Fernando Martinez hopes to revive the spirits of past champions in Japan vs Kazuto Ioka

A quick review of the historic rivalry between the Argentine and Japanese fighters can be very revealing for those who have not followed it over the years.

Japan's first world champion Yoshio Shirai lost his belt to Argentina's first champion, Pascual Perez, in 1955. More than a decade later, Horacio Accavallo challenged Katsuyoshi Takayama for the vacant flyweight belt that Perez had won. and brought it back to Argentina after a great performance. And on Dec. 12, 1968, defensive wizard Nicolino Locche climbed the ropes at Kokugikan in Tokyo to face Paul Takeshi Fujii and ended up producing one of Argentine boxing's most enduring masterpieces, overwhelming the Hawaii-born slugger to surrender in ten. memorable rounds.

Fernando Martinez has heard those stories all his life, and he wants a piece of that action.

“I thought a lot about this,” said Martinez, who has won the IBF junior bantamweight belt, during a tense press conference, a few days before heading to Japan to face Kazuto Ioka in the same Kokugikan where Locche wrote his name in history. “We have come a long way since all those champions like Accavallo, Locche were able to win in Japan. I would like to be next.”

The dream is completely rooted in reality. After all, between Luis Firpo's failed challenge to Jack Dempsey in 1923 and Perez's victory in Japan more than 30 years later, a number of Argentine fighters tried and failed to defend the title anywhere in the world. The chances of getting a fair chance and a good result in Japan have always been there, and Martinez intends to take advantage of that playing field.

“I want to make history,” said Martinez, who is ranked No. 3 by The Ring in the junior bantamweight division. “I believe that Argentina deserves to be a united champion, and we are more focused and ready than ever. I have the right age and the right experience. The last three fights I had gave me a lot of experience. I am relieved because we had a great job with my team. I am preparing for the fight and I feel good about it.”

The last three fights Martinez (16-0, 9 knockouts) talked about took place in a hostile environment, and he never failed to leave a good impression. He took the title on points from an upset of Jerwin Ancajas in February 2022 in the US, and followed up with a major decision eight months later. In his second title defense, Martinez stopped then-undefeated Jade Bornea in 11 rounds in Minneapolis, setting up his clash with Ioka (31-2-1, 16 KOs).

Fernando Martinez (left), Rodrigo Calabrese (center) and 'Pileta' Maidana (far right) at a press conference in Buenos Aires – Photo by Francisco Morilla

Coach Rodrigo Calabrese believes the competition started even earlier.

“The fight in South Africa is the most important because it was a turning point,” said Calabrese talking about the fight between Martinez and Athenkosi Dumezweni in 2019. confidence to move forward.”

Calabrese, who has been with Martinez since the death of the fighter's father and trainer a decade ago, has seen his fighter's growth but also carefully nurtured him, picking the right fights at the right time with Martinez's management team at Chino Maidana Promotions, an outfit led by former junior welterweight Marcos Maidana and and the inseparable winger and his cousin nicknamed Pileta. Their combined boxing skills played a major role in Martinez's gradual rise into the arena of the tournament.

“It is difficult to achieve things in Argentina at this level,” said Calabrese. “Every time we have a big war like this, they tell us that we can't do it, but here we are facing a war of unification in Japan. We've been waiting for two months because (Juan Francisco) Estrada was supposed to fight Ioka, but we're finally here. We have been aiming for Ioka for a long time, and we know that this is a big fight in Japan. But whether it's for him or someone else, it will always be difficult.”

Martinez addressed some of those struggles by heading to the US to get some quality in before his clash with Ioka, who is ranked No. 2 is The Ring at 115 pounds, spending about a month in Nevada before heading to Japan.

A loud drum and brass band representing the soccer team Boca Juniors follows Martinez in his public appearance – Photo by Francisco Morilla

But Calabrese's main job is probably more complicated, and he fills the shoes of Martinez's father.

“I always said this: I am only following in his father's footsteps. What I can say about Fernando is that once he is fully trained, it will be very difficult to beat him,” said Calabrese.

Martinez himself feels no such emptiness. In fact, she says she has a direct line of communication with the family patriarch that she shares with her 11-year-old siblings who grew up in extreme poverty in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires.

“I dream about my battles. I dream I'm up there celebrating and jumping up and down. And although I haven't had a father for the past nine years, before my fight​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​a he said during a press conference.

La Boca, of course, is home to the Boca Juniors soccer team, which has the most passionate fan base anywhere in the world. They called themselves “La Doce” (The Twelve), claiming to be extra players in the 11-man roster and leading them to victory with their deafening cheers that rained down the pitches at every game.

That's mojo that Martinez wants a piece of, too.

“As I always say, I'm exactly like Boca, wherever I go in the world, the pressure is on another fighter to beat me,” said Martinez, singing in the chorus and accepting applause and laughter.

Boca Juniors also had their greatest triumph in Japan, where within a few years a match was played between the teams that had won the European and South American championships in what became an unofficial final to be crowned the best team in the world.

Based on that tradition, Martinez feels he must give proper warning to Ioka and his people.

“They are the ones who should be worried, because I am hungry. Since I was a child, we were 12 brothers and sisters, always struggling, although my father fed us all the time. But we have never had luxury. Our parents taught us values, and now that I am at my best, I have these battles that have given me more experience. I had traveled all over the world as a novice, but now I am at an advanced level.

“I was received very well in Japan, people respect me but what I can say is that they love blood and love a good fight. And that's what I'm going to give them. They will have to kill me to take this fight from me. It is better to be afraid, because my hunger is for eternal glory. I want to be immortal, like Pascualito and Nicolino and Accavallo, and that is my goal. I have come for glory.”

Diego M. Morilla has written for The Ring since 2013. He has written for HBO.com, ESPN.com and many other magazines, websites, newspapers and outlets since 1993. He is a full member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and a voter for the International Boxing Hall of Fame. She has won two first place awards in the BWAA's annual writing contest, and is the moderator of The Ring's Women's Ratings Panel. He worked as a copy editor for the second season of The Ring en Español (2018-2020) and is currently a writer and editor for RingTV.com.

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