Jose Sanmartin is just as ready to shock the world as was the case three weeks ago.
The visiting Colombian journeyman was left without a fight when Shabaz Masoud fell ill shortly after the weigh-in ahead of their previously scheduled October 21 outing in Manchester, England. The fight was postponed by three weeks, though Sanmartin refused to let the delay interfere with his mission throughout what became an extended training camp.
“My plan is that I’m completely ready and I hope that Masoud is completely ready and recovered from his illness,” Sanmartin said of the unbeaten prospect. “We have a plan for this fight and I am completely ready to go.”
Masoud-Sanmartin headlines a Matchroom Boxing NXTGEN prospect-based DAZN card this Saturday from Utilita Arena in Newcastle, England.
Masoud (11-0, 4KOs) enters the fight with the glossier record and greater upside. However, he will also have not fought in exactly 52 weeks by the opening bell after the three-week setback. It comes after both boxers already made weight on October 20, with nothing to show for it after the 27-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent was physically unable to move forward with the bout.
Rather than serving in chief support to the Jack Catterall-Jorge Linares junior welterweight clash that night, the two have the opportunity to headline their own show.
Barranquilla’s Sanmartin (34-7-1, 21KOs) has lost two of his last three contests, both at the contender level. He suffered a third-round knockout last October 22 to Mauricio Lara, who won the WBA featherweight title just five months later. In his most recent outing, Sanmartin dropped a ten-round, unanimous decision to unbeaten Kevin Gonzalez, a top-rated junior featherweight who is on the cusp of title contention.
A win on Saturday will be considered an upset—Masoud is a healthy -1600 favorite according to bet365, which lists the 31-year-old Sanmartin as a +900 underdog to prevail in his UK debut. It’s why he made the trip—twice—and doesn’t plan to leave with anything short of a career-best victory.
“That won’t affect me in the slightest,” Sanmartin insisted of the delay. “I’m a very experienced guy and a very experienced fighter. All of the pressure will be on him on Saturday. I’m completely ready to take this victory and take this belt back to Colombia.
“I’m sorry Masoud, you’re going to be losing on Saturday.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (Formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox