BAGUIO CITY – Ifugao’s “Wonder Boy” Carl Jammes Martin needed just eight minutes to take the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) Bantamweight crown.
Martin floored Cuerdo with 2:24 left in the third round then forced the boxer nicknamed Destroyer in the corner where punches were rained down on the latter, forcing his corner to stop the fight with 1:54 remaining in the round during the Highland Boxing Promotion promoted “Knock Out” on Dec. 21 at the Manila Arena.
Cuerdo has 198 fights under his belt of which he won 11, four by knockout, but he has seven losses against a single draw. Cuerdo fell to 11-9-1 and his loss to Martin is the fourth straight defeat, all within this year.
A Manila-born and raised fighter, Cuerdo’s last win was on Sept. 30 last year and has been in a four-game losing streak starting with his fight against Brock Jarvis on March 1 via knock out.
Meanwhile, Fight News Asia named Martin as the Most Promising Boxer of the Year.
The fight on Dec. 21 was the main supporting event to the Asian Boxing Federation super featherweight title fight between Carlo Magali (24-13-3, 13) and Al Toyogon (10, 5-1, 6) in a 12-round fight
It was a dominant Martin that came in the ring as the 20-year-old dubbed as the new (Manny) Pacquiao enforced his will in the co-main event scheduled for 10 rounds.
“He clearly dominated the fight,” said Brico Santig on Thursday. Santig is the head of the Highland Boxing Promotions based in La Trinidad, Benguet.
Martin nearly floored Cuerdo in the second round as he started to heat up heading to the third round.
Martin won his 14th fight, with 13 of those via knock out. His 14 fight lasted 5.5 rounds or an average of 3.7 rounds per bout.
Only once in his three-year professional boxing career has a boxer escape being knocked out, the fourth fight where Jason Buenaobra lost via unanimous decision for the vacant Luzon Professional Boxing Association bantamweight title.
Besides that, the fighter that lasted inside the ring with Martin was Chinese Huerban Qiatehe who retired after six rounds as the Ifugao retained his World Boxing Organization Oriental Youth Boxing title in Nueva Vizcaya.
He debuted at the Big City last March 16 and needed just three rounds to retire Thai Petchchorhae Kokietgym.
Last June 10, Yutthichai Wannawong was forced to quit after just around.
Martin is named the Professional Boxer of the Year by the KISLAP committee on Monday with his father Abel, Sr. as the trainer of the year.
Also, BoxRec recognized the pair of Brico Santig and Darwin Miller Depay of Highland Boxing Promotion as promoters of the year ahead of well-known promoters like Gabriel Elorde, Jr. The pair from La Trinidad, Benguet were responsible for paving the way for Martin to win the Philippine Boxing Federation title last December 21 at the Manila Arena.
The pair are named as the promoter of the year by KISLAP during its awards this coming Monday, Dec. 30. (PNA)
