Julio Cesar Martinez forced to withdraw from fight against McWilliams Arroyo again!
WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez (17-1, 13 KOs) is one of the most exciting fighters in the lower-weight divisions. Unfortunately, he is starting to become one of the more frequently injured/ill boxers in the game. This is a trend you do not want as a fighter.
The hard-hitting 26 year-old withdrew from a February 27 fight defense against mandatory challenger McWilliams Arroyo (20-4, 15 KOs). This set to be his third title defense on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez vs Avni Yildirim.
Martinez is suffering from an injury to his right hand. He took to social media to reveal his hand. In the photo, you can see significant swelling. The champ expressed his disappointment, apologizing to his fans and supporters for pulling out of the fight.
Hard-Luck Fighter
Moreover, this is not the first time Martinez vs Arroyo has been postponed. They were originally to face each other on August 15, 2020, but Martinez pulled out due to a fever and throat infection. Arroyo will now fight late substitute Abraham Rodriguez (27-2, 13 KOs) for the WBC interim flyweight title.
It’s the second world title fight for Rodriguez who hails from Tijuana, Mexico. In 2018, he was knocked out in two rounds by then-WBO junior flyweight champion Angel Acosta. He’s a career minimumweight and junior flyweight. Currently, he is #3 by the WBO at minimumweight and #4 by the IBF at junior lightweight. Promoters were on an all-out assault to salvage this bout in some form or fashion. Rodriguez has not fought at flyweight since 2017 and is unranked in the division.
It’s anticipated the Arroyo-Rodriquez winner will ultimately fight Martinez later this year.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
