By Jake Donovan

Perhaps for the first time in the promotion, Roman ‘Rocky’ Martinez and his team are content with a development in his mandatory title defense versus Miguel Berchelt.

The three-time super featherweight titlist from Puerto Rico hits the road for their March 12 encounter in Merida, Mexico. He can take comfort in the knowledge that awaiting him will be neutral officials on both sides of the ropes.

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) – who recognizes Martinez (29-2-3, 17KOs) as its 130 lb. titlist – has appointed Mark Nelson (United States) as the third man in the ring, while the judges scoring the contest will be Roark Young – also from the U.S. – as well as David Singh and Julio Cesar Alvarado, both of whom hail from Panama.

“We fully agree with the judges and referee named by the WBO for this fight,” said Peter Rivera, vice president of Puerto Rico Best Boxing Promotions. “Plus they are neutral, they are also experienced officers and we hope that the work they are going to do will be fair.”

Of the four officials, Young is the only one who has worked bouts featuring either boxer - fittingly Martinez, both go by “Rocky.”

Young worked as a judge for four early bouts in Martinez' career when he fought in Florida. Among them was his first draw, which came versus then-fellow unbeaten prospect Jose Leonardo Cruz. The judges were split three ways in the six-round affair, with Young scoring in favor of Cruz. 

In more recent times, Young was among the three judges for Martinez' title win over Orlando Salido last April, scoring the bout 115-110 in favor of the local challenger, which was in line with how most viewed the fierce yet decisive affair. Martinez dropped Salido twice and was able to fend off a late rally, his lead additionally cushioned by an 11th round point deduction from Salido for excessive low blows. 

The late deduction didn't sit well with Salido, whose disdain for referee Jose Hiram Rivera lingered long enough to initially refuse to travel back to Puerto Rico for a planned third fight with Martinez.

The two were in talks almost immediately after their rematch in September, in which most felt Martinez was fortunate to escape with a split decision draw.  Had Salido been on board to return to Puerto Rico - where he also owns a pair of knockout wins over Juan Manuel Lopez - the fight would have served as the main event of a planned February 20 Showtime-televised tripleheader. 

Once that fight fell through, so too did plans for the rest of the card. When a neutral location could not be agreed upon, the WBO instead ordered Martinez to face Berchelt, who - like Salido - is promoted by Fernando Beltran's Promociones Zanfer. The two sides were given five days to negotiate before going to purse bid, but were granted additional time when Rivera told the WBO a deal was back on the table for Martinez-Salido III. 

The sanctioning body held out for as long as its bylaws would allow before eventually moving forward with the Martinez-Berchelt purse bid hearing, which took place January 12 in New York City and was won by Zanfer.

Rather than participating in the session in efforts to bring the fight to Puerto Rico, PRBBP instead staged a protest on the grounds that Berchelt did not meet the sanctioning body requirements in becoming mandatory challenger.

An appeal was filed, which was received and reviewed in detail by the WBO before ultimately declaring that the original ruling remained intact.

It was the final point of contention offered by PRBBP, who begrudgingly accepted the WBO's decision and have since acted in accordance with the terms of the fight. 

The event will air live on TV Azteca in Mexico and beIN Sport Español in the United States.

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox