Carl Jammes Martin, Mexican foe officially weigh in for U.S. debut
Carl Jammes Martin (left) and Francisco Javier Pedroza Portillo (right) during the official weigh-in. | Photo from Ifugao Promotions
CEBU CITY, Philippines — It’s a defining moment for unbeaten Filipino junior featherweight prospect Carl Jammes “Wonder Boy” Martin as he steps onto the American boxing stage for the first time on May 31 (June 1, Manila time).
Martin and his Mexican opponent, Francisco Javier Pedroza Portillo, both made weight during the official weigh-in held Friday (Saturday in Manila) at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, ahead of their eight-round non-title bout.
Their clash is part of a stacked undercard featuring a double-header: former world champion Caleb Plant vs. Jose Armando Resendiz, and Jermall Charlo vs. Thomas LaManna.
Martin and Portillo both tipped the scales at 122.4 pounds, setting the stage for the Filipino’s highly anticipated U.S. debut.
For over a year, the 25-year-old Martin has been training at Knuckleheads Boxing Gym in Las Vegas under MP Promotions, led by Sean Gibbons.
The partnership allowed Martin to compete twice in Mexico last year, where he continued honing his skills and building momentum.
READ: Carl Jammes Martin to make U.S. debut in Las Vegas undercard
Now, he’s ready for the bright lights of American boxing.
Martin holds a perfect record of 25 wins, with 20 coming by knockout. A former WBO Global super bantamweight champion, he is currently the No. 1 contender for Naoya Inoue’s WBO world title—putting him on the cusp of a potential world championship shot.
In his last two fights, Martin scored knockout victories over Mexican opponents Anthony Salas (18-9-1) and Ruben Garcia (27-14-1), both in Mexico.
This time, he faces a more experienced foe in Portillo, a 30-year-old from Tijuana with a record of 19 wins, 12 losses, and 2 draws, including 11 knockouts.
Though considered a journeyman, Portillo enters the bout coming off a second-round TKO win over Ricardo Badillo Rodriguez last November, snapping a two-fight losing skid.
Despite the gap in records, Portillo brings veteran experience, having shared the ring with elite names such as former world champion Gary Russell Jr., Jason Moloney, and Rau’Shee Warren.
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