HE CLIMBS THE scales after a lifetime and little has changed. The same squat frame, the same piercing glare. 15 years after he exploded in Dublin and shook the nation, Kiko Martinez remains an exemplar of power.
Can you see him? Do you remember the storm? In 2007 he marched to the ring ready to roll. No robe. Black boots. Little entourage. Zero frills. Just a heavy-fisted Spaniard, about to blow the darling of Irish boxing Bernard Dunne away in 86 furious seconds.
“I was on commentary that night for RTE,” recalls Jim Rock, the only boxer to have ever held an Irish title across four different weights divisions.
“I spotted him coming down and said live, ‘this fella is like a mini-Mike Tyson.’ He is short, squat, muscular. His build is compact, he doesn’t waste a lot of energy. He is made to fight. A little fighting machine.”
This week Martinez is at his ease. Completely comfortable. The 36-year-old is in London where he will fight Jordan Gill for the European featherweight title at Wembley Arena on the Katie Taylor vs Karen Carabajal undercard.
After 56 fights and 43 wins, 30 by KO, Kiko Martinez is still swinging. He steps off the weigh-in platform and is immediately handed a protein shaker. Most fighters make a swift exit after such occasions as they rush to replenish. An hour later, Martinez is still here. Relaxing at an outside table, posing with fans and granting interviews. Soaking every moment in.
“It’s funny,” says Rock. “My last fight was actually the night Bernard Dunne won the world title in 2009. I remember saying to myself, what am I doing here? I knew I was getting hit with shots I shouldn’t be getting hit with.
“Everything goes against you when you get older. I was 37. That isn’t old in the grand scheme of things but it is old for a middleweight. And for a featherweight? Jeez.
“Featherweights reach their peak at around 27, 28. Most finish at around 32 but there are exceptions to the rule. He is a freak of nature.”
By 2007, Bernard Dunne was at the forefront of what was to be Irish pro boxing’s golden age. He had built something special at The Point, the closest we came to box-office nights. It was only fitting that his headline fight would be the last stand, the venue was to be demolished and rebuilt as the 02 after.
Promoter Brian Peters had RTE on board and a star-studded card. Matthew Macklin, Brian Magee and Paul McCloskey all featured. A young middleweight by the name of Andy Lee made his Irish debut. Emanuel Steward and Ricky ‘Hitman’ Hatton were present as trainers.
Eight weeks prior, Dunne defended his EBU title with a unanimous decision win over Walstad Reider. The EBU made Martínez the mandatory challenger. ‘La Sensación’ proudly hailed from Torrellano, near Alicante. He had never fought outside of Spain.
“Just before the bell,” Dunne recalled in his autobiography, “my coach Harry Hawkins repeats his mantra of the past five weeks: ‘Keep your hands nice and high for the first couple of rounds. Pick your shots and keep it long distance.’
“I don’t like watching videos of my opponents, but Harry was pushing me to sit through a few rounds of Kiko obliterating chumps. Yeah, Harry. The big overhand right. Got ya. I can handle him, Harry.”
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The home support roared after an early left lead and right cross. Jimmy Magee’s voice and the Olé chants started to rise, The Point was buzzing and suddenly Dunne was on the canvas.
“I stand tall and wait for another opportunity,” he explained. “This is my town. My ring. I throw a left. Kiko is waiting. He counters with a right followed by a savage left uppercut. Down I go.”
15 seconds later and he was at sea. After the second knockdown, Martinez sprinted back to his corner, straining at the leash. Referee Terry O’Connor almost pleaded with the hometown favourite, ‘Hands up!’
Peters and Hawkins were huddled together in the corner as if already consoling each other. The writing was on the wall, Dunne said it best.
“There is blood in the water a killer shark circling back around for the final frenzy.”
“He was a massive underdog,” says Rock. He knew people who wagered four figures on the fight. “The odds they got were 66/1 for a first-round KO. They knew this fella was coming over as a sensational puncher, that was his name. Sensation. He was young and hungry.”
Irish media reported in total his camp made north of €264,000. Over a decade later, Martinez would thunder into Sheffield and stun Kid Galahad to win the IBF featherweight title. He spoke in the aftermath of his pride at how again the outcome made a lot of money for people in his hometown who backed him.
As his career continued, Martinez worked his way up and into the heart of Irish fight fans. The super-bantamweight fought in Ireland three times in the next three years, winning every one.
He battled Carl Frampton twice in Belfast and went out on his shield on both occasions. They remained close after those bruising encounters, using Google translate to text and stay in contact.
Matt Mackey / Press Eye
Matt Mackey / Press Eye / Press Eye
The show went on the road and was freshened up when needed. As a pro, he has fought on five different continents. Splits like his move from Gabi Sarmiento to trainer Antonio Gonzalez Matias were always amicable. Sarmiento is back in his corner now, proudly filming his fighter during the face-off.
Seven years ago, he was desperate to become a multi-weight champion and dropped a division to make it happen. When denied the opportunity, he jumped back up and took on the biggest challenge available. Scott Quigg blasted him away inside two rounds.
