After COVID-19’s temporary stop to most athletes’ routine and events subsided, Carl Jammes Martin quietly kept his stock rising as he improved his record to an still immaculate 18-0, outlasting veteran Mark Anthony Geraldo last December 4, 2021 at the The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila.
The Ifugao young phenom hacked out a close 117-111,115-113,115-113 unanimous decision victory against the 30-year old former WBO champion to record his second victory of the year.
The win also netted him the Games & Amusement Board Super Bantam title.
The 22-year old star displayed promising signs of maturity as he played a cat and mouse game with a dangerous opponent. Martin let his hands fly at the right time while backing up after connecting to avoid counters from his rival.
Gerardo, who once held the World Boxing Organisation Asia Pacific Youth Super Fly and Oriental Bantam titles, threatened to end another Filipino winning streak when fired a right that stagger Martin in the fifth round.
It was Gerardo who ended Jerwin Ancajas’ 14-bout unbeaten run when he scored a 98-92, 97-94, 95-95 majority decision in Ancajas’ first defense of his WBO Asia Pacific Youth Super Flyweight belt on March 17, 2012 in Cebu. The loss remains to be the only defeat in Ancajas’ career. He has also drawn a match twice.
Martin, however, used his crispy jabs and excellent footwork to to thwart Geraldo and retain his unblemished record.
Martin seems to be getting better quality opponents now as evidenced by the close decision. The full-route ending is the second for Martin in his last three fights. Prior to this stretch, he was riding an 11-bout streak of finishing his fights before the final bell sounds.
He was also forced to the limit by Richard Rosales during “Kumbati 7” held on December 18, 2020 at Mandaue, Cebu. The Boholano brawler proved he could take a punch although the judges eventually awarded a lopsided 100-90, 100-90, and 98-92 to Martin.
He later stopped Joe Tejones in the fifth round on February 20, 2021 at Binan Laguna to raise his career knockouts total to 15.
Aside from the GAB Super Bantam belt, Martin also still holds WBO Oriental Youth Bantam and Philippines Boxing Federation Bantam titles.
He won the WBO Oriental Youth Bantam belt against Hashimu Zuberi by technical knockout on April 2018 and defended it against Huerban Qiatehe when the later retired during their August 2018 bout.
He wrested the PBF Bantam belt against Benezer Alolod on September 2019 and successfully defended it against Philip Luis Cuerdo three months later. Both bouts ended via technical knockouts.
He also once wore the World Boxing Association Asia Bantam and Luzon Professional Boxing Association Bantam belts.
His impressive showing so far has already caught the eyes of bigger boxing promotion outfits, among them world-renowned MP Promotions. A party with close ties to MP Promotions once narrated in a Youtube post last September that MP big boss Sean Gibbons is keeping a eye on the Hingyon native and have legitimate interest in signing him.
Meanwhile, Geraldo dropped to 38-10-3. He was defending his title for the second time after wresting it from Virgel Vitor by knockout on February 2019 and successfully defending it by knocking out Lorence Rosas on September 2020.
By Armando M. Bolislis
