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By Mitch Abramson - It was getting late but Christian Martinez, a boxer from the Bronx, kept talking, about his pro debut, about fighting at Yankee Stadium, about suffering his first loss. He was laid back in discussing his career, as if his ring days were long behind him. It was nearly 2 a.m., but Martinez wasn’t retired. He was just tired, worn out by the shenanigans, real and imagined he’s had to put up with since turning pro in 2008.
“I’ve learned a lot in my career so far,” he says as the clock ticks toward 2:30. “A lot.”
He’s just 4-1 with four knockouts and is sidelined with a bum left hand that won’t get better, a reputation for trouble that still follows him- despite winning a settlement against New York City for a wrongful arrest. Despite the presence of a high-powered manager and promoter in his corner, Martinez’s career seems to have stalled because of an injury that lingers and the decision to fight in another boxer’s backyard that didn’t work out as planned.
“He’s supposed to be the next up- and-coming champ,” says the female fighter, Melissa Hernandez, speaking from Philadelphia, where she helped the super featherweight Ronica Jeffrey win a fight on Friday. Hernandez and Martinez trained together at several New York City gyms in the amateurs.
“He just has so much talent,” she went on. “In the amateurs, nobody wanted to mess with him. He had to almost hide to get fights. He had one punch knockout power. He was a powerhouse. You always thought he was going to be a champion because of how easily things came to him.” [Click Here To Read More]
“I’ve learned a lot in my career so far,” he says as the clock ticks toward 2:30. “A lot.”
He’s just 4-1 with four knockouts and is sidelined with a bum left hand that won’t get better, a reputation for trouble that still follows him- despite winning a settlement against New York City for a wrongful arrest. Despite the presence of a high-powered manager and promoter in his corner, Martinez’s career seems to have stalled because of an injury that lingers and the decision to fight in another boxer’s backyard that didn’t work out as planned.
“He’s supposed to be the next up- and-coming champ,” says the female fighter, Melissa Hernandez, speaking from Philadelphia, where she helped the super featherweight Ronica Jeffrey win a fight on Friday. Hernandez and Martinez trained together at several New York City gyms in the amateurs.
“He just has so much talent,” she went on. “In the amateurs, nobody wanted to mess with him. He had to almost hide to get fights. He had one punch knockout power. He was a powerhouse. You always thought he was going to be a champion because of how easily things came to him.” [Click Here To Read More]