Tag: SANDOR MARTIN

Martin: ‘Devin Haney calls himself ‘The Dream,’ but I am his worst nightmare’

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WBC No. 1 junior welterweight contender Sandor Martin has signed a multi-fight co-promotional pact with Top Rank. Martin’s longtime promoter, OPI Since 82, and Top Rank are joining forces to secure the Spaniard his first world title shot.

Two-weight world champion and pound-for-pound force Devin “The Dream” Haney is the current WBC junior welterweight world champion.

“Devin Haney calls himself ‘The Dream,’ but I am his worst nightmare. I will be the next WBC junior welterweight world champion. Whether he wants to lose his title to me in the ring or run up the scales to welterweight, the choice is his,” Martin said. “I am excited for the next chapter of my career with OPI Since 82 and Top Rank in my corner.”

“We are glad to have the support of Top Rank for Sandor’s next fights. He already proved his worth with Mikey Garcia and Teofimo Lopez,” said Christian Cherchi of OPI Since 82. “Next step will be the green belt!”

“We’ve had a front-row seat to Sandor Martin’s immense talent, and Top Rank is thrilled to be partnering with OPI Since 82 to help Sandor receive his well-deserved world title opportunity,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.

Martin (42-3, 15 KOs) is a former European junior welterweight champion and a 13-year pro whose only defeats have come via narrow points verdicts. After spending the first decade of his career fighting primarily in Spain, the slick-moving southpaw authored the 2021 Upset of the Year when he toppled former four-weight world champion Garcia by majority decision in Fresno, California.

Following a 10-round split decision defeat to Lopez in December 2022, Martin notched a pair of knockout victories in 2023 to maintain his status as one of the world’s top 140-pound practitioners.

Lopez on Martin: ‘It’s so hard to fight somebody like this when they’re running’

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It was not convincing, nor was it very spectacular, and to some controversial, but in the end, junior welterweight contender Teofimo Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) defeated Sandor Martin (40-3, 13 KOs) by split decision at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night in a 10-round final eliminator for the WBC crown.

One judge had the bout 95-94 for Martin, while two others had it interestingly wide at 96-93 and 97-92 for Lopez.

Martin took the fight on three weeks’ notice after Jose Pedraza withdrew from the fight due to illness; many said Martin, who beat Mikey Garcia, would be a more challenging test for Lopez, and they were probably right.

Unfortunately for Martin, his nose was bloodied after an accidental clash of heads in the first round. However, while the nose was bothering him, he overcame that issue. Throughout the fight, Martin used a check right hook that kept the more aggressive Lopez honest, and that check hook found a home in the second round, which dropped Lopez. It was a flash knockdown, and Lopez was not really hurt.

Lopez then spent the rest of the fight trying to attack Martin and counter him when he committed to his punches. However, that check hook landed hard in the seventh, and it appeared to have knocked Lopez down again, but the referee ruled it a slip. 

Again, Lopez appeared to be the aggressor, and according to Compubox, Lopez(97/391) threw more punches and outlanded Martin(77/244).

According to Lopez, Martin did too much running.

“It’s so hard to fight somebody like this when they’re running the whole time,” Lopez said. “Every time this guy committed, I countered and got him every time. He just ran the whole time… I apologize to everybody tonight. This is not how we perform. But, listen, our dancer partner was running the whole time…

 “This makes it look good. These guys are going to want to fight me now. More than ever. Now, this is great. Now I can actually have a good fight.”

Martin was not happy with the judges.

 “I won this fight clearly,” he said. For one judge, I only won two rounds? Really? There were two knockdowns. The referee didn’t count one of the knockdowns. He missed all of his punches. That’s a masterclass of boxing. That’s a robbery. But that’s the sport of boxing.”

Lopez would love to fight the top guys at 140 and is even open to a rematch with George Kambosos, who gave Lopez his only loss.

“We would love to fight Josh Taylor,” Lopez said. “We would love to fight Regis Prograis. Or even a rematch with George Kambosos. My whole thing now is just staying focused and staying devoted.”

After the fight, Lopez was caught in his corner asking others if he still had it, which is not a good sign. Lopez has a lot of ability but may have to do different things in his corner with father/trainer Teofimo Lopez Sr. However, even with a change in his corner, wondering how he would stack up against the top guys at 140.

