegas (Showtime). “Not to discredit his skills or his talent. I was just 100 percent ready and prepared for everything he had. …

“Some guys might not have given him the problems I gave him in that fight. … It was a great fight for me, to get that experience against that caliber fighter on my resume.”

Fans and pundits alike appreciated his performance enough to acknowledge that he’s gaining on the top lightweights, Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Martin seems to have everything required to have great success. Natural gifts. He’s quick and athletic. The skill set. He was a top amateur and only getting better. Good power. A great trainer in Derrick James. And, by all accounts, discipline.

All that seemed obvious in the victory over the talented Michel, which took him a step closer to a showdown with one of the stars in the division.

“Yes, people actually got to see some of my skills,” Martin said. “I went into the fight, if I’m not mistaken, as the underdog. People who didn’t know me, it woke them up. And it prepared me for the bigger fights I’m wanting down the line.

“It’s definitely all coming together. … [People] used to tell me that it was all going to come fast. It’s come super, super quick.”

Now, like so many top fighters yearning for big opportunities, Martin, who is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, must continue to win and continue to wait.

He respects Harutyunyan (12-0, 7 KOs), who capped a successful amateur career by winning a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics for his home country of Germany.

Martin insists he’s taking Harutyunyan as seriously as he would take a fight with one of the big four in the division. He might not pose a similar threat. At the same, he can’t risk an upset, which would spoil all the work that has led him to this point.

“I gotta stay grounded, gotta stay focused,” he said. “That’s really the hardest part about it, staying focused once you get success, keeping that determined mindset. You can’t get comfortable [because] it’s easy to get off track.

“This is one of those fights that will get me closer to being the mandatory,” he went on. “… This gets me closer to those belts. I have to make sure to go in there and get the job done against him before I can look at the bigger names.”

Martin is young by common standards, 28. However, he’s at an age when most talented fighters have already made big moves in his career.

Does he feel added pressure in that regard? Does he feel the clock ticking?

“Yeah, but I don’t feel it’s an age thing,” he said in response to those questions. “I feel that because I feel I’m ready, ready for the opportunity to get my belts. I want to get the belts. I’ve put in a lot of hard work, staying in the gym day in and day out.

“I’m ready for the opportunities to present themselves so I can show the world.”

[lawrence-related id=34859]

Frank Martin laser focused on one thing: landing ‘opportunity to get my belts’

Lightweight contender Frank Martin is laser focused on one thing: “I want to get the belts.”

If Frank Martin had stubborn doubters before his fight against Michel Rivera in December, they probably came around afterward.

The 135-pound contender not only defeated previously unbeaten Michel Rivera, he outclassed him, pitching a shutout on one card and getting one-sided nods on the other two to claim the most significant victory of his career.

In fact, he made it look so effortless that viewers might not fully appreciate what he accomplished that night.

“I made it look easier than it was,” said Martin, who faces Artem Harutyunyan on Saturday in Las Vegas (Showtime). “Not to discredit his skills or his talent. I was just 100 percent ready and prepared for everything he had. …

“Some guys might not have given him the problems I gave him in that fight. … It was a great fight for me, to get that experience against that caliber fighter on my resume.”

Fans and pundits alike appreciated his performance enough to acknowledge that he’s gaining on the top lightweights, Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Martin seems to have everything required to have great success. Natural gifts. He’s quick and athletic. The skill set. He was a top amateur and only getting better. Good power. A great trainer in Derrick James. And, by all accounts, discipline.

All that seemed obvious in the victory over the talented Michel, which took him a step closer to a showdown with one of the stars in the division.

“Yes, people actually got to see some of my skills,” Martin said. “I went into the fight, if I’m not mistaken, as the underdog. People who didn’t know me, it woke them up. And it prepared me for the bigger fights I’m wanting down the line.

“It’s definitely all coming together. … [People] used to tell me that it was all going to come fast. It’s come super, super quick.”

Now, like so many top fighters yearning for big opportunities, Martin, who is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, must continue to win and continue to wait.

He respects Harutyunyan (12-0, 7 KOs), who capped a successful amateur career by winning a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics for his home country of Germany.

Martin insists he’s taking Harutyunyan as seriously as he would take a fight with one of the big four in the division. He might not pose a similar threat. At the same, he can’t risk an upset, which would spoil all the work that has led him to this point.

“I gotta stay grounded, gotta stay focused,” he said. “That’s really the hardest part about it, staying focused once you get success, keeping that determined mindset. You can’t get comfortable [because] it’s easy to get off track.

“This is one of those fights that will get me closer to being the mandatory,” he went on. “… This gets me closer to those belts. I have to make sure to go in there and get the job done against him before I can look at the bigger names.”

Martin is young by common standards, 28. However, he’s at an age when most talented fighters have already made big moves in his career.

Does he feel added pressure in that regard? Does he feel the clock ticking?

“Yeah, but I don’t feel it’s an age thing,” he said in response to those questions. “I feel that because I feel I’m ready, ready for the opportunity to get my belts. I want to get the belts. I’ve put in a lot of hard work, staying in the gym day in and day out.

“I’m ready for the opportunities to present themselves so I can show the world.”

[lawrence-related id=34859]

Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage

Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage.

Editor’s note: You can read a full report on the Gervonta Davis-Hector Luis Garcia fight here.

***

The fight had been competitive, even into the final round. However, Davis started to land some really damaging blows in Round 8. And that quickly led to Garcia’s demise.

The fight has been stopped after eight rounds. Garcia didn’t come out of the corner. He complained about not being able to see. Maybe that’s the reason.

ROUND 8

Davis hurt Garcia late in the round. The Dominican is fortunate that it happened late or he might’ve been stopped. Garcia said late in the corner that he couldn’t’ see.

The action has been stopped. Looks like a fight or fights in the crowd. The commotion took place very close to the ring. It looks like people are being escorted out.

ROUND 7

Garcia was willing to exchange more in that round. Not sure that’s a good idea, but it’s working fairly well so far. This is a close fight. If Davis can’t stop Garcia, the scoring could be tight.

ROUND 6

Good, competitive round. Both guys did good work. Garcia landed some clean body shots. Davis picked up his pace in the second half of the round, landing some power shots.

ROUND 5

Davis looks comfortable now. Garcia is still doing well. He was busier in the first half of the round. But Davis is no longer having trouble getting close to Garcia to do damage. He clearly landed the cleaner shots.

ROUND 4

So much for the distance. A fight broke out that round, with Davis finding his way inside (or being allow to). That created some great toe-to-toe exchanges. Good round for Davis, who landed some eye-catchers.

ROUND 3

Garcia is doing a good job of maintaining distance. He’s using his jab and landed power shots here and there. And the shorter Davis is having trouble getting close to him. Garcia is looking good.

ROUND 2

The fighters picked up the pace … a bit. They’re still trying to figure things out. Garcia landed a nice body shot early, a few punches later. He might’ve won the round.

ROUND 1

Feel-out round. Neither guy did much of anything. Calm before the storm?

***

Here we go, the main event.

***

Welterweight contender Jaron Ennis easily outpointed a reluctant Karen Chukhadzhian by a shutout decision in a 12-round bout, snapping Ennis’ knockout streak at 19.

All three judges scored it 120-108, 12 round to none. Boxing Junkie had Ennis winning 119-109.

Ennis (30-0, 27 KOs) stalked Chukadzhian (21-2, 11 KOs) the entire fight and landed many more punches than the Ukrainian did.

However, Chukadzhian, a clever, athletic boxer, was more committed to surviving than winning, which made it difficult for Ennis to score another stoppage.

***

Roiman Villa rallied to upset fellow welterweight contender Rashidi Ellis by a majority decision in a 12-round title eliminator.

One judge scored it 113-113, a draw. However, the other two favored Villa 114-112, six rounds each with the difference being the knockdowns. Boxing Junkie scored it 114-112 for Ellis.

Ellis (24-1, 15 KOs) got off to a strong start, fighting behind his jab to easily outbox his aggressive, but slower opponent to control the first half of the fight.

However, the relentless pressure of Villa (26-1, 24 KOs) paid off the second half of the fight, when he began to land hard, punishing shots to Ellis’ head and body.

The Venezuelan won the fight in the final round, when he put Ellis down twice — once midway through the frame and again in the final seconds — to earn a 10-7 round.

Ellis called for a rematch after the fight.

***

Demetrius Andrade dropped Demond Nicholson twice and easily outboxed him to win a shutout decision in a 10-round 168-pound bout.

