Chattanooga native Ryan Martin is all smiles as he thinks of showcasing his 14-0 professional boxing record in a Saturday bout in Birmingham, Ala.Ryan "Blue Chip" Martin's progression as a professional boxer takes a big step Saturday in the Los Angeles satellite city of Inglewood, Calif.
But it requires a last-moment side-step.
The 23-year-old Chattanooga native still will be fighting an eight-round championship bout at the famed Forum, where in April he earned his ninth knockout as an undefeated pro lightweight, but there has been a change in opponent this week.
Martin was supposed to put his 15-0 record on the line for the World Boxing Council Continental Americas title against veteran Fermin De Los Santos, but the Mexico City resident was not allowed into the United States for the fight.
De Los Santos was denied admission Tuesday evening, and by Thursday the promoters had lined up 2012 Olympian Cesar Villarraga from Colombia to fight Martin on the card headed by Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez against 35-0 Carlos "Principe" Cuadras for the WBC super flyweight world championship.
Villarraga, 31, is 9-1 as a pro, and his only loss was in a fight he controlled until being knocked down by an overhand right, according to Martin's manager, Tim VanNewhouse. Villarraga broke an ankle and was unable to continue.
Martin's fight was not scheduled for U.S. broadcast but will be on the international broadcast from the Forum.
"Fortunately, Ryan has a great team. We've worked tirelessly around the clock to make sure he had a formidable opponent so that he was able to box," VanNewhouse said Thursday, "and more importantly still compete for the vacant lightweight WBC Continental Americas title."
VanNewhouse said Martin was approved for Americas title contention by a WBC panel.
"This is a steppingstone championship to the world championship sometime in the future," the manager said. "If Ryan is successful he will earn a world ranking by the WBC somewhere in the top 20 of his division."
Martin, for his part, is taking a whatever-comes, bring-it-on approach to the change in opponent.
"My coach and I are prepared to make any adjustments necessary," he said. "I'm a complete fighter who can fight from all ranges - short, medium and long range."
The Central High School graduate's last win was on July 16 in Birmingham, and the De Los Santos fight was not announced until Aug. 31, so it's not as if Martin has been training for months for Saturday's matchup.
One of his former YCAP Boxing coaches in Chattanooga, Joe Smith, saw Martin fight as a pro for the first time in Birmingham and is flying to Los Angeles to see the title fight.
"Ryan's a good kid," Smith said, "and his situation is much better now (with K2 Promotions instead of 50 Cent's company). He's going to be tested a little bit Saturday, but I'll be there to pull for him. He's moving right up. He may be a world champion someday."
Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.