“Not only do I believe I can compete, I believe I can actually win,” Martinez said after the fight.
That call lands at a time when Canelo’s next move is still open. He has not fought since his loss to Terence Crawford last September, but a return linked to the Mexican Independence Day weekend is already being discussed. No opponent has been confirmed.
At this point, the best and perhaps only chance Lester has of getting a fight against Canelo is if the Mexican star defeats WBC 168-lb champion Christian Mbilli in September. The way Canelo did against Crawford, getting past Mbilli to fight Lester is improbable.
Martinez is one of several names trying to enter that conversation. Chris Eubank Jr. has been mentioned for a potential stadium fight in the UK. Hamzah Sheeraz is another option being floated. A reunion with Dmitry Bivol also remains a possibility, depending on how those talks develop. Martinez’s pressure comes from a different position.
He drew against Christian Mbilli in his previous outing and followed that up with a controlled win over Aleem. His trainer, Brian “BoMac” McIntyre, added to the momentum during fight week by comparing him to Marvin Hagler, raising expectations before the fight even started.
Saturday’s result kept him active in the mix, but it didn’t separate him from the pack chasing bigger fights. That didn’t stop him from aiming for the biggest one. Canelo has yet to name his opponent. Until he does, fighters will continue to put their names forward. Martinez made sure his was one of them.
