ARGENTINE Fernando Martinez stopped battered and bloodied Filipino challenger Jade Bornea in the 11th round early Sunday morning (Saturday night in the US) to retain the International Boxing Federation junior bantamweight crown at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Adjusting to the aggressive style of his foe, Martinez was all over Bornea, whose right ear was bleeding badly from earlier punishment in the ninth, early in the fateful round until American Charlie Fitch stepped in to stop the fight, giving the Argentine a convincing technical knockout win.
The reigning champ was comfortably ahead on the scorecards of judges Mike Fitzgerald (97-93), Jerry Jakubko (98-92) and Zachary Young (97-93) when the match was halted.
The Buenos Aires native claimed his ninth knockout victim to remain unbeaten in 16 fights while dealing the pride of Arakan, North Cotabato his first loss against 18 wins (12 KOs).
The relentless Martinez, 31, made his second successful defense of the belt he wrested from another Filipino, Jerwin Ancajas, by unanimous decision on Feb. 26, 2022 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas.
In a rematch between the two, the Argentine brawler also kept the belt at the Filipino’s expense with another unanimous decision win last Oct. 8 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson City, California.
The Martinez-Bornea championship was in the undercard of the Calos Adames vs. Julian Williams encounter for the World Boxing Council interim middleweight belt.
As fate would have it, also appearing in the same card was Ancajas, who, fighting in the heavier bantamweight category, marked his comeback with a fifth-round TKO of Colombian journeyman Wilner Sotto.
Apparently more comfortable battling in the new weight class, Ancajas chalked up his 34th victory (23 KOs) against two draws and three defeats while Sotto absorbed his 12th defeat in 34 fights.
“This is the fight that builds the bridge towards a shot at the championship. We are excited to see what Sir Sean Gibbons has in store for us,” said Joven Jimenez, Ancajas’ longtime manager-trainer, referring to possible fights lined up by the MP Promotions chief.
While the early rounds were about even, the match tilted in Martinez’s favor once blood started pouring out of Bornea’s right ear in the ninth round, prompting Fitch to ask the Pinoy pug if he still wanted to continue.
Bornea refused to withdraw and Martinez tried to finish his rival off from the start of the ninth round, landing several solid combinations against the wounded Filipino fighter, who continued to bleed and was on his heels for most of the round.
When it was obvious the valiant challenger could no longer go on, Fitch cut the match short 30 seconds into the 11th round to spare him any further damage.
