By: Sean Crose
The undefeated Xavier Martinez put his 16-0 record on the line Saturday night at Carson, California’s Dignity Health Sports Park against the 34-4-2 Juan Carlos Burgos in a scheduled 10 round super featherweight affair. Martinez had previously been in the ring back in October when he defeated Claudio Marrero, courtesy of a UD. Burgos, on the other hand, had last been spotted over a year earlier when he earned an 8 round UD over Juan Ramon Bernal.
Burgos was aggressive in the first. Both men exchanged extremely well in the early part of the second and continued to perform well throughout. Both men continued to trade in the third. Matters remained tight and violent in the fourth. Although the battle remained intense, Martinez may have edged the fifth.
Burgos got Martinez in a corner and did excellent work in the sixth. Martinez was able to buckle Burgos’ legs in the seventh. Martinez was comfortable fighting from the ropes in the eighth. Burgos looked to be slowing down in the ninth. Burgos was brave enough to press the action in the tenth, but Martinez was simply the slightly sharper puncher. Needless to say, the bout ended on a fitting, high octane note, with both men giving it their all.
The judges ruled in favor of Martinez by scores of 99-91 all around.