Super middleweight contender Lester Martinez looks to continue his world title charge when he fights Pierre Dibombe in Fresno, California.
They will fight in a 10-rounder at the Save Mart Center on July 12, live on ProBox TV, with Guatemala’s Martinez looking to capitalize on his stunning knockout win of undefeated Joeshon James in February.
Martinez’s knockout-heavy record – 19-0 (16 KOs) – speaks to his action-first style. The 29-year-old is hoping to break through in a bustling 168lbs division that includes the likes of Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, Caleb Plant, Diego Pacheco, Christian Mbilli, Oslyes Iglesias, Edgar Berlanga and many more.
Martinez is ranked No. 2 by the WBA, No. 8 with the WBC, and 15 with the WBO. He trains under Brian “Bomac” McIntyre, the heralded coach of Terence Crawford.
The Frenchman Dibombe is 22-2-1 (12 KOs) but the 33-year-old suffered recent losses to the hard-hitting duo of Ali Akhmedov and Bektemir Melikuziev.
Elsewhere on the bill, the all-action southpaw Vladimir Hernandez – who fights out of Stockton – looks to continue his run of three good wins against Florida-based Argentine Francisco Veron, who is 14-1-1 (10 KOs). Hernandez has been matched tough, so is better than his 17-6 (7 KOs) record suggests and his recent form has earned him a top 15 ranking with the WBC.
Elsewhere on the bill, in a junior bantamweight title eliminator, 17-0 (8 KOs) Erick Badillo stakes his unbeaten record against Nicaraguan southpaw Gerardo Zapata, who fights out of Miami, Florida.
Zapata, who lost a decision to the excellent champion Oscar Collazo last year, is 15-2-1 (5 KOs).
Unbeaten bantamweight Katsuma Akitsugi risks his 12-0 (3 KOs) record against tough Mexican Luis Robles Pacheco, who is 15-4-1 (5 KOs).
Katsuma fights out of Los Angeles but was born in Japan, and the southpaw returned with two stoppage wins last year following some time out of the ring.
Promising Mongolian southpaw, Tsendbaatar Erdenebat – 12-0 (6 KOs) – fights out of Paramount, California, takes on Mexico-based Californian Humberto Galindo, who is 14-3-3 (11 KOs), and is coming off two solid draws against Oscar Bravo and Abraham Nova.