By Miguel Rivera
Newly crowned IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin will have a year to make a mandatory defense.
Charles picked up the vacant title last Saturday night in Brooklyn. He stopped Czar Glazkov in three rounds.
Tyson Fury captured the title when he upset Wladimir Klitshcko with a twelve round unanimous decision last November in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The belt became vacant after Fury was unable to make a mandatory defense against Glazkov. He was contractually obligated to a rematch with Klitschko.
Martin accepted the IBF's invitation to face Glazkov and the bout landed in the co-feature to Deontay Wilder's defense of the WBC heavyweight title against Artur Szpilka. The bout with Glazkov ended prematurely when the Ukrainian Olympian suffered a knee injury and was unable to continue.
IBF President Daryl J. Peoples told ESPN Deportes that Martin will have a period of one year to make a mandatory defense of his title.
"Martin won the fight," said Peoples. "So let him enjoy his new belt and he'll have a year to make his mandatory fight. By next week we will know who will be positioned for his mandatory challenger."
Martin, who improved to 23-0-1 with 21KO's, wants the biggest fight possible in his next return. He wants to face Wilder in a unification bout, but Wilder is mandated to make his next defense against WBC #1 Alexander Povetkin of Russia. With Fury heading into a rematch with Klitschko on a date in May, Martin will have the option to make a voluntary defense or face his mandatory earlier than expected.