Lopez may have to do some soul-searching before he takes on his next challenge.

Photo: Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images

Teofimo Lopez: ‘I’m a showstopper’

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 Brooklyn native Teofimo Lopez, the former lightweight king and current junior welterweight contender, kicked off fight week 100 stories above Manhattan. Lopez takes on Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin in a 10-round main event this Saturday, Dec. 10, at Madison Square Garden. Four days from his first main event at MSG’s “big room,” Lopez went face to face with Martin at Edge at Hudson Yards, the highest sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.

Lopez (17-1, 13 KOs) captured his first world title at Madison Square Garden in December 2019, knocking out Richard Commey in two rounds. He unified the lightweight division with his October 2020 decision over pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko and hopes to repeat the feat at junior welterweight. Lopez made his junior welterweight debut in August with a seventh-round stoppage over Pedro Campa. Martin (40-2, 13 KOs) has won 11 straight fights, including a 2021 upset over four-weight world champion Mikey Garcia.

This is what Lopez had to say on Tuesday, 1,000 feet above Midtown:

“This means everything to me.  I won my first world title at Madison Square Garden. Who can say that?  It’s always been a dream of mine since I was a kid. I always heard from Frank Sinatra himself, ‘If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere,’ and what better place than the Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden. To me, I believe that’s where legends are born – they are not made there, but they are born there.”

On last time fighting at MSG vs. Richard Commey:

“That was three years ago, before the pandemic and all of those things that happened, but honestly, I’m so grateful for it. The Arena was packed that night and you could hear everyone from New York, from all different parts – East Coast and West Coast – just coming out with support, and even from Ghana. He was the champion at that time. For the ring walk, I was literally jumping around and looking around the whole arena absorbing and taking it all in – enjoying the moment. I’m a showstopper. I’m a performer. And at the end of it, fighting at Madison Square Garden, you’re going to see that.”

On first time headlining at Madison Square Garden:

“This is a huge moment for me. This is a moment of a lifetime. This is equivalent to my first world title. These are the things I’m really looking forward to. This is my home. My hometown, my home field, and we are really looking forward to putting on a show for everyone on December 10th.”

On favorite Garden moment:
“They’re all my favorite, but it was my fifth fight, and I believe my second time fighting at The Garden against Ronald Rivas. This is when my name really started to pop. It was my first time fighting in the big room at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks play. It was the undercard of Terence Crawford vs. Felix Diaz, and I just set this guy up perfectly – it was so nice. I dipped, dipped, and rolled, and I hit him with a mean hook and just put him down perfectly. It was a perfectly placed punch. I felt at that moment when I looked at him that I could have had some coffee before I threw the punch. It just felt like slow motion at that moment. It was right there I believe where the Takeover turned into full effect and at what better place than Madison Square Garden.”

Lopez-Martin tops a televised quadruple-header airing immediately after the Heisman Trophy Ceremony at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. Heavyweight sensation Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson aims for his 13th straight knockout against the battle-tested Jerry “Slugger” Forrest, Puerto Rican junior middleweight star Xander Zayas steps up in class against 28-fight veteran Alexis Salazar, and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis looks to jumpstart his world title ambitions in a lightweight duel versus Juan Carlos Burgos.

Photo: Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images

Teofimo Lopez to battle Sandor Martin on December 10

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Junior welterweight contender Teofimo Lopez will have a new “Heisman Night” foe. Jose “Sniper” Pedraza contracted a non-COVID-related illness, and Lopez will now face former European champion Sandor Martin on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Madison Square Garden.

Lopez-Martin, scheduled for 10 rounds, is a final eliminator for the WBC world title.

Brooklyn native Lopez (17-1, 13 KOs), the former lightweight king, made his junior welterweight debut in August with a seventh-round stoppage over Pedro Campa. He hopes to become a two-weight world champion in 2023, but the WBO No. 1 junior welterweight contender must first defeat the slippery Spanish southpaw. Martin (40-2, 13 KOs), who hails from Barcelona, authored the 2021 Upset of the Year when he stunned Mikey Garcia by majority decision and sent the four-weight world champion into retirement. Martin, ranked in the top 15 by all four major sanctioning organizations, followed up the Garcia triumph with a 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Felix in April.

“We wish Jose Pedraza a speedy recovery, but we look forward to facing Sandor Martin. He was the opponent we originally wanted for Heisman Night at Madison Square Garden,” Lopez said. “I will continue to silence the doubters as I take over the 140-pound division. I look forward to giving my hometown fans a special night of boxing.”

Martin said, “I’ve dreamed of fighting in a main event at Madison Square Garden. This is my time. I’ve taken the risk, and I will take control against Teofimo Lopez on December 10th. I will give the fans what they want to see.”

Lopez-Martin tops a televised quadruple-header airing immediately after the Heisman Trophy Ceremony at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. Heavyweight sensation Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson aims for his 13th straight knockout against the battle-tested Jerry “Slugger” Forrest, Puerto Rican junior middleweight star Xander Zayas steps up in class against 28-fight veteran Alexis Salazar, and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis looks to jumpstart his world title ambitions in a lightweight duel versus Juan Carlos Burgos.

Garcia: ‘I want to pursue big fights, title fights’

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Mikey Garcia believes Sandor Martin stands in his way of World title action in 2022 as the four-weight World champion returns to action on Saturday night (October 16) at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, CA, live worldwide on DAZN.

Garcia (40-1 30 KOs) makes a welcome return to action in a catchweight clash at 145lbs with Martin, as the Californian looks to land an eye-catching win to use as a springboard for mega-fights in 2022.

When Garcia steps through the ropes at the home of the Fresno Grizzlies on Saturday night, it will be 596 days since the saw off the challenge of Jessie Vargas in Frisco, Texas in February 2020.

Martin (38-2 13 KOs) has been active over the pandemic, successfully defending his European Super-Lightweight title with a wide decision win over Kay Prospere in Barcelona in April and previously shutting out Nestor Maradiaga over eight in Milan in December – and the southpaw Spaniard will be looking to land a career-best win and catapult himself into contention for the fights that Garcia craves.

In his time out of the ring Garcia was linked with fights with now-retired modern great Manny Pacquiao and former 140lb champion Regis Prograis. Neither fight came to fruition but Garcia knows that getting back into the ring and looking at his best will see him prove that he’s a ‘force to be reckoned with’ and will land him a stellar fight next.

“It’s been a year and a half since my last fight, so I am excited to get back in there,” said Garcia. “I am looking forward to giving my fans a chance to see me again, especially here in Cali, it’s my home state but I haven’t fought much here.

“I want to pursue big fights, title fights, and be recognized as one of the best fighters in the world once again. This is another step in that direction.

“I was interested in Manny and Regis, but we weren’t able to get those fights and we landed on Sandor Martin, and he is a very good fighter. He’s a southpaw, he’s relatively unknown in America but worldwide and in the sport, people know him. He’s got a great record at 38-2, he’s hungry for a big opportunity like this and wants to capitalize on it.

“Sandor knows a win on Saturday would catapult his name into the mix for the fights that I want. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy night at all, but I am planning on fighting the very best Sandor Martin and I am going to show all my skills and show that I am a force to be reckoned with.

“I’ve experienced so many styles in my career, I’ve boxed several southpaws and sparred countless lefties. He’s a tricky one, he uses his height and reach, so I must be prepared to overcome those strengths he has – a good jab, good straight left, his ring generalship is good – so I need to be able to attack properly but also be wary in defense.

“I don’t experience pressure. No matter who I fight I am there to do my job and that’s it – I have already won the fight multiple times in my head and that’s it. You only feel pressure if you are unsure of yourself and I’ve never felt that, so I am confident I will win and look good doing it.”

A stacked undercard in support of the main event is led by WBO World Light-Flyweight king Elwin Soto (19-1 13 KOs) putting his crown on the line against Jonathan Gonzalez (24-3-1 14 KOs) while San Antonio talent Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (13-0 9 KOs) clashes with Jose Alejandro Burgos (18-4-1 15 KOs).

There’s plenty more young talent on the card as unbeaten Australian Super-Featherweight Brock Jarvis (19-0 17 KOs) fights under the Matchroom banner for the first time against Alejandro Frias Rodriguez (13-4-2 6 KOs), Marc Castro (3-0 3 KOs) fights in his hometown for the first time as a pro, and Diego Pacheco (12-0 9 KOs), Nikita Ababiy (10-0 6 KOs) and Khalil Coe (1-0 1 KO) all looking to add wins to their impressive starts in the pro game.