Kiko Martinez upsets Kid Galahad to win the IBF featherweight title!
Fighting in front of his hometown of Sheffield, England, “Kid” Galahad (28-2, 17KOs) was looking to make a statement as he made the first defense of the IBF world featherweight title against former IBF junior featherweight titlist Kiko Martinez (43-10-2, 30KOs) at the Sheffield Arena.
Galahad took the long path to become champ. It included an 18-month suspension after testing positive for the steroid stanozolol following his fight against Adeilson Dos Santos in September 2014. There was also the bitter disappointment of his first world title try in June 2019. There, he would come up short against then-IBF world 126 pound champ Josh Warrington. But, the 31-year-old was undaunted and made the most of his opportunity in his second world title attempt. In his last fight, he dominated James “Jazza” Dickens en route to an eleventh round TKO in August of 2021. The win would settle his life-long dream of winning a world title.
He took on a Martinez that many believed was on his last legs. Given his numerous fights in the UK over the past decade, the Sheffield crowd was uniquely familiar with Martinez. The Spanish fighter brought a boatload of experience but lost four of his previous seven matches heading into this contest.
CHIN-CHECK
The opening round was all the champion. Galahad boxed beautifully, switching from orthodox to southpaw and hurting Martinez with a right-hand. After being thoroughly dominated from moment the bell rang, Martinez would erase all of that with one big right-hand in round six! The beginning of the end for Galahad would start in round five as Martinez would catch the champion with a right-hand retreating back with his hands down and chin exposed. Clearly shaken up, the champion would rise to his feet. Not even ten seconds into round six, Martinez came forward stalking his severely hurt prey. He would launch his right-hand that would immediately drop his adversary cold! Just like that, the upset was complete!
At 35 years old and not given much of a chance to win, Martinez did the unthinkable and now can proudly boast himself as a two-division world champion.
By: Jerrell Fletcher
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