By Ryan Maquiñana
Moments after junior featherweight prospect Chris Martin incurred his first defeat as a pro, the man who lost him to Top Rank CEO Bob Arum two months ago, promoter Don Chargin, commented on his former charge’s fight.
“I kept him away from aggressive guys,” Chargin said of Martin. “The only semi-aggressive guy I put him in with was when he fought [Chris] Avalos and won on Showtime. I feel bad about it because I genuinely liked the kid.”
Martin (23-1-2, 6 KOs) was making his debut with Top Rank on the Toshiaki Nishioka-Rafael Marquez undercard in Las Vegas tonight when he ran into Mexico City veteran Jose Angel Beranza (33-21-2, 26 KOs), who handed the San Diego native a shocking loss by split decision.
Chargin then spoke about his displeasure with the way he lost Martin to Arum, who also signed unbeaten lightweight Mercito Gesta when the Filipino’s contract with Chargin ended in the summer, technically rendering him a free agent.
“Bob Arum is a really brilliant, brilliant businessman, but he doesn’t know a fish hook from a left hook when it comes to knowing fighters,” the 83-year-old Chargin said.
“Bob’s got some good matchmakers like Bruce [Trampler], but this was all his deal. We go back 40 years, and as many things I’ve seen him do wrong, he never ever tried to take a fighter from me, and I was surprised.”
Ryan Maquiñana is the boxing correspondent at Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. He’s a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Advisory Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com , check out his blog at www.maqdown.com or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.
