Has Charles Martin got any future in the upper echelons of the heavyweight division? Mike Borao, Martin’s manager, spoke with Sky Sports and he said yes, absolutely the 35-year-old will carry on fighting.
Martin, who briefly reigned as IBF heavyweight champ in 2016, was the victim of a nasty stoppage loss to Luis Ortiz on January 1, yet the tall southpaw did score two knockdowns and he was winning the fight before getting caught.
This, Borao says, “can happen to anyone.” Martin, 28-3-1(25) has plenty of options, his manager says – and Borao listed a number of fights that could perhaps happen for “Prince” Charles.
“Retirement is not a consideration,” Borao said. “Charles was winning the fight comfortably and got caught with a perfect punch (in the Ortiz fight). There are plenty of options available to Charles that can reverse the trajectory of his career overnight – Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz Jr, Joseph Parker, Dereck Chisora, or perhaps a rematch with Adam Kownacki.”
Borao added how Martin will look to take a tune-up type fight in March or April and then “make one more run at the title.”
But can Martin get one of the fights his manager listed? Wilder, if he returns to the ring, as plenty of people are hoping he will, could fight Martin in his comeback fight and it would perhaps get a pass from the fans. Ruiz and Parker seem to be aiming a good deal higher than the Charles Martins of the world – with Ruiz recently announcing how he will be back in a big fight soon, and Parker possibly being in line to fight Filip Hrgovic in an IBF final eliminator.
As for Kownacki, who won a decision over Martin in an exciting affair, his future is currently unknown after that repeat stoppage loss to Robert Helenius. While Chisora has been mentioned by Eddie Hearn as a possible comeback foe for Wilder. Martin, on his best night, might be able to beat one or two of the names Borao listed, yet his biggest problem may be getting one of those fights.
Martin and Chisora are both veterans, and if Chisora doesn’t fight Wilder (and plenty of people do not wish to see him get in there with the lethal puncher), he and Martin could produce a good fight.
