ALREADY working his way up the prospect and contender tree for a chance to cash in on Gervonta Davis later tonight, Frank Martin is a legitimate “best available option” type of foe to target pay-per-view theme.
Undefeated in 18 fights, with 12 KOs (“he can punch,” Gervonta admitted between insults), the footage of the sparring session was dug up just in time for necessity, as well as motivation by Derrick James-Errol Spence Jr, there’s plenty of backstory for Frank to play around with.
If things had gone differently, Spain’s Jon Fernandez (below) might have bombed under the Las Vegas lights tonight.
Flash back to July 2021 and Michel Rivera stared at a counting referee who was heavily handed to the canvas in California by the Spaniard. Unable to take full advantage of that brief moment, Fernandez got into a shootout and Rivera stopped him two rounds later.
“It was a very good opportunity that I got. I was very young at that time,” Fernandez recalls. “I went to the match Rivera was slightly injured, but there was no reason.”
Speak privately with Boxing newsFernandez believes his chances against Rivera, as well as his loss to O’Shaquie Foster in 2018, came too soon.
“I think with a third chance to put me on the world map again, those two games [against Rivera and Foster] in the past would make a big difference.”
Jon aims to show off those big differences the next time he steps into the ring ahead of a stern test. Not that his most recent victim, Jezzrel Corrales, was a difficult operator to overcome. However, a September fight in Sheffield against European super lightweight Dalton Smith is about to be announced. That’s where the Bilbao native hopes the difference will appear for all to see.
Taking advantage of his vast fighting experience and turning the tables on Dalton is just the stepping stone that Fernandez needs to return to the level of fighters like Rivera, Martin or even the main character, Gervonta Davis, who will Take the field to confirm your class in this match. MGM Grand tonight.
“I think he is [Davis] is the main character,” Jon said, speaking from Palma de Mallorca, where his larger group had promoted a show the night before.
“I think he is the creme de la creme of that division, the most dangerous man and clearly the best.”
Best for some, but not quite right for Jon, who is now thinking north of Dalton Smith, 5 pounds. While the 135-pound bout with Rivera gave him confidence and profile, the move up to 140 suited Fernandez’s 28-year-old physique better.
“Yes, I feel a lot more comfortable at super light weight now,” he agrees.
“When I was a very small child, [lightweight] not a problem, but then it was a huge struggle over the years. I’m very big and currently at super lightweight, I feel strong, agile and ready for the big fights.”
