Lester Martinez vs Luka Plantic

This could very easily become a banana-skin fight for Lester Martinez. He’s got the WBC interim super-middleweight belt, he’s unbeaten, and people are already talking about bigger names down the road. That’s exactly when boxing likes to kick you in the backside. Luka Plantic is not coming over to clap politely and collect his envelope. He’s unbeaten, strong, and carries enough power to make this lively if Martinez gets lazy.

Martinez is the more seasoned pro at this level. He’s 20-0-1 with 16 knockouts, and I like the way he applies pressure without looking desperate. He’s not just a brawler. He can close the distance behind a solid jab, work the body, and he’s got that heavy-handed rhythm where every shot seems to take a little bit out of you. His draw with Christian Mbilli told me plenty. You don’t stand in with a bull like Mbilli unless you’ve got engine, chin and minerals.

Plantic is 13-0 with 10 knockouts, and he’s dangerous because he’ll believe this is his big night. He’s got that Eastern European straight-line strength, decent amateur schooling, and he can punch if you’re there to be hit. But that’s the problem. At world level, you need more than strength and a tidy one-two. You need gears, you need calm under fire, and you need to fight when the other man takes your best space away.

Martinez must not admire his own work. He needs to jab the chest, step around Plantic’s front foot, and keep digging downstairs. Plantic’s chance is early, with straight shots before Martinez gets warm. If he lets Lester walk him back, he’ll start shipping leather.

I think Plantic has a couple of sharp rounds, but Martinez is too proven, too strong and too steady. Martinez by stoppage in the late rounds.