IFUGAO PRIDE. Carl Jammes Martin after knocking out George Lumoly in 2017 where he won the WBA Asia bantamweight crown. The 20-year-old Ifugao will face Philip Luis Cuerdo for the Philippine Boxing Federation bantamweight crown Saturday at the Manila Arena. (Photo courtesy of Philboxing)
BAGUIO CITY – Ifugao’s "Wonder Boy" Carl Jammes Martin will stake his perfect record against Philip Luis Cuerdo in the Knock Out a Highland International Boxing Promotion special at the Manila Arena on Saturday for the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) Bantamweight crown.
Highland Promotion’s Brico Santig said the fight will be an exciting one as Martin will be against a tough fighter in his quest to take the PBF title.
Martin, 20, from Ifugao capital town Lagawe, has never been defeated in his 13 bouts, registering 12 knockouts against a solitary unanimous decision.
Martin is the reigning World Boxing Organization Oriental Youth bantamweight champion which he won in April 2018 by beating Hashimu Zuberi of Tanzania in the second round via technical knockout at the Don Bosco High School Gym in his hometown.
Two months later, he took the World Boxing Association Asia bantamweight crown in front of his fellow Ifugao by knocking out George Lumoly of Indonesia in the third round.
Martin has also won the interim World Boxing Council Asian Boxing Council Continental bantamweight crown by knocking down Thai Artid Bamrunguea in the second round of their scheduled 10-round fight at the Department of Education gymnasium in Lagawe, Ifugao on Dec. 23, 2017.
Martin was the interim PBF bantamweight king when Vincent Bautista retired in the fifth of their 10 rounds fight on Oct. 28, 2017.
Martin is the fastest rising boxer in the country today as he beat oppositions in the early rounds to retain his current titles.
On August 6, 2018, he retired Chinese Huerban Quitahe in the sixth round to retain his WBO Oriental Youth title in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
He also retained his WBA Asia title on Oct. 27, of that year with fourth-round TKO win over Korean Moon Chul Suh in his hometown.
Last March 16, he needed just three rounds to stop Thai Petchchorhae Kokietgym at the Midas Hotel and Casino in Pasay City.
His last fight last June 10, at the TV5 Studio in Novaliches, Quezon City, the then 19-year-old needed just a round to dispatch Yutthichai Wannawong of Thailand.
The 24-year-old Cuerdo, nicknamed Destroyer, has 198 fights under his belt of which he won 11, four by knockout, but he has seven losses against a single draw.
Their fight will be 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.
Asian Boxing describes Magali as: “is no world-beater but tends to be a rugged and tough guy who comes to fight.”
In the undercard, it will be Aiman Abu Bakr and Asad Asif Khan for the International Boxing Organization Oceana featherweight title fight.
Also seeing action are Aston Palicte and Renz Rosia in an eight-rounder bantamweight fight and the WBA Asia female lightweight title fight between Suphansa Pho-ong and Li Liu.
An eight-rounder, six-rounder, and four-four rounders are also scheduled as undercards to the event backed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and Alaxan.
Highland Boxing Promotion is a La Trinidad, Benguet based boxing gym whose two fighters, Renz Dacquel and Karol Maguide won a silver and bronze medal in kickboxing in the recent South East Asian Games. (PNA)
