Martinez (20-0-1, 16 KOs) earned plenty of respect by fighting Christian Mbilli to a draw last September on Turki Alalshikh’s Las Vegas card. He carried that momentum into March, when he outpointed Immanuwel Aleem over 12 rounds to capture the interim WBC super middleweight title, keeping himself in the mix at the top of the division.
“I hope that after my defense, that’s the fight that comes next,” Martinez said of facing either Mbilli in a rematch or Canelo.
It’s an understandable goal, but one that could prove difficult to turn into reality.
If Canelo defeats Mbilli, Martinez would struggle to make a compelling business case for a fight. Beating Plantic, an unbeaten but relatively unknown contender, is unlikely to elevate Martinez’s profile enough to change that equation. There are bigger names, bigger markets and bigger paydays available to boxing’s biggest star.
If Mbilli upsets Canelo, Martinez’s outlook doesn’t necessarily improve. A rematch with Canelo would immediately become one of the most attractive options if the fight is competitive, while other champions and established contenders would also be pushing for their opportunity.
Jaime Munguia, Osleys Iglesias and Hamzah Sheeraz all hold world titles at super middleweight, giving each of them a strong case for major fights. Edgar Berlanga remains a commercially attractive opponent despite recent setbacks. All four are likely to be part of the conversation before Martinez. That doesn’t diminish what Martinez has accomplished.
The draw with Mbilli showed he belongs at world level. His interim WBC belt gives him credibility, and another victory over Plantic would keep him unbeaten while strengthening his standing with the sanctioning body.
What it doesn’t guarantee is a shot at the division’s biggest names.
Martinez finds himself in one of boxing’s most difficult positions: respected by insiders but lacking the commercial leverage that often determines who gets the biggest opportunities. Until that changes, he’ll likely remain on the outside looking in, even as his résumé continues to improve.
His best chance may ultimately be unfinished business with Mbilli. Their draw left questions unanswered, making a rematch easier to justify than a first meeting with Canelo. Whether that opportunity ever materializes, however, will depend as much on the business of boxing as anything Martinez does inside the ring against Plantic.
