The 27-year-old Martin, who is promoted by Errol Spence Jr.’s company, improved to 16-0 and recorded his 12th knockout in a fight Showtime televised as the opener of a three-bout broadcast. Marinez (19-3, 7 KOs) lost a third straight fight and has been knocked out in back-to-back bouts.

“I was on him. I was hungry,” Martin told Showtime’s Jim Gray in the ring. “Once I had him hurt, you know, he’s a warrior, so I had to get him up outta there.”

Santo Domingo’s Marinez replaced Ricardo Nunez on only eight days’ notice because Martin’s original opponent reportedly couldn’t obtain the visa required to travel to the United States. The Martin match marked Marinez’s first fight since former IBF lightweight champion Richard Commey knocked him out in the sixth round of their February 2021 bout at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

Martin and Marinez met at a higher weight, 138 pounds, because Marinez took their fight on such short notice. Nunez and Martin were contracted to fight at the lightweight limit of 135 pounds.

Martin told BoxingScene.com that he expected a tougher fight from Marinez than Nunez (23-3, 21 KOs) would’ve given him.

He got a reasonably competitive fight from Marinez for eight-plus rounds. Judges Wilfredo Esperon (88-82), Ellis Johnson (88-82) and Ursulo Perez (87-83) all had Martin ahead at the time of the stoppage.

Martin made sure to finish off Marinez after flooring him late in the ninth round. He blasted Marinez with a right hook that wobbled Marinez and backed him into the ropes early in the 10th round.

Another right hook by Martin knocked Marinez into the ropes, which briefly held him up. A left hand by Martin then sent Marinez to the canvas a second time.

Ramos waved an end to the bout before Marinez reached his feet.

Marinez landed a right hand just after the midway mark of the ninth round. Martin came back to buzz Marinez with a left-right combination late in the ninth round.

Martin capitalized on Marinez’s vulnerability by following into a neutral corner and drilling Marinez with a right-left-right-left combination that sent him to the canvas with 11 seconds to go in the ninth round. Marinez beat Ramos’ count and the bell sounded to end the ninth round.

For a second straight round, Martin unloaded on Marinez at the start of the eighth round. Marinez landed two right hands in the final minute of the eighth round, but neither of those shots affected Martin.

Martin later landed a left hand that briefly froze Marinez with just over a minute on the clock in the eighth round.

After a competitive sixth round, Martin opened up on Marinez as soon as the seventh round began. He landed several flush punches on Marinez, but Marinez maintained his composure and weathered Martin’s attack.

Martin then landed two straight left hands in about a five-second span toward the end of the seventh round.

Martin continued to deflect many of Marinez’s punches during the fifth round. A left hand by Martin connected with just under 1:10 to go in the fifth round.

Martin also snapped back Marinez’s head just before the fifth round ended.

Marinez’s right hand connected in an exchange with just over a minute remaining in the fourth round. Martin later landed a straight left that moved Marinez backward in the fourth round.

A right hook by Marinez knocked Marinez off balance with just over 1:20 to go in the third round. Barely 10 seconds later, Martin landed a left hand as Marinez backed him into a corner.

Martin immediately responded to fans boos by catching Marinez with a right hook barely a minute into the second round. A straight left by Martin also landed flush with just under a minute to go in the second round.

Martin’s jab knocked Marinez off balance with just under 30 seconds on the clock in the first round. Both boxers tried to work off their jabs during what amounted to an unremarkable opening three minutes of their fight.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.