Bet on Mbilli vs Martinez Stealing The Show in Las Vegas

Mbilli Is Ready To Rumble For A Title Shot

“I’m very excited to be in Vegas today. I can’t wait to be in the ring. It will be an incredible fight.” And if he wins? “I hope it will be the winner of the final,” said Mbilli, meaning the main event.

Mbilli, who has made a name for himself fighting in Quebec on Eye of the Tiger cards in Canada, relishes the opportunity to fight on the biggest stage. “Millions of people are going to watch this, and that’s why I plan to steal the show, so I steal fans from Canelo and Crawford too, and move to bigger things,” said Mbilli. It will be Mbilli’s first fight in the U.S. in four years.

But Mbilli said at Wednesday’s open media workout that the size of the audience doesn’t matter, even the tens of millions tuning in on Netflix.

“If you have one guy looking or one million, the goal is the same: to win the fight,” notes Mbilli. “I’m going to do all my best to win and make an incredible fight.”

Mbilli describes his opponent, Lester Martinez, as explosive and “a powerful guy with a big offense,” just the right recipe for the pair to steal the show. “He’s a good opponent. He’s very strong. I think my best opponent.”

“Of course, I hope I’m going to beat this guy. After the fight, I’m going to say wow! I hope people are going to ask me for the winner of Canelo vs Crawford,” adding he thinks Mbilli vs Martinez will be the Fight of the Year.

“He’s a guy who can fight, who can box. I think it will be a crazy fight, I think it will be the Fight of the Year, like big war, big show. I hope after this night, after this win, I will have my chance to fight for the world championship,” said Mbilli, although he feels his opportunity is better if Canelo Alvarez wins, believing Crawford will either move back down in weight, or retire.

Buzz Steadily Building for Mbilli

Mbilli scorched former middleweight challenger Maciej Sulecki of Poland (33-4, 13 KOs) inside one round in his last fight in May to win the WBC Interim super middleweight world title at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.

Mbilli promised a spectacular fight, and that Sulecki would get the worst of it. He added that Sulecki would feel more pain from him than he did in his knockout loss to Diego Pacheco. Mbilli delivered and then some. This victory followed a near shutout decision against the durable Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

It’s an ideal time for Mbilli to introduce himself to the fan base in the United States and Mexico. He could become the first Quebec boxer to win a world title fight in Las Vegas. Mbilli has been training in Big Bear, California. He says he doesn’t consider his lack of name recognition outside Canada to be any commentary on his talent.

Top-Rated Talent Lester Martinez Earned His Shot

Martinez, who has been a sparring partner for Terence Crawford, was the first fighter from Guatemala in 68 years to win the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2018. He turned pro a year later.

He won the WBC Latino title with a spectacular second round knockout over Colombian fighter Ruben Angulo at home in Guatemala City.

His next two victories were as impressive. Martinez won by wide decision over former world champion Carlos Gongora, then blew out undefeated prospect Joeshon James in four rounds on a ProBox-promoted card in San Bernardino, California, to add the WBA Continental title. Martinez is currently ranked third by the WBA, seventh by the WBC, and in the top 15 by the WBO.

Nevertheless, he’s looking up the rankings at Mbilli, ranked in the top three by all four sanctioning bodies. While the fight might steal the night (and earn one of those dandy bonuses Dana White likes to hand out), the real prize is becoming the mandatory challenger for the winner of the main event.

After showing the Las Vegas fans what he’s made of at the open workout on Wednesday, Martinez said, “I’m very excited, readier than ever. I’ll tell you what, this is my opportunity. (On) September 13, Lester Martinez of Guatemala is taking over,” he declared.

Asked what might happen back home in Guatemala if he wins on Saturday, Martinez laughed, saying, “I’m going to be the first one celebrating, and the people will be celebrating more than me. It’s going to be great!”

Mbilli vs Martinez Prediction

Both men can punch. This isn’t in dispute. Both can go the distance, although they’ve rarely had to prove it. Mbilli and Martinez will both be looking across the ring at the hardest puncher either has ever faced.

Both also deliver at high volume. According to CompuBox stats, together Mbilli and Martinez average 55.9 landed punches per round out of 149.9 punches thrown. Forty-two of those are power shots. This is more than double the average for the super middleweight division.

The difference will come down to other factors. Neither can afford to make a defensive mistake, or he’ll get nailed with a punch. If their chins hold up, stamina and determination will come into play.

The French Canadian Mbilli has the edge in defensive skills and mobility. Both will help him edge out a fight likely to a brutally beautiful battle.

One variable worth keeping in mind: Martinez has been forced to pull out of several fights due to injury after his win over Gongora. Is he completely healthy, or like most fighters, nursing a few dings?

But in a close fight, Mbilli’s far superior resume of wins against Sulecki, Derevyanchenko, Mark Heffron, Demond Nicholson, veteran Nadjib Mohammedi, and even the durable Vaughn Alexander will see him across the finish line.

Don’t expect a one-punch knockout win. Instead, we see Mbilli doing enough damage punch by punch against Martinez to add up to a late rounds TKO win and the Canelo lottery ticket.