Unbeaten WBC interim champion makes his first title defense against undefeated Croatian contender Luka Plantic in the Los Angeles area
WBC interim super middleweight champion Lester Martinez will defend his title for the first time against unbeaten Luka Plantic on August 29 in the Los Angeles area. The matchup pits two undefeated contenders against each other with both looking to strengthen their place in the super middleweight title race.
The bout was announced Thursday by ProBox TV, with boxing reporter Francisco Salazar reporting that an official press conference will be held Monday in Carson to formally unveil the event.
Martinez (20-0-1, 16 KOs) captured the interim WBC title in March with a unanimous decision victory over Immanuwel Aleem, becoming the first fighter from Guatemala to win a world championship recognized by one of boxing’s four major sanctioning bodies.
Plantic (13-0, 10 KOs) enters the fight undefeated after building his professional record in Europe. The 29-year-old Croatian enjoyed a successful amateur career before turning professional and now receives his biggest opportunity against the unbeaten Martinez.
The winner will strengthen his position in the WBC’s super middleweight rankings as the division continues to be led by undisputed champion Christian Mbilli, who is scheduled to defend his titles against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on September 12 in Riyadh.
Additional details regarding the August 29 card, including the venue and broadcast information, are expected to be announced during Monday’s press conference in Carson.
Martinez has already defeated experienced contenders Carlos Gongora, Joeshon James and Immanuwel Aleem during his rise through the super middleweight rankings, while Plantic will be facing the highest-rated opponent of his professional career in his first fight outside Europe. #3 WBC Plantic now gets a major jump in class against Martinez.