The sumptuous 10-rounder, so typical of ProBox TV’s philosophy to make fan friendly fights, should have occurred in September last year only for Martinez to withdraw with an illness. After another false start in February, it is now set for the Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, California on March 22.

Guatemala’s Martinez, 18-0 (15 KOs), is currently ranked No. 2 by the WBA at 168lbs and No. 10 by the WBC. Trained by Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre, the hard-hitting 29-year-old will likely start as favorite but that will only enliven the ambition within James, 9-0-2 (5 KOs).

“The postponements have done us good,” James said. “They’ll be bad news for Martinez because all we’ve been doing is adding more and more stuff to the gameplan.”

Martinez represents the seventh unbeaten fighter that James has faced in his professional career and, tellingly, the 26-year-old has yet to lose a fight. He last fought last February, outpointing the tricky Vaughn Alexander, whereas Martinez comes into this one off the back of a career-best victory over Carlos Gongora in June.

The co-main event pits Vladimir Hernandez, 16-6 (7 KOs), against Isaias Lucero, 19-2 (13 KOs) in a spicy junior middleweight 10-rounder and there’s action over the same distance for world class featherweight Jessie Magdaleno, 29-3 (18 KOs), who is hoping to get back to winning ways against Luis Coria, 15-7 (7 KOs).

Earlier on the stacked ProBox TV card there’s a world title fight set for 10 two-minute rounds when Tampa, Florida’s Jasmine ‘The Animal’ Artega, 12-0-1 (6 KOs), and Mexico’s Regina Chavez, 8-4-3 (1 KO), contest the vacant WBA super flyweight title.

The action begins at 3.30pm with two eight-rounders featuring burgeoning talent: Lightweight Charlie Sheehy, 10-0 (5 KOs) from Brisbane, California, tackles heavy-handed Mexican Cesar Juarez, 31-17 (24 KOs). That will be followed by local super lightweight prospect, the 10-1-1 (7 KOs) Charles ‘LOLO’ Harris, who is set to duke it out with Angel Reboliar, 8-4 (3 KOs).

And only available to fans at the live event, the “aftercard” will a glimpse of Norfolk, Virginia’s welterweight up-and-comer Kelvin ‘Night Night’ Davis who will be looking to improve his 14-0 (7 KOs) stats against Mexico’s Jose Marruffo. The exciting Anthony ‘2 Quick’ Cuba, 9-1-2 (4 KOs) and of Fontana, California, gets a lightweight test in the shape of Marco Rodriguez of Mexico. And concluding the night will be three four-rounders featuring junior middleweight Anthony Saldivar, 7-0 (3 KOs), featherweight Anthony Lopez Meza, 2-1 (1 KO), and bantamweight Bruno Rios, 1-0.