Albert Perez
Sports Editor Angeleno NewsAlbert Pérez is the sports editor at AngelenoNews.com. He is a former sports writer at LA Times, Sporting News, HOY Newspaper, among others. He has...Read more
For close to five years, Canelo Álvarez was the driving force in boxing’s super middleweight division. In 2021, he cemented his claim to the throne by becoming the division’s first undisputed champion in the four-belt era.
However, since the Mexican star was toppled by Terence Crawford, the 168-pound division has been wide open. Crawford promptly retired, leaving every title from his undisputed reign vacant.
As for Canelo, retirement is not something he has considered anytime soon. Despite the loss to Crawford, he remains positioned as the top dog in the division. Still, several contenders are looking to stake their claim in the 168-pound landscape. The two main names are Hamzah Sheeraz and Christian Mbilli, both of whom are undefeated.
Sheeraz made a statement last July by knocking out Edgar Berlanga in five rounds. Just 10 months earlier, Berlanga had gone the distance with Canelo. For his part, Mbilli was elevated to full WBC super-middleweight champion in January after Crawford vacated the title.
Now, another name can be added to the mix. Guatemala’s Lester Martinez has officially entered the 168-pound chat.
The 30-year-old has done a notable job establishing himself as a legitimate threat over the past six months. He is trained by Crawford’s team, led by head trainer Brian “BoMac” McIntyre.
In September, Martinez surprised many by going toe-to-toe with Mbilli in a grueling battle that ended in a split draw. In the eyes of some, the Guatemalan did enough to earn the win. More recently, Martinez added a significant accolade to his rise by claiming the WBC interim super middleweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Immanuwel Aleem at the Orange Show Event Center in San Bernardino, California. He remained undefeated and improved his record to 20-0-1 , with 16 KOs.
Also, with the victory, he became the first Guatemalan boxing world champion in history.
“This title was a goal and a dream I have had for a long time,” said Martinez. “What is coming next will be much more difficult, but I will be ready.”
Against Aleem, Martinez showcased his aggressive, high-pressure fighting style. While he possesses heavy hands, he lacks some explosiveness. There were moments when Aleem seemed close to being stopped, but Martinez couldn’t quite deliver the finishing blow.
Although Martinez largely dominated the fight, there were instances—such as in the sixth round—when Aleem managed to get inside and push him back. However, the Guatemalan maintained his composure and regained control by fighting at range and landing precise combinations.
“Every boxer tries to win by knockout, but Aleem is a tough, durable fighter,” Martinez said after the victory. “We also had to be very cautious. He was a dangerous opponent.”
As for what comes next, a rematch with Mbilli remains a possibility, but Canelo is the opponent on Martinez’s mind.
“I am ready to fight Canelo,” he said. “Not only do I want to make the fight happen, but I want to prepare to win. And I will win. I am confident in what I can accomplish with my team behind me. I am ready for it all.”
At the moment, it is unclear when Martinez will get an opportunity to face either Canelo or Mbilli. There is speculation that both could meet in September in Saudi Arabia for the main WBC super middleweight title.
But one thing that was clear after Martinez’s historic night in San Bernardino is that he has immense support from his fellow Guatemalans. The Orange Show Event Center hosted a near-capacity crowd of around 5,000 people, but the passionate atmosphere made it feel much larger—reflecting the strong Guatemalan community in Southern California. According to the U.S. Census close to half a million people of Guatemalan ancestry live in the region.
This type of support left Martinez eager to return to the area.
“Of course, I would like to fight in the Los Angeles area, and anywhere there are a lot of Guatemalans. And why not in Guatemala?” Martinez said. “But it’s up to my promoter. Still, Los Angeles is definitely a possibility.”
Albert Pérez is the sports editor at AngelenoNews.com. He is a former sports writer at LA Times, Sporting News, HOY Newspaper, among others. He has a degree in Communications from Cal Poly Pomona. A passionate journalist loves controversial topics and sports statistics. He won three editions of the national competition “Sabio de la República” on Univision's República Deportiva.
