By Steve Bunce
RECENTLY in Belfast, lots of stuffed the banquet suite on the Europa for the Carl Frampton testimonial night time.
It was transferring, humorous, packed and simply earlier than it began, with everyone sitting down, Kiko Martinez arrived. It was a superb night time and a grand entrance by the Spanish boxing icon and horse-loving cowboy.
Frampton and Martinez shared the ring twice and each one among their 21 rounds had been torrid, bloody and laborious. They completed each with the scars, bruises and stitches. Now, they embrace like long-lost mates; it’s common in our enterprise for fighters who’ve shared a lot to have that degree of respect, however the Frampton-Martinez connection is particular.
“He’s the toughest man I ever fought,” mentioned Frampton. “I used to be all the time amazed when folks thought the rematch can be simple – within the first struggle, when he went down, I used to be praying for him to remain down and never stand up and proceed combating.”
Boxing – Kiko Martinez & Carl Frampton Head-to-Head Press Convention – Testbed 1, Battersea – 2/7/14
The primary struggle in 2013 completed within the ninth spherical; it was on the Odyssey – a type of nights that folks have whole recall of – and Frampton received the European super-bantamweight title in one among his favorite rings.
In 2007, Kiko had travelled to the Level in Dublin as an enormous underdog to struggle for a similar title in opposition to Bernard Dunne. It was some night time from ringside and it was additionally Dunne’s third defence on the venue. He was an enormous star and Kiko, a sixteen-fight unknown from Spain, was a simple contact. The night time was full of Irish boxers; Andy Lee, Brian Magee and Matt Macklin. After which it was Dunne in opposition to the Spaniard – the world title was there, simply get a simple win.
It lasted simply 86 seconds. Dunne was dropped twice and stopped. I can keep in mind the wildest of untamed celebrations from Martinez and his crew that night time. Dunne and a capability crowd on the Level may solely look on in shock and amazement. And silence, I ought to add. Two years later, Dunne did win a world title, and the Level was a carnival of pleasure that night time.
Martinez, in the meantime, travelled to the Harvey Hadden Sports activities Centre in Nottingham just a few months later and misplaced a decent resolution and his title to Rendall Munroe. That ought to have in all probability been the final contact between Martinez and Irish and British boxers. No likelihood, it was simply the outstanding begin.
“I believe he’s the best Spanish boxer of all time,” added Frampton. “Simply have a look at what he has executed and the place he has needed to go to get the fights. His report is ridiculous.” Frampton is true, it’s ridiculous.
Each phrase of reward on Friday night time was gently translated instantly into Martinez’s ear by Rickie Pow, the previous professional and now agent and fixer based mostly in Alicante. Martinez smiled and laughed and raised a hand in any respect the correct moments. He’s a category act and carries himself with dignity.
After dropping to Munroe in 2008, Martinez was again in Dublin for a few simple wins after which he misplaced to Munroe once more in Barnsley. In 2010, he received the European title again when he beat Arsen Martirosyan in Dublin. The following 12 months in a Bullring, in Leganes, he stopped Jason Sales space. The next 12 months, he had a six-round win in a lounge in Belfast; in 2013 he misplaced to Frampton. After which his profession is really loopy.
“After I beat him, he went and received the world title on the street,” “continued Frampton. “He went and beat unbeaten Jonathan Romero for the world title in Atlantic Metropolis after which defended the title in Japan. I knew he was not coming again to Belfast to lose – he was coming again for revenge.”
On my desk, reverse me, Pow saved the commentary going, a gentle whisper and Martinez simply saved on nodding. Frampton was getting emotional speaking about his nice rival. There was whole silence within the ballroom, by the way in which, and that’s more and more uncommon.
The night time of the struggle on the Titanic with Frampton and Martinez ten years in the past was epic. A shortened model of it was proven and it was even higher than I remembered. Martinez stood with Frampton on the finish of the brief movie and took the standing ovation. He appeared a bit bewildered by the love within the room for him.
After which, on the stage, Frampton shook his head and laughed. “Kiko was not completed,” he added. And that’s an understatement.
Martinez misplaced to Scott Quigg in an old school shootout in 2015, then dropped a decent resolution to Josh Warrington in Leeds after which in 2021, when it regarded like his lengthy, lengthy profession was practically over, he was overwhelmed over twelve rounds at Wembley by Zelfa Barrett. It was Martinez’s 53rd struggle, his eighteenth 12 months as a professional, however he was not executed and only a few months later he was in one other British ring.
Frampton was simply smiling. “After which, he got here again and knocked out Child Galahad to win the featherweight world title. It was unbelievable.” The night time on the Europa, led by Frampton, was quick turning into a Kiko Martinez tribute night time. He definitely deserves one.
Martinez misplaced the title in a brutal and draining wrestle with Warrington in Leeds. It was a savage struggle. Later in 2022 Martinez dropped and stopped Jordan Gill. No top-level boxer has ever fought in Britain and Eire as many occasions as Kiko Martinez. His fights have left behind a long-lasting legacy in Britain and Eire that’s maybe not fairly shared by the Spanish.
“It was an honour to share the ring with him,” completed Frampton. It was a privilege to be on his desk.
[Very slight amendments made to the original opening of this article due to time sensitivity – Ed]
