Kiko Martinez: I Wanted Frampton To Prove I'm Better!

By Salvador Rodriguez

IBF super bantamweight champion Kiko Martinez (31-4, 23KOs) is looking for a big measure of revenge on September 6th in Belfast, when he faces Carl Frampton (18-0, 13KOs) in a rematch before an expected huge crowd of 16,000 fans at Titanic Quarter.

Frampton knocked out Martinez in nine rounds last February. Martinez made a miraculous comeback by the end of the year.  He returned to knockout Damian David Marchiano, then knocked out Jhonatan Romero to capture the IBF championship, and retained the belt with a knockout of Jeffrey Mathebula. He returned earlier this year to knock out Hozumi Hasegawa. 

"I picked the fight with Frampton because he is one of the best fighters in the division, who beat me, and because I have some unfinished business with him," Martinez said. "I want to remove that thorn. That was a bad night and this fight is what motivates me. I had to do this fight in order to grow and prove that I'm better."

"Champions are made when you're away from your home, plus I think I fight better away from home than being there and concentrate only on the fight. In the ring there is only going to be the two of us, not three or four - just him and me."