Puma Martínez, the new king who returns Argentina to the top of world boxing

Japan It seems to be the “promised land” for Argentine boxing. In this time of “lean times” for the activity, a Boquense porteño to the core, Fernando “Puma” Martínez, undefeated super flyweight and world champion (the only one from our country) of the International Federation, who will turn 33 years old on the 18th of this month, he went to seek unification with another scepter, that of the WBA, held by the local Kazuto Ioka.

With a fierceness that characterizes him, gave him a memorable beating in the first four rounds. With a variety of great style blows, because he is a very good boxer combining short hooks with cross hooks. The Japanese shook his head from side to side during that period. And if there was no knockout it was because of his great resistance (Japanese symbol) and not because the Argentine’s blows did not carry the force that the images denounced. Ioka (35 years old) was not just any rival, because he had reigned as a light fly and a fly in the four governing bodies of boxing in 35 fights, with 31 wins, 3 losses and a draw.

After those first four devastating rounds, the distances were closing. The Japanese got better profiles and managed blows to the lower area. But Martínez’s quick bursts of alternating lefts and rights kept coming. The combat became more attractive. Logically, all the Argentine’s effort was somewhat diminishing his continuity. But he continued to command the ring until reaching the unanimous decision of the juries.

The 120-108 of one of them seemed exaggerated. Perhaps the closest would have been 116-112. Or maybe 117-111 of the third. Unanimous, of course. But it was clear that in those first four rounds, two perhaps could have been counted as 10-8 due to the overwhelming difference.

The truth is that now Puma Martínez, with two belts, as the only world champion of our boxing You can now rub shoulders with some of its glorious predecessors from the good times.

We cannot forget that the phenomenal Pascualito Perez, already an Olympic champion, won the first crown (flyweight) in our boxing history also in Japan, when he defeated the famous Yoshio Shirai on November 26, 1954. And it was a fight and revenge. He then reached nine defenses before his defeat with the Thai Pone Kingpetch.

The second Argentine champion who won his crown in Tokyo was Horacio Accavallo, also in the fly category, on March 1, 1966. It was a split decision but it was finally the world title against the local Katsuyoshi Takayama. Accavallo made three defenses – all in Argentina – before retiring in 1968.

Curiously, the third coronation of an Argentine was also in Japan. From the “Untouchable” Nicolino Locche in that unforgettable exhibition on December 12, 1968 against Paul Fuji, kept in the chest of sacred memories of Argentine boxing. Of course, that was one of the superlight ones.

Those first three titles were achieved in Japan. But if we want to refer to the small categories, such as those of Pascualito and Accavallo, it is impossible not to relate them to Santos Falucho Laciar’s brilliant knockout of the South African Pete Mathebula, in 1981, in the black ghetto of Johannesburg, South Africa, when discrimination was in cruel boom.

It is the turn of Fernando Martínez, pupil of Marcos Maidana’s team, that great champion, the one of the two fights with Floyd Mayweather. Although he contributed 24 Olympic medals and did not achieve a place in Paris 2024, Argentine boxing is still alive in professionalism in the image of a humble and winning kid, world champion of the IBF and WBA super flyweights. The only king that Argentina has.