All three judges scored it 100-88, 10 rounds to none. Boxing Junkie also scored it 100-88.

Andrade, a former titleholder at 154 and 160, was making his debut at 168.

You can read a separate article on the Adrade-Nicholson fight here.

***

The main portion of the Gervonta Davis-Hector Luis Garcia pay-per-view card at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. is getting underway.

First up: Demetrius Andrade (31-0, 19 KOs) vs. Demond Nicholson (26-4-1, 22 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round super middleweight fight.

***

Lightweight contender Gervonta Davis will face Hector Luis Garcia on pay-per-view Saturday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., not far from Davis’ hometown of Baltimore.

The fight is being billed as a prelude to a showdown between Davis and fellow young star Ryan Garcia, assuming Davis wins on Saturday.

The main portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the broadcast.

Also featured on the card: Jaron Ennis vs. Karen Chukhadzhian, welterweights; Rashidi Ellis vs. Roiman Villa, welterweights; and Demetrius Andrade vs. Demond Nicholson, super middleweights.

Boxing Junkie will post analysis after each round of the main event and the result immediately afterward. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes. We’ll also post the results of other featured bouts.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=35015,35011,34974,34964,34947]

Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage

Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage.

Editor’s note: You can read a full report on the Gervonta Davis-Hector Luis Garcia fight here.

***

The fight had been competitive, even into the final round. However, Davis started to land some really damaging blows in Round 8. And that quickly led to Garcia’s demise.

The fight has been stopped after eight rounds. Garcia didn’t come out of the corner. He complained about not being able to see. Maybe that’s the reason.

ROUND 8

Davis hurt Garcia late in the round. The Dominican is fortunate that it happened late or he might’ve been stopped. Garcia said late in the corner that he couldn’t’ see.

The action has been stopped. Looks like a fight or fights in the crowd. The commotion took place very close to the ring. It looks like people are being escorted out.

ROUND 7

Garcia was willing to exchange more in that round. Not sure that’s a good idea, but it’s working fairly well so far. This is a close fight. If Davis can’t stop Garcia, the scoring could be tight.

ROUND 6

Good, competitive round. Both guys did good work. Garcia landed some clean body shots. Davis picked up his pace in the second half of the round, landing some power shots.

ROUND 5

Davis looks comfortable now. Garcia is still doing well. He was busier in the first half of the round. But Davis is no longer having trouble getting close to Garcia to do damage. He clearly landed the cleaner shots.

ROUND 4

So much for the distance. A fight broke out that round, with Davis finding his way inside (or being allow to). That created some great toe-to-toe exchanges. Good round for Davis, who landed some eye-catchers.

ROUND 3

Garcia is doing a good job of maintaining distance. He’s using his jab and landed power shots here and there. And the shorter Davis is having trouble getting close to him. Garcia is looking good.

ROUND 2

The fighters picked up the pace … a bit. They’re still trying to figure things out. Garcia landed a nice body shot early, a few punches later. He might’ve won the round.

ROUND 1

Feel-out round. Neither guy did much of anything. Calm before the storm?

***

Here we go, the main event.

***

Welterweight contender Jaron Ennis easily outpointed a reluctant Karen Chukhadzhian by a shutout decision in a 12-round bout, snapping Ennis’ knockout streak at 19.

All three judges scored it 120-108, 12 round to none. Boxing Junkie had Ennis winning 119-109.

Ennis (30-0, 27 KOs) stalked Chukadzhian (21-2, 11 KOs) the entire fight and landed many more punches than the Ukrainian did.

However, Chukadzhian, a clever, athletic boxer, was more committed to surviving than winning, which made it difficult for Ennis to score another stoppage.

***

Roiman Villa rallied to upset fellow welterweight contender Rashidi Ellis by a majority decision in a 12-round title eliminator.

One judge scored it 113-113, a draw. However, the other two favored Villa 114-112, six rounds each with the difference being the knockdowns. Boxing Junkie scored it 114-112 for Ellis.

Ellis (24-1, 15 KOs) got off to a strong start, fighting behind his jab to easily outbox his aggressive, but slower opponent to control the first half of the fight.

However, the relentless pressure of Villa (26-1, 24 KOs) paid off the second half of the fight, when he began to land hard, punishing shots to Ellis’ head and body.

