Martin did not buy the talk about standing in the middle.
“We going to see, once I get to touching on him,” Martin said at the final press conference. “You might have to move around a lot. It’s a big ring. It’s perfect for you.”
That is a fighter talking about impact. Not plans. Impact.
Albright did not blink when Martin leaned on him about it.
“We can do it whatever way,” Albright said. “Anyway. Let’s do it. I can stay in the pocket with you. I can box.”
That sounds good on a microphone. The pocket is different once leather starts landing clean.
Martin reads this as a physical fight. He thinks his timing and snap will decide how long Albright stays planted. He believes once he starts touching the body and stepping in behind the jab, the ring will start looking bigger to the other man.
“You a tough [fighter],” Martin told him. “Our styles going to clash. It’s going to be a good fight.”
They both see contact coming early.
Martin is settling into 140 pounds now. He says the weight sits better on him. More snap on the punches. Better legs. Stronger base when he sets his feet.
“I feel a lot stronger at 140,” Martin said. “Strength, speed, everything. I feel more comfortable with the weight.”
That matters in a ten round fight where pace and conditioning get tested after the fourth. At junior welterweight, if you can set your feet and punch with authority without draining yourself, you can break a man’s posture and make him circle.
Albright has stayed busy. He has boxed and he has traded. He will need both. If he tries to meet Martin in the center and exchange without tightening his guard and working the body, he risks getting walked back behind straight shots.
This fight will show whether Albright can hold ground once Martin starts stepping through his punches.
If Martin’s power carries at 140 the way he believes it does, Albright will be the one covering real estate by the middle rounds.
Start Times, Venue, Date and Live Stream Information
Date: Saturday, 6:00 pm local time
USA ET: 6:00 pm ET
UK: 11:00 pm UK
Live Stream: DAZN
Venue: Caribe Royale, Orlando, Florida
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