The super middleweight clash between WBC interim champion Christian Mbilli and Lester Martinez has an excellent chance of stealing the show from the main event fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford this Saturday night, September 13.
No Chess Match Here
Many fans believe Mbilli vs. Martinez should be the co-feature on the card. Instead, it’s been given third billing below the Callum Walsh vs. Fernando Vargas Jr. Promoter Dana White is reportedly one of the backers of Ireland’s Walsh. I believe that fight should be below the Mbilli-Martinez clash, as there’s not a lot of buzz from fans in the media about that 154-lb clash.
Mbilli (29-0, 24 KOs) and Martinez (19-0, 16 KOs) are both all-action power punchers who constantly press forward, throwing bombs in their fights. This won’t be a boxing match or one involving a back-and-forth chess match like the main event is expected to be. These two are going to be on the attack throughout their 12-round undercard fight.
The 2016 Olympian Mbilli has looked impressive in recent fights, defeating Maciej Sulecki and Sergiy Derevyanchenko, a veteran. Based in Montreal, Canada, the Cameroon-born Mbilli has climbed the ranks to become the WBC interim champion at 168. Now, he’s hoping that a victory over Martinez will put him in against the winner of the Canelo-Crawford fight.
“I just don’t think this is a good stylistic matchup for Mbilli. Martinez is underrated defensively and can box well off the back foot, and he can be the aggressor. He’s a solid counter-puncher as well. If Martinez can weather the early storm, Mbilli won’t have anything left to hold him off,” said journalist Ryan O’Hara to FightsATW.
Mbilli struggled at times in his fights against Derevyanchenko and Rohan Murdock from the power shots he was getting hit with. However, he hasn’t shown stamina uses that would suggest that he’ll gas out after a fast start against Martinez.
Martinez’s Acid Test
What Martinez has going against him in winning this fight is his lack of experience against quality opposition. Since turning professional in 2019, Martinez has fought zero notable opposition. He’s 29, and that’s up there in age for a fighter who has never fought top-tier fighters. It’s unclear why his promoters have waited this long to match him against his first top-15 fighter. It’s a sink-or-swim situation for Lester.
Martinez’s Last Six Opponents
- Joeshon James
- Carlos Gongora
- Ruben Angulo
- Lucas de Abreu
- Isaiah Sheen
- Fabian Rios Frausto
The only one of those six that I’ve heard of is Gongora from his defeats against Mbilli and Lerrone Richards.
Last Updated on 09/08/2025
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