How did he respond? The only way he knew how. Four fights in four months, not a single one went the distance. Three wins and a loss against Léo Santa Cruz. Take them down or go down trying.
”You look like Benjamin Button,” declared promoter Eddie Hearn by way of introduction at Thursday’s press conference. “You look younger now than you did ten years ago.”
His opponent tonight is Jordan Gill, who announced himself globally with a stunning knockout of European champion Karim Guerfi last February.
After suffering an injury to his knee and hand, as well as two perforated ear drums, Gill went down in the seventh. The Dave Coldwell-trained prospect is one step away from a world title, after the bout was made an IBF eliminator. Champion Josh Warrington awaits the winner.
Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
As it happens, that is who Martinez last fought and a stage to which he is desperate to return. He left in the seventh round. Warrington left with the IBF featherweight title and a broken jaw.
The warrior refuses to let go of his career as a prizefighter. “My last bullet,” he labelled this contest. The fairytale finish is scarce in sport and even rarer in boxing, but that is his dream.
“I did think about retirement,” Martinez said this week. “Father Time is not on my side. Every fight counts and it takes a toll. But I felt good. I felt like I could go and take opportunities and surprise people again.
“I want to go out on my terms. I feel like I still can get a shot to be world champion. I just love being a part of these events, they give me life.”
This week Martinez spoke of how he feels ‘adopted’ by Irish fans. He maintains he is recognised more in Ireland than in his home country.
Rock points to ‘Lilywhite Lightning’ Eric Donovan as the ideal inspiration. Last month the 37-year-old walked through hell for a coveted EU featherweight title victory.
He is loath to compare himself to Saturday night’s stars but knows how enticing a belt can be.
“The likes of Katie and Kiko are on a different level but… I never fought for money. I had my business, the only reason I boxed professionally was I wanted to win a belt.
“I said that once and was told to go into Brown Thomas so and buy one. I wanted a boxing belt. I ended up with seven. Four Irish titles at four different weights. I got an inter-continental European and the IBC world middleweight title. It is only an IBC sure, not huge.
“But Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran fought for that at my weight. If it was good enough for them, it is certainly good enough for me.
“There are fighters who just keep at it to put bread on the table and keep their kids fed. Then there are boxers who are determined to win titles and have that day in the sun.
“The thing about a boxer like Kiko, he still has a chance. You may lose their sharpness, your speed, but you don’t lose your punch. Your punch is always there. The last thing to go is your power.
“Don’t forget, it is twelve rounds. Kiko has that power and just needs to connect once. He is always one punch away.”
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15 years after he smashed Irish hearts and bookies, Kiko Martinez is still swinging
HE CLIMBS THE scales after a lifetime and little has changed. The same squat frame, the same piercing glare. 15 years after he exploded in Dublin and shook the nation, Kiko Martinez remains an exemplar of power.
Can you see him? Do you remember the storm? In 2007 he marched to the ring ready to roll. No robe. Black boots. Little entourage. Zero frills. Just a heavy-fisted Spaniard, about to blow the darling of Irish boxing Bernard Dunne away in 86 furious seconds.
“I was on commentary that night for RTE,” recalls Jim Rock, the only boxer to have ever held an Irish title across four different weights divisions.
“I spotted him coming down and said live, ‘this fella is like a mini-Mike Tyson.’ He is short, squat, muscular. His build is compact, he doesn’t waste a lot of energy. He is made to fight. A little fighting machine.”
This week Martinez is at his ease. Completely comfortable. The 36-year-old is in London where he will fight Jordan Gill for the European featherweight title at Wembley Arena on the Katie Taylor vs Karen Carabajal undercard.
After 56 fights and 43 wins, 30 by KO, Kiko Martinez is still swinging. He steps off the weigh-in platform and is immediately handed a protein shaker. Most fighters make a swift exit after such occasions as they rush to replenish. An hour later, Martinez is still here. Relaxing at an outside table, posing with fans and granting interviews. Soaking every moment in.
“It’s funny,” says Rock. “My last fight was actually the night Bernard Dunne won the world title in 2009. I remember saying to myself, what am I doing here? I knew I was getting hit with shots I shouldn’t be getting hit with.
“Everything goes against you when you get older. I was 37. That isn’t old in the grand scheme of things but it is old for a middleweight. And for a featherweight? Jeez.
“Featherweights reach their peak at around 27, 28. Most finish at around 32 but there are exceptions to the rule. He is a freak of nature.”
By 2007, Bernard Dunne was at the forefront of what was to be Irish pro boxing’s golden age. He had built something special at The Point, the closest we came to box-office nights. It was only fitting that his headline fight would be the last stand, the venue was to be demolished and rebuilt as the 02 after.
Promoter Brian Peters had RTE on board and a star-studded card. Matthew Macklin, Brian Magee and Paul McCloskey all featured. A young middleweight by the name of Andy Lee made his Irish debut. Emanuel Steward and Ricky ‘Hitman’ Hatton were present as trainers.
Eight weeks prior, Dunne defended his EBU title with a unanimous decision win over Walstad Reider. The EBU made Martínez the mandatory challenger. ‘La Sensación’ proudly hailed from Torrellano, near Alicante. He had never fought outside of Spain.
