5 days ago
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International matchmaker Sean Gibbons (left) with Carl Jammes Martin.
MANILA, Philippines — Rising Filipino star Carl Jammes Martin will strut his stuff in the world’s boxing Mecca — Las Vegas — against Colombia’s Jose Sanmartin at the Mandalay Bay on March 22.
After beating his first two opponents in Mexico last year, Martin will be fighting in a 10-round, non-title super bantamweight bout, and a win should boost his chances to land a world title eliminator.
“I am so thrilled to be fighting in Las Vegas, Nevada. When I was a little boy, I grew up watching some of the greatest fighters in boxing history all showcasing their talents in Las Vegas. I watched many Manny Pacquiao fights out there, and now I’m fighting in Las Vegas,” said the 25-year-old fighter from Lagawe, Ifugao.
“This is a dream come true,” he added.
Martin (25-0, with 20 knockouts) stopped Anthony Jimenez Salas via second round technical knockout in September 2024, then did the same to Ruben Tostado Garcia in the fifth round in December the same year — both in Mexico.
International matchmaker Sean Gibbons, also the president of Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, expressed his all-out support to Martin’s campaign, hoping to arrange a world title shot for the Filipino by the end of the year.
“This is a very exciting time in Carl’s career. To have his first fight here in the United States to be in Las Vegas, where Carl’s idol Manny Pacquiao has fought so many times, is a dream come true. Carl is looking to impress everyone next week on his way to his ultimate goal winning the world title in 2025,” Gibbons said.
But Martin faces a tough test in Sanmartin, a former world title challenger from Barranquilla, Colombia, who totes a record of 35-9-1, including 21 KOs.