The Venezuelan won the fight in the final round, when he put Ellis down twice — once midway through the frame and again in the final seconds — to earn a 10-7 round.

Ellis called for a rematch after the fight.

***

Demetrius Andrade dropped Demond Nicholson twice and easily outboxed him to win a shutout decision in a 10-round 168-pound bout.

All three judges scored it 100-88, 10 rounds to none. Boxing Junkie also scored it 100-88.

Andrade, a former titleholder at 154 and 160, was making his debut at 168.

You can read a separate article on the Adrade-Nicholson fight here.

***

The main portion of the Gervonta Davis-Hector Luis Garcia pay-per-view card at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. is getting underway.

First up: Demetrius Andrade (31-0, 19 KOs) vs. Demond Nicholson (26-4-1, 22 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round super middleweight fight.

***

Lightweight contender Gervonta Davis will face Hector Luis Garcia on pay-per-view Saturday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., not far from Davis’ hometown of Baltimore.

The fight is being billed as a prelude to a showdown between Davis and fellow young star Ryan Garcia, assuming Davis wins on Saturday.

The main portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the broadcast.

Also featured on the card: Jaron Ennis vs. Karen Chukhadzhian, welterweights; Rashidi Ellis vs. Roiman Villa, welterweights; and Demetrius Andrade vs. Demond Nicholson, super middleweights.

Boxing Junkie will post analysis after each round of the main event and the result immediately afterward. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes. We’ll also post the results of other featured bouts.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=35015,35011,34974,34964,34947]

Weekend Review: Naoya Inoue makes history, Frank Martin makes statement

Weekend Review: Naoya Inoue makes history, Frank Martin makes statement.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Naoya Inoue – “The Monster” probably will never rival Manny Pacquiao as the greatest Asian boxer of all time but he’s making a case that he could end up No. 2. Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) knocked out a fellow 118-pound titleholder Paul Butler in the 11th round Tuesday in Tokyo to become the first fighter from his continent to become an undisputed champion in the four-belt era and bolster the argument that he’s the best active fighter. Butler (34-2, 15 KOs) didn’t make it easy for Inoue, more because of his reluctance than his ability. He held or ran rather than engage Inoue, who spent most of the fight trying to coax the frightened Englishman out of his protective shell. He finally broke through in the penultimate round, putting Butler down and out with a right to the body, a left to the head and finally a barrage of hard shots. Butler’s worst fears came true, providing the best evidence yet that Inoue is the most destructive force in the sport.

 

BIGGEST QUESTION

Can anyone compete with Inoue? The problem Inoue has from a competitive standpoint is that no one near his weight is in his class. Nonito Donaire pushed him in 2019 but that was because of facial fractures, at least in part. He brutally stopped Donaire in the rematch this past June. Who else is there? Inoue has indicated that he plans to move up to 122 pounds. That could set up a showdown with talented titleholder Stephen Fulton, the only fighter Inoue’s size who might be able give him serious problems. Fulton is fast and skillful, although his lack of punching power might be a liability. Of course, there are no guarantees that fight will happen next. Fulton could opt to fight fellow beltholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev in an attempt to become undisputed champion. Or he could move up in weight. We can only hope that Inoue is a challenge that the proud Fulton can’t resist.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II

Frank Martin – A star-studding lightweight division just became glitzier. Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) delivered a breakthrough victory Saturday in Las Vegas, outclassing fellow contender Michel Rivera (24-1, 14 KOs) to win a one-sided decision. He was brilliant. The fight was billed as an even matchup of rising young talents but Martin made it clear from the beginning that he was too quick and much too good for Rivera, both offensively and defensively. The Dominican was almost completely neutralized. Thus, Martin made a strong argument that he belongs in the conversation with the best fighters in and around the 135-pound division. He wants to challenge undisputed champion Devin Haney or top contender Gervonta Davis, both of whom have plans that don’t include Martin at the moment. He’ll get that kind of opportunity eventually, however. And based on what we saw on Saturday no one should be surprised if he emerges victorious. He’s that good.

