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Philippines, 27 Sep 2024 |
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Carl Jammes Martin Missing in the Pinoy-Laden Bantamweight Mix PhilBoxing.com Sun, 18 Apr 2021  Carl Jammes Martin (C). Remember in the 60s and 70s the note in the periodic world ratings of the WBA and WBC of: "American or from the USA unless specifically stated" following names of rated boxers signifying the preeminence of American fighters as champion and contenders especially from the featherweights up? The same can also be said in the bantamweights of Mexican or fighters from Mexico who literally made up the champion and most of the rated contenders in the division. Indeed, the start of the golden age of Mexican boxing could be traced to this period, late 60s through much of the 70s with fighters from immediately south of the US border dominating the world championships and the rankings in the bantamweight class. Fighters as Ruben Olivares, Jesus Pimentel, ChuChu Castillo, Rafael Herrera, Alfonso Zamora, Carlos Zarate and Lupe Pintor alternated as world champions while many others from Mexico crowded the world ratings as contenders. It would be lucky if fighters not from Mexico could break the world ratings. At a lower scale, such is also happening now for the Philippines with Johnriel Casimero and Reymart Gaballo reigning as world champions with the WBO and WBC (interim), respectively and Nonito Donaire and Michael Dasmariñas respectively serving as mandatory challengers for the WBC and the unified WBA-IBF world titles. Mike Plania is high in the ratings while also currently rated are Aston Palicte and Vincent Astrolabio. That makes seven Filipino fighters in the bantamweight division! However conspicuously missing in the world ranking and this rare Filipino dominated merry mix in the division is the youthful, very popular and promising Carl Jammes Martin, the Philippine champion and holder of a minor international regional title at 118 lbs. Alas, Martin is reportedly moving up to the super bantamweight class and will be going up this May against the veteran and still dangerous Mark Anthony Geraldo for the GAB national title at 122 lbs. held by Geraldo. Nonetheless, if Martin is successful, like Plania he may still juggle between the two weight classes. Plania is both rated globally at 118 and 122 and he could prepare himself going up or moving down depending on what will give him the bigger breaks for a world title shot in either division. But what set Plania and indeed Casimero, Donaire, Gaballo and even Dasmariñas apart from Martin is their signing up with big promotional outfits which make possible their access to modern, advance training and facilities abroad, especially in the USA. Not to demean our local trainers and facilities, but almost every Filipino boxer, even before Manny Pacquiao, dreams of availing of better training in the US and ultimately breaking into the lucrative American ring. The case of Martin and those handling him now is quite puzzling. Despite feelers and even offers, they seem to be vacillating. Could it be because of suspicion and mistrust? Fear of the unknown? Or are they simply satisfied with how things are going on for Carl Jammes currently in the Philippines? Carl Jammes indeed is still young. And undefeated. But time passes and waits for no one. What if his unbeaten record goes away? Big opportunity comes rarely. In an interview, Carl Jammes said the he would only consider a new promotional deal with local or foreign partner if his eldest sister, JM, remains as his manager and his father, Abel, as his main trainer believing they have been this successful "as a team". Well, that could be always be negotiated and arranged. He could even haggle to continue to be based in his native province, Ifugao in the northern Philippine highlands and come to the US or elsewhere for further training and scheduled fights. Former youngest Filipino world champion and now US based boxing manager and trainer Morris East confided to this writer "how green in envy" he is every time young prospects from neighboring Mexico and Puerto Rico are signed up and introduced to modern training in the US through the various gyms operated by the big US promotional outfits. East is back as trainer-consultant with Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s The Money Team which in partnership with Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions promotion he believes "is the biggest boxing talent producer and champion maker in all of professional boxing". He also remains as Casimero's legal, legitimate manager until the end of their contract next year. East said he is currently working on a young, promising prospect from Puerto Rico who in a year or two is seen to be a force in the bantamweights. Morris said how he wishes to have a Filipino, someone like Carl Jammes Martin to work on again as he did years ago when he helped trainer Nonito Donaire Sr. with the then young Nonito Donaire Jr. who proceeded to become multi division world champion and is now on the verge of a third world bantamweight championship reign. "Siyempre, iba ang feeling and motivation kapag kapwa mo Pinoy ang hinahasa mo ang skills to achieve higher goals in boxing, chief of which is to help transform him to a world class fighter most of all, into a world champion," Morris said. "After the Philippines helped nurture me to become a world champion at a very young age, barely 19 years and one month old, I believe this is my way of giving back to the country--- helping a kababayan to improve further on his craft and possibly become world champion," Morris concluded.  |
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