Martin delivers defining win

MANILA, Philippines — Ifugao warrior Carl Jammes Martin sent shock waves throughout the boxing world as he scored a career-defining win over heavily-favored Mexican David Picasso via a split 10-round decision in his featherweight debut at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday night (early yesterday morning, Manila time).

Martin, 27, took a mandatory eight-count in the seventh round as Panamanian referee Hector Afu ruled a knockdown when Picasso landed a left jab on the chin, causing a drop to the canvas. It seemed like Martin fell off-balance on his backfoot but Afu didn’t call a slip. Martin got up immediately and went back to work when the fight was resumed. He was clearly unhurt by the awkward fall. Martin’s resilience has never been in doubt. In 2022, he got up from a knockdown in the second frame to stop Ronnie Baldonado to win the vacant WBA Asia superbantamweight crown. Last October, Martin took an eight-count in the third stanza and went on to outpoint Aran Dipaen at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. He’s made of stern stuff and he proved it once more.

From the onset, Martin was determined to neutralize Picasso’s five-inch reach advantage with relentless two-fisted pressure. The Mexican never established distance and took Martin’s bait to exchange from close range. In the third round, Martin bloodied Picasso’s nose with a straight left and it bothered his breathing the rest of the way. Picasso’s corner controlled the bleeding to an extent but in the ninth, crimson spewed out again as Martin wouldn’t let go of the pedal.

Picasso had his moments like Martin but down the stretch, couldn’t keep pace. US judge Barry Lindenman saw it 96-93 and Argentinian judge Jorge Luciano Gorini 95-94, both for Martin. Italian judge Guido Caballeri scored 95-94 for Picasso. The win preserved Martin’s unbeaten record which improved to 29-0, with 21 KOs.