![Lester Martinez [far left] and Immanuwel Aleem hit the scales in San Bernardino](https://photo.boxingscene.com/uploads/LesterMartinezweighin.webp)
SAN BERNARDINO, California – Lester Martinez and Immanuwel Aleem arrived first at the weigh-in line Friday, and each came in slightly under the 168lbs limit, setting the stage for their Saturday night WBC interim title fight.
With the unbeaten Martinez, 19-0-1 (13 KOs), weighing 167.4lbs and Aleem, 22-3-3 (14 KOs), coming in at 167.6, the main attraction at the National Orange Show Event Center is on.
Aleem told BoxingScene afterward he feels great following the weight cut, and when asked what he saw from the face-off with Guatemala’s Martinez, he responded, “I’m just glad he showed.”
Martinez trainer Brian “Bomac” McIntyre countered that he “thought [Aleem] looked a little out of shape.”
While Martinez didn’t provide an interview, McIntyre said his fighter is “superb” as the fight nears.
‘Look at him,” McIntyre said.
Martinez, ranked No. 2 by the WBC, of course had every reason to appear, given that victory can make him the first world champion from Guatemala while leaving him in prime position to face the winner of the mid-September WBC 168lbs full title fight pitting four-division champion Canelo Alvarez versus current champion Christian Mbilli.
Martinez fought Mbilli to a 10-round draw in September.
Saturday’s card was shaken, however, by the loss of co-main event fighter Anthony Cuba, 12-1-2 (5 KOs), to dehydration during the weight-cutting process, scrapping his scheduled 140lbs bout versus Mexico’s Jair Valtierra, 18-4 (9 KOs).
In other fights:
10 rounds junior-middleweight: Kevin Anton 153lbs vs. Kudratillo Abdukakhorov 153.2lbs
10 rounds featherweight: Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez 127.2lbs vs. Brandon Chambers 126.8lbs
6 rounds super-lightweight: Charles Harris Jnr 143.2lbs vs. Cesar Villarraga 142.8lbs
6 rounds lightweight: Samuel Contreras 134lbs vs. Cesar Cantu 132.8lbs
4 rounds super-flyweight: Luis Coria 114.8lbs vs. Lito Dante 114
6 rounds super-welterweight: Kevin Ceja Ventura 154.8lbs vs. Aaron Watson 153lbs
4 rounds super-flyweight: Jocelyn Camarillo 107.4lbs vs. Isis Sio 107.4lbs
