Kiko Martinez gears up for his 58th professional boxing match this Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. The former two-weight world champion will square-off with Reiya Abe, nine years on from his first trip to the country.
Martinez (44-11-2, 31 KOs) defended his super bantamweight world title against Hozumi Hasegawa in Osaka - 2014. A memory the 37-year-old remembers fondly in an exclusive interview with ProBox TV News.
“I had a marvellous and incredible experience the first time I went to Japan.” Martinez said. “It was amazing to get the win out there against a legendary Japanese fighter. I want to recreate what I did last time in the country. The crowd are very fair and correct in Japan, it’s not like home. I can’t wait to get back, I’m really looking forward to this one. “
Martinez will this time journey to the Japanese capital to face Abe (24-3-1, 10 KOs) on the Kenshiro Teraji vs Anthony Olascuaga undercard.
“I will go to the limit and give it everything.” Martinez declared. “I will become world champion again!”
Martinez comes off a commanding 4th round knockout victory over Jordan Gill to become European champion, but it is another world title at the front of his mind.
“You know after the Josh Warrington fight I was broken mentally.” Remembered Martinez. “But it was great to bounce back against Jordan Gill and do so well. Winning the European title has given me the motivation to push on to win another world title. If you look at my stuff on social-media you can see I work very hard. I have to motivation of my family to keep me going too, I just don’t want them to go without.
“The division is very strong now. [Mauricio] Lara is very good, looks very tough. There are a lot of good fights for me at 126lbs. Lara, Lopez, Conlan and Leigh Wood is up there too. These are all very impressive fighters, but Kiko is up there with them as well. Lara is on top right now, there is Josh Warrington too, so many. I’ll be back in the UK after Japan, I'm sure”
