The boxing career of Chattanooga native Ryan "Blue Chip" Martin continues to rise.
The 17-0 professional lightweight based in Cleveland, Ohio, will be fighting at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 18. He will be facing Bryant "Pee Wee" Cruz (17-1) of Port Chester, N.Y., in the first bout of a 9 p.m. HBO pay-per-view card headlined by a world middleweight fight between Gennady Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs.
Martin, a 2011 Central High School graduate recently listed among the Top 20 Rising Stars by ESPN's Dan Rafael, will be defending his World Boxing Council Continental Americas lightweight championship in a 10-round fight against Cruz, 27. Cruz likely will be a hometown favorite, having fought 14 times as a pro in the New York area.
"Fighting at the Garden is a huge opportunity for my team and me," Martin said in a Rafael story this week, "especially being on the undercard of the biggest fight of the year, (telecast) by the leader of sports, HBO Boxing."
Said Cruz: "I'm hungry and excited to get back in the ring, especially on such a big card. Fighting an undefeated prospect shows that I'm willing to face anyone to get to the top and will take any opportunity that comes my way. I am bringing my 'A' game on March 18 and WILL get the win."
Cruz's most recent fight was a unanimous victory last April 20 against Moises Delgadillo. His last fight before that was his lone loss, a seventh-round knockout by Dardan Zenunaj in December 2012.
"Still, he represents a step up in competition for Martin," Rafael wrote.
"We're thrilled to add this compelling fourth fight to the outstanding March 18 event," K2 Promotions managing director Tom Loeffler said. "Ryan Martin and Bryant Cruz are two exciting young lightweights, and it's the perfect action-packed fight to kick off the telecast and the main card at the Mecca of boxing, Madison Square Garden."
Martin has fought on a Golovkin undercard before, but in the group of fights before the televised ones. Golovkin (36-0, 31 knockouts) is the unified middleweight world champion, while Jacobs (32-1, 29 KOs) is the World Boxing Association's champion.
Martin turned