Not known as the most talkative fighter around, there was something about Frank Martin that gained the attention of Errol Spence Jr. With little to no hesitation, the current unified welterweight kingpin signed the talented lightweight to his promotional company, Man Down Promotions.
Tasked with the hefty chore of now guiding Martin’s career, Spence believes that the 28-year-old is positioning himself perfectly for a world title opportunity. Eager to prove that he’s next up on the championship carousel, Martin dissected highly rated prospect, Michel Rivera.
Although their December of 2022 showdown was viewed as a 50/50 affair, Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) showed that those initial thoughts were laughable, dropping the 25-year-old before cruising to a unanimous decision victory.
As Martin continues on his upward trajectory, Keyshawn Davis has taken notice. With their names being intrinsically linked to one another, the former Olympic silver medalist has taken umbrage to Spence’s persistent need to back his man.
Spence, a former Olympian in his own right, reveres Davis and what he brings to the pugilistic table. However, on countless occasions, he’s made his feelings known that Martin would walk through his new budding rival.
Apoplectic over Spence’s bold words, Davis has issued a stern and unambiguous warning to both Davis and his promoter.
“Errol Spence, keep hyping your boy up,” said Davis to BoxingScene.com. “Your boy is gonna get stepped on. Keep hyping your boy up, your boy gonna get hurt.”
While they continue to fulminate in the public eye, the careers of both parties are heading in opposite directions. In the case of Martin, he hopes that the 2023 calendar will ultimately lead to a world title shot. Davis, on the other hand, will return to the ring in the coming weeks in a showdown against Anthony Yigit on the undercard of Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino on April 8th, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.