Boxing rising star Carl Jammes Martin fights battle-tested Mexican Anthony Jimenez Salas in a non-title super bantamweight match on Friday (Saturday in Manila) at Culican, Sinoloa, Mexico.
The 25-year-old Lagawe, Ifugao warrior stakes his unbeaten win-loss record of 23-0 with 18 knockouts to start his journey of becoming a world champion after moving to the United States six months ago.
“This was the right time to fight and prove myself against the toughest fighter abroad. This is the right time to show that I am ready for the big fight," said Martin, who was trained in the Knuckleheads Boxing Ranch. “This is what I needed to take me to the world title in 2025.”
“I would like to thank Manny Pacquiao, Sean Gibbons, and then my team for all the help in my move to Las Vegas, the high rugged training and conditioning that I have been throughout my stay in the US to intensify myself,” Martin added.
Martin has been honing his skills in Las Vegas since a few months ago, taking on world-class fighters Bruce “Shushu” Carrington and another Filipino-American prospect DJ Zamora, among others, in sparring sessions.
“He has been sensational training and working with the best boxers coming in the Knuckleheads gym every day. They are seeing his diet and training workouts. By coming to the US, he’s there to improve his craft and be a global boxing star, a world champion,” Sean Gibbons said.
Gibbons, Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions president and international matchmaker, said Martin is the last of the best prospects he saw from the Philippines, and the decision to train in the United States will boost his talent and skills.
“Martin is a diamond in the rough. He possesses a great potential to be a world champion. Just like the other Filipino boxers, he is a promising individual, who can be the next Filipino world champion,” Gibbons added.
Martin is currently ranked No. 3 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and No. 6 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).
Salas, 28, is a very tough brawler from Mazatlan, Mexico. He is sporting an 18-9-1 win-loss-draw record with five knockouts.