BIGGEST LOSER

Rivera – Rivera entered the ring on Saturday as an unbeaten star-in-the-making. He left it a badly beaten man who will have to rebuild. The 24-year-old couldn’t match the physical gifts of Martin, who was too fast for him. That was surprising. And he didn’t have the wherewithal to make significant adjustments when the fight was getting away from him, which gave him no chance to turn the tide. Also surprising. Can Rivera bounce back? That’s tough to say. On one hand, he’s a talented boxer who is still young. He could grow as a fighter as a result of the setback. On the other hand, a loss as comprehensive as this one probably will have damaged Rivera’s confidence. We’ll see how strong he is mentally going forward.

 

MOST BAFFLING

Butler’s performance – The 34-year-old from the Liverpool area worked his entire career for an opportunity like the one he had against Inoue on Tuesday. Yet he essentially didn’t try to win the fight. Maybe he realized he was in over his head early in the fight, which would be understandable given Inoue’s ability and power. However, many fighters in that position would’ve risked life and limb in an effort to score a miraculous knockout because that’s what boxers do. Butler wasn’t willing to do that. It reminded me of Joshua Clottey’s pathetic effort against a prime Pacquiao in 2010, when Clottey’s only goal was to survive. That deprived fans the opportunity to see Pacquiao at his destructive best in a near-shutout victory. The fans on Saturday got to witness a late knockout but they also probably would’ve appreciated an honest effort from Butler. I know I would have.

 

MOST BAFFLING II

Terence Crawford’s split gloves: At least one of the welterweight titleholder’s gloves split at the seams going into the sixth and final round of his fight with David Avanesyan on Dec. 10 in Omaha, Nebraska. Ringside officials decided to allow the fight to continue, which seemed questionable. Wouldn’t that increase the chances of a cut? A change of gloves might’ve been more appropriate. Then, a few days later, the glove manufacturer Everlast took responsibility for the debacle by indicating that flawed leather was used to make the gloves even though the company claims to use rigorous quality control. I hope they discovered that bit of information after the fight. If company officials knew beforehand, they would have a lot of explaining to do. The timing of the discovery wasn’t made clear in a statement from the company. I also hope that boxing officials and glove manufacturers everywhere were watching closely.

[lawrence-related id=34859,34811]

Weekend Review: Naoya Inoue makes history, Frank Martin makes statement

Weekend Review: Naoya Inoue makes history, Frank Martin makes statement.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Naoya Inoue – “The Monster” probably will never rival Manny Pacquiao as the greatest Asian boxer of all time but he’s making a case that he could end up No. 2. Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) knocked out a fellow 118-pound titleholder Paul Butler in the 11th round Tuesday in Tokyo to become the first fighter from his continent to become an undisputed champion in the four-belt era and bolster the argument that he’s the best active fighter. Butler (34-2, 15 KOs) didn’t make it easy for Inoue, more because of his reluctance than his ability. He held or ran rather than engage Inoue, who spent most of the fight trying to coax the frightened Englishman out of his protective shell. He finally broke through in the penultimate round, putting Butler down and out with a right to the body, a left to the head and finally a barrage of hard shots. Butler’s worst fears came true, providing the best evidence yet that Inoue is the most destructive force in the sport.

 

BIGGEST QUESTION

Can anyone compete with Inoue? The problem Inoue has from a competitive standpoint is that no one near his weight is in his class. Nonito Donaire pushed him in 2019 but that was because of facial fractures, at least in part. He brutally stopped Donaire in the rematch this past June. Who else is there? Inoue has indicated that he plans to move up to 122 pounds. That could set up a showdown with talented titleholder Stephen Fulton, the only fighter Inoue’s size who might be able give him serious problems. Fulton is fast and skillful, although his lack of punching power might be a liability. Of course, there are no guarantees that fight will happen next. Fulton could opt to fight fellow beltholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev in an attempt to become undisputed champion. Or he could move up in weight. We can only hope that Inoue is a challenge that the proud Fulton can’t resist.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II

Frank Martin – A star-studding lightweight division just became glitzier. Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) delivered a breakthrough victory Saturday in Las Vegas, outclassing fellow contender Michel Rivera (24-1, 14 KOs) to win a one-sided decision. He was brilliant. The fight was billed as an even matchup of rising young talents but Martin made it clear from the beginning that he was too quick and much too good for Rivera, both offensively and defensively. The Dominican was almost completely neutralized. Thus, Martin made a strong argument that he belongs in the conversation with the best fighters in and around the 135-pound division. He wants to challenge undisputed champion Devin Haney or top contender Gervonta Davis, both of whom have plans that don’t include Martin at the moment. He’ll get that kind of opportunity eventually, however. And based on what we saw on Saturday no one should be surprised if he emerges victorious. He’s that good.