“Just before the bell,” Dunne recalled in his autobiography, “my coach Harry Hawkins repeats his mantra of the past five weeks: ‘Keep your hands nice and high for the first couple of rounds. Pick your shots and keep it long distance.’
“I don’t like watching videos of my opponents, but Harry was pushing me to sit through a few rounds of Kiko obliterating chumps. Yeah, Harry. The big overhand right. Got ya. I can handle him, Harry.”
The home support roared after an early left lead and right cross. Jimmy Magee’s voice and the Olé chants started to rise, The Point was buzzing and suddenly Dunne was on the canvas.
“I stand tall and wait for another opportunity,” he explained. “This is my town. My ring. I throw a left. Kiko is waiting. He counters with a right followed by a savage left uppercut. Down I go.”
15 seconds later and he was at sea. After the second knockdown, Martinez sprinted back to his corner, straining at the leash. Referee Terry O’Connor almost pleaded with the hometown favourite, ‘Hands up!’
Peters and Hawkins were huddled together in the corner as if already consoling each other. The writing was on the wall, Dunne said it best.
“There is blood in the water a killer shark circling back around for the final frenzy.”
“He was a massive underdog,” says Rock. He knew people who wagered four figures on the fight. “The odds they got were 66/1 for a first-round KO. They knew this fella was coming over as a sensational puncher, that was his name. Sensation. He was young and hungry.”
Irish media reported in total his camp made north of €264,000. Over a decade later, Martinez would thunder into Sheffield and stun Kid Galahad to win the IBF featherweight title. He spoke in the aftermath of his pride at how again the outcome made a lot of money for people in his hometown who backed him.
As his career continued, Martinez worked his way up and into the heart of Irish fight fans. The super-bantamweight fought in Ireland three times in the next three years, winning every one.
He battled Carl Frampton twice in Belfast and went out on his shield on both occasions. They remained close after those bruising encounters, using Google translate to text and stay in contact.
The show went on the road and was freshened up when needed. As a pro, he has fought on five different continents. Splits like his move from Gabi Sarmiento to trainer Antonio Gonzalez Matias were always amicable. Sarmiento is back in his corner now, proudly filming his fighter during the face-off.
Seven years ago, he was desperate to become a multi-weight champion and dropped a division to make it happen. When denied the opportunity, he jumped back up and took on the biggest challenge available. Scott Quigg blasted him away inside two rounds.
How did he respond? The only way he knew how. Four fights in four months, not a single one went the distance. Three wins and a loss against Léo Santa Cruz. Take them down or go down trying.
”You look like Benjamin Button,” declared promoter Eddie Hearn by way of introduction at Thursday’s press conference. “You look younger now than you did ten years ago.”
His opponent tonight is Jordan Gill, who announced himself globally with a stunning knockout of European champion Karim Guerfi last February.
After suffering an injury to his knee and hand, as well as two perforated ear drums, Gill went down in the seventh. The Dave Coldwell-trained prospect is one step away from a world title, after the bout was made an IBF eliminator. Champion Josh Warrington awaits the winner.
As it happens, that is who Martinez last fought and a stage to which he is desperate to return. He left in the seventh round. Warrington left with the IBF featherweight title and a broken jaw.
The warrior refuses to let go of his career as a prizefighter. “My last bullet,” he labelled this contest. The fairytale finish is scarce in sport and even rarer in boxing, but that is his dream.
“I did think about retirement,” Martinez said this week. “Father Time is not on my side. Every fight counts and it takes a toll. But I felt good. I felt like I could go and take opportunities and surprise people again.
“I want to go out on my terms. I feel like I still can get a shot to be world champion. I just love being a part of these events, they give me life.”
This week Martinez spoke of how he feels ‘adopted’ by Irish fans. He maintains he is recognised more in Ireland than in his home country.
Rock points to ‘Lilywhite Lightning’ Eric Donovan as the ideal inspiration. Last month the 37-year-old walked through hell for a coveted EU featherweight title victory.
He is loath to compare himself to Saturday night’s stars but knows how enticing a belt can be.
“The likes of Katie and Kiko are on a different level but… I never fought for money. I had my business, the only reason I boxed professionally was I wanted to win a belt.
“I said that once and was told to go into Brown Thomas so and buy one. I wanted a boxing belt. I ended up with seven. Four Irish titles at four different weights. I got an inter-continental European and the IBC world middleweight title. It is only an IBC sure, not huge.
“But Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran fought for that at my weight. If it was good enough for them, it is certainly good enough for me.
“There are fighters who just keep at it to put bread on the table and keep their kids fed. Then there are boxers who are determined to win titles and have that day in the sun.
“The thing about a boxer like Kiko, he still has a chance. You may lose their sharpness, your speed, but you don’t lose your punch. Your punch is always there. The last thing to go is your power.
“Don’t forget, it is twelve rounds. Kiko has that power and just needs to connect once. He is always one punch away.”
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Bernard Dunne Carl Frampton Eddie Hearn Irish Boxing Jordan Gill Kiko Martinez last stand The Point of it all