Martin starts path to world title, makes overseas debut vs Mexican

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing prospect Carl Jammes Martin will be making his international debut on Friday against battle-tested Mexican Anthony Jimenez Salas in a non-title super bantamweight bout in Culican, Sinoloa, Mexico. 

The 25-year-old Lagawe, Ifugao-born warrior will be staking his perfect win-loss record of 23-0 (with 18 knockouts) in Mexico to start his journey to a world title after moving to the United States six months ago.

“I feel this is the right time to fight and prove myself here abroad. This is the time to show that I am ready after being trained in the Knuckleheads Boxing Ranch training compound in Las Vegas, Nevada,” Martin said. “This is what I needed to take me to the world title in 2025.”

“I would like to thank Manny Pacquiao, Sean Gibbons, and then my team for all the help in my move to Las Vegas, the high rugged training and conditioning that I have been throughout my stay in the US to intensify myself,” he added. 

Martin has been honing his skills in Las Vegas for a few months now, sparring with world-class fighters such as Bruce “Shushu” Carrington and another prospect, Filipino-American DJ Zamora. 

“He (Martin) has been sensational training and working with the best boxers coming in the Knuckleheads gym every day. They are seeing his diet and training workouts. By coming to the US, he’s there to improve more his craft and be a global boxing star, a world champion,” Sean Gibbons said. 

Gibbons, president of Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions and an international matchmaker himself, pointed out that Martin is among the last Filipino prospects left standing.

“Martin is a diamond in the rough and has a great potential to be a world champion. Just like the other Filipino boxers, he is a promising individual, has the talent, the attitude, and the skills to follow the footsteps of former world Filipino champions,” Gibbons added.

“Carl Martin will be carrying the tradition of a great rivalry between Philippines versus Mexico. He looks forward to carrying on that tradition.”

Martin is currently ranked No. 3 by the World Boxing Organization and No. 6 by the International Boxing Federation. 

For his part, Salas, 28, is a tough brawler from Mazatlan, Mexico. He is sporting an 18-9-1 win-loss-draw record with five knockouts.