Lester Martinez is wasting no time in calling for unfinished business. Days after battling Christian Mbilli to a brutal draw on the Canelo-Crawford undercard, the Guatemalan contender declared, “I assure you, I can do better and I can really win [the rematch].”
The WBC has already granted Martinez his wish, approving an immediate return with Mbilli, the interim super middleweight champion. Their first meeting, fought over ten rounds, was a relentless toe-to-toe war that many fans hailed as the fight of the night. Martinez credited his preparation with training partner Terence Crawford for the stamina and mental toughness he displayed.
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Though one judge had him ahead 97-93, Martinez admitted he left the ring “happy, but not satisfied.” He believes leaning more on his uppercuts and fighting at greater range would have tilted the result in his favor. For the rematch, he is pushing for a full 12-round distance and the chance to finally secure a belt.
The performance has already lifted Martinez to No. 3 with the WBA and No. 4 with the WBC, and he relished stepping onto a stadium stage after years of fighting in smaller venues. “I wanted people to see who Lester Martinez is,” he said. Now, with a rematch guaranteed, he plans to show the world even more.
Image Credit: The Ring