Beating Artem Harutyunyan won’t quiet Frank Martin’s doubters, but it’ll place him one step closer to where he wants to be.
This Saturday night, for the first time in his career, Martin will headline his very own show. Standing across from him on the night, is the aforementioned Harutyunyan, a former Olympic bronze medalist.
Although the German born contender doesn’t exactly represent a significant step up in competition, facing him gives Martin an opportunity to show off a bit of his skills. Currently, the lightweight landscape is jam-packed with talented fighters from top to bottom. Two names, however, that normally protrude towards the top are Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis.
Martin, by and large, isn’t jealous of the notoriety that they receive. Although his name isn’t buzzing quite as loudly as those two, when it comes to his skills in the ring, Martin believes he’s ready for them both.
“I feel like I’m ready for Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson,” said Martin during a recent press conference. “I’m ready for em.”
Ironically enough, both Stevenson and Davis are in need of dance partners. Davis, when last seen, permanently closed the mouth of Ryan Garcia, his longtime rival. With a knockdown in the second round, Davis officially sealed the deal in the seventh, stopping Garcia with a body shot.
Stevenson, on the other hand, was equally as destructive recently. Just a few weeks prior to Davis wiping the floor with Garcia, Stevenson walked through Shuichiro Yoshino, making him lay down officially in the seventh round.
From the shadows, Martin hasn’t said much of anything. Instead, he wakes up every day and does the same monotonous and mundane routine. The 28-year-old often spends his mornings in the gym, rests his body in the afternoon, then picks up where he left off later that night. Considering the amount of work he’s put in, Martin believes that it’s now or never.
“I don’t train and be in the gym day in and day out to not be ready for those guys.”