BIGGEST LOSER

Rivera – Rivera entered the ring on Saturday as an unbeaten star-in-the-making. He left it a badly beaten man who will have to rebuild. The 24-year-old couldn’t match the physical gifts of Martin, who was too fast for him. That was surprising. And he didn’t have the wherewithal to make significant adjustments when the fight was getting away from him, which gave him no chance to turn the tide. Also surprising. Can Rivera bounce back? That’s tough to say. On one hand, he’s a talented boxer who is still young. He could grow as a fighter as a result of the setback. On the other hand, a loss as comprehensive as this one probably will have damaged Rivera’s confidence. We’ll see how strong he is mentally going forward.

 

MOST BAFFLING

Butler’s performance – The 34-year-old from the Liverpool area worked his entire career for an opportunity like the one he had against Inoue on Tuesday. Yet he essentially didn’t try to win the fight. Maybe he realized he was in over his head early in the fight, which would be understandable given Inoue’s ability and power. However, many fighters in that position would’ve risked life and limb in an effort to score a miraculous knockout because that’s what boxers do. Butler wasn’t willing to do that. It reminded me of Joshua Clottey’s pathetic effort against a prime Pacquiao in 2010, when Clottey’s only goal was to survive. That deprived fans the opportunity to see Pacquiao at his destructive best in a near-shutout victory. The fans on Saturday got to witness a late knockout but they also probably would’ve appreciated an honest effort from Butler. I know I would have.

 

MOST BAFFLING II

Terence Crawford’s split gloves: At least one of the welterweight titleholder’s gloves split at the seams going into the sixth and final round of his fight with David Avanesyan on Dec. 10 in Omaha, Nebraska. Ringside officials decided to allow the fight to continue, which seemed questionable. Wouldn’t that increase the chances of a cut? A change of gloves might’ve been more appropriate. Then, a few days later, the glove manufacturer Everlast took responsibility for the debacle by indicating that flawed leather was used to make the gloves even though the company claims to use rigorous quality control. I hope they discovered that bit of information after the fight. If company officials knew beforehand, they would have a lot of explaining to do. The timing of the discovery wasn’t made clear in a statement from the company. I also hope that boxing officials and glove manufacturers everywhere were watching closely.

[lawrence-related id=34859,34811]

Frank Martin gives virtuoso performance in victory over Michel Rivera

Frank Martin gave a virtuoso performance in his unanimous decision victory over Michel Rivera on Saturday in Las Vegas.

If there were any doubts about Frank Martin going into Saturday night, there aren’t now.

Martin, facing his biggest test, outclassed fellow unbeaten lightweight contender Michel Rivera to win a one-sided decision in a 12-round title eliminator in Las Vegas and establish himself as a legitimate threat to any 135-pounder on the planet.

The official scores were 120-107, 118-109 and 117-110 in favor Martin. Boxing Junkie also had Martin winning 120-107, a shutout.

“This is what I do,” Martin said in the ring afterward. “I felt good tonight. There were some things I saw in there that I didn’t capitalize off, some opportunities. But I went in there and got the job done. And we got the ‘W’.”

The fight was essentially even on paper, as both men were seen as naturally gifted boxers with polished skills.

However, it didn’t take long for Martin to demonstrate that he is a level above Rivera in terms of quickness and ability.

Neither man threw a lot of punches but Martin made his count, picking his spots to land explosive combinations to both the head and body whenever he chose to. One of them put Rivera (24-1, 14 KOs) down in Round 7.

At the same time Martin’s excellent defensive ability made him an elusive target.

Rivera, increasingly frustrated, had some good moments but was never able to land punches consistently. He connected on 67 the entire fight – only 5.6 per round (compared to 14.5 for Martin), according to CompuBox.

That formula made Rivera’s mission impossible. He never stopped trying. He simply had neither the physical tools nor the ring acumen to cope with what Martin was doing in the ring.

In short, Martin gave a virtuoso performance. And he insists he’ll only get better.

“What we did tonight worked for us,” he said. “But there is a lot of room for improvement for us, so we’re going to keep working.”

The fight was billed as a WBA title eliminator, meaning Martin is now in a stronger position to challenge the top 135-pounders.

Devin Haney, the undisputed champion, is expected to defend his titles against Vasiliy Lomachenko next year. And Gervonta Davis, the secondary WBA beltholder, has said he’ll face Ryan Garcia if “Tank” defeats Hector Garcia on Jan. 7.

They won’t be able to avoid Martin for long, though, especially after his strong performance on Saturday night. The 27-year-old from Indianapolis believes he’ll be ready when the time comes.

“I just believe in myself,” he said. “I believe in my team. We know what we do inside the gym, working consistently. Outside of the gym I’m doing my own work.

“We just believe it. We believe we’re ready for the top fighters. Give ‘em to us. Let us get ’em. We’re ready to eat. … We want ’em all. We can get Gervonta Davis. We can get Devin Haney. We could get any of those top guys. We’re ready.

“I see Rolly [Romero] in here. Rolly, my guy, we can get in there too. Let’s make it happen, man.”

It’s just a matter of time.

Frank Martin gives virtuoso performance in victory over Michel Rivera

Frank Martin gave a virtuoso performance in his unanimous decision victory over Michel Rivera on Saturday in Las Vegas.

If there were any doubts about Frank Martin going into Saturday night, there aren’t now.

Martin, facing his biggest test, outclassed fellow unbeaten lightweight contender Michel Rivera to win a one-sided decision in a 12-round title eliminator in Las Vegas and establish himself as a legitimate threat to any 135-pounder on the planet.

The official scores were 120-107, 118-109 and 117-110 in favor Martin. Boxing Junkie also had Martin winning 120-107, a shutout.

“This is what I do,” Martin said in the ring afterward. “I felt good tonight. There were some things I saw in there that I didn’t capitalize off, some opportunities. But I went in there and got the job done. And we got the ‘W’.”

The fight was essentially even on paper, as both men were seen as naturally gifted boxers with polished skills.

However, it didn’t take long for Martin to demonstrate that he is a level above Rivera in terms of quickness and ability.

Neither man threw a lot of punches but Martin made his count, picking his spots to land explosive combinations to both the head and body whenever he chose to. One of them put Rivera (24-1, 14 KOs) down in Round 7.

At the same time Martin’s excellent defensive ability made him an elusive target.

Rivera, increasingly frustrated, had some good moments but was never able to land punches consistently. He connected on 67 the entire fight – only 5.6 per round (compared to 14.5 for Martin), according to CompuBox.

That formula made Rivera’s mission impossible. He never stopped trying. He simply had neither the physical tools nor the ring acumen to cope with what Martin was doing in the ring.

In short, Martin gave a virtuoso performance. And he insists he’ll only get better.

“What we did tonight worked for us,” he said. “But there is a lot of room for improvement for us, so we’re going to keep working.”

The fight was billed as a WBA title eliminator, meaning Martin is now in a stronger position to challenge the top 135-pounders.

Devin Haney, the undisputed champion, is expected to defend his titles against Vasiliy Lomachenko next year. And Gervonta Davis, the secondary WBA beltholder, has said he’ll face Ryan Garcia if “Tank” defeats Hector Garcia on Jan. 7.

They won’t be able to avoid Martin for long, though, especially after his strong performance on Saturday night. The 27-year-old from Indianapolis believes he’ll be ready when the time comes.

“I just believe in myself,” he said. “I believe in my team. We know what we do inside the gym, working consistently. Outside of the gym I’m doing my own work.

“We just believe it. We believe we’re ready for the top fighters. Give ‘em to us. Let us get ’em. We’re ready to eat. … We want ’em all. We can get Gervonta Davis. We can get Devin Haney. We could get any of those top guys. We’re ready.

“I see Rolly [Romero] in here. Rolly, my guy, we can get in there too. Let’s make it happen, man.”

It’s just a matter of time.

Frank Martin vs. Michel Rivera: LIVE updates, results, full coverage

Frank Martin vs. Michel Rivera: LIVE updates, results, full coverage.

Frank Martin defeated fellow lightweight contender Michel Rivera by a wide unanimous decision Saturday at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

The official scores were 120-107, 118-109 and 117-110. Boxing Junkie also had Martin winning 120-107, a shutout.

Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) was too quick and much too slick for the previously unbeaten Rivera, who was outclassed by a better fighter from beginning to end.

Martin didn’t throw a lot of punches but made them count when he did, consistently landing explosive combinations to the head and body of his slower opponent. At the same time, he was an elusive target as a result of his anticipation and superb footwork.

Rivera never stopped trying but had neither the physical tools nor the ring acumen to cope with a thoroughbred like Martin.

The winner scored the only knockdown in the fight in the seventh round, the result of a left-right combination.

You can read a full report here.

***

Unbeaten super middleweight contender Vladimir Shishkin of Russia defeated Jose Uzcategui of Venezuela by a unanimous decision in a 12-round bout.

The scores were 117-111, 117-111 and 115-113.

The fight was an entertaining, give-and-take battle. However, Shishkin (14-0, 8 KOs) evidently impressed the judges by being the busier fighting and landing more clean, eye-catching shots.

Shishkin is based in Detroit.

Uzcategui, a former 168-pound titleholder, is ranked as a 175-pounder. He fought as a cruiserweight in May but worked his way down to super middleweight in six months.

***

Vincent Astrolabio of the Philippines stopped fellow bantamweight contender Nikolai Potapov of Russia in the sixth round of a scheduled 12-rounder. The official time of the stoppage was 1:26.

Astrolabio (18-3, 13 KOs) put Potapov (23-3-1, 11 KOs) down three times, once in the first round, again in the fifth and once more in the sixth. Potapov, unwilling to take more punishment, refused to get up after the final knockdown.

Astrolabio, a protege of Manny Pacquiao, was coming off a unanimous decision victory over Guillermo Rigondeaux in February.

***

Lightweight contenders Frank Martin vs. Michel Rivera will face off in a title eliminator tonight (Saturday) at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (Showtime).

The main portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the broadcast.

Boxing Junkie will post the result of the main event immediately afterward. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes. We’ll also post the results of other featured bouts.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=34837,34831,34822]

Frank Martin vs. Michel Rivera: LIVE updates, results, full coverage

Frank Martin vs. Michel Rivera: LIVE updates, results, full coverage.

Frank Martin defeated fellow lightweight contender Michel Rivera by a wide unanimous decision Saturday at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

The official scores were 120-107, 118-109 and 117-110. Boxing Junkie also had Martin winning 120-107, a shutout.

Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) was too quick and much too slick for the previously unbeaten Rivera, who was outclassed by a better fighter from beginning to end.

Martin didn’t throw a lot of punches but made them count when he did, consistently landing explosive combinations to the head and body of his slower opponent. At the same time, he was an elusive target as a result of his anticipation and superb footwork.

Rivera never stopped trying but had neither the physical tools nor the ring acumen to cope with a thoroughbred like Martin.

The winner scored the only knockdown in the fight in the seventh round, the result of a left-right combination.

You can read a full report here.

***

Unbeaten super middleweight contender Vladimir Shishkin of Russia defeated Jose Uzcategui of Venezuela by a unanimous decision in a 12-round bout.

The scores were 117-111, 117-111 and 115-113.

The fight was an entertaining, give-and-take battle. However, Shishkin (14-0, 8 KOs) evidently impressed the judges by being the busier fighting and landing more clean, eye-catching shots.

Shishkin is based in Detroit.

Uzcategui, a former 168-pound titleholder, is ranked as a 175-pounder. He fought as a cruiserweight in May but worked his way down to super middleweight in six months.

***

Vincent Astrolabio of the Philippines stopped fellow bantamweight contender Nikolai Potapov of Russia in the sixth round of a scheduled 12-rounder. The official time of the stoppage was 1:26.

Astrolabio (18-3, 13 KOs) put Potapov (23-3-1, 11 KOs) down three times, once in the first round, again in the fifth and once more in the sixth. Potapov, unwilling to take more punishment, refused to get up after the final knockdown.

Astrolabio, a protege of Manny Pacquiao, was coming off a unanimous decision victory over Guillermo Rigondeaux in February.

***

Lightweight contenders Frank Martin vs. Michel Rivera will face off in a title eliminator tonight (Saturday) at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (Showtime).

The main portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the broadcast.

Boxing Junkie will post the result of the main event immediately afterward. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes. We’ll also post the results of other featured bouts.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=34837,34831,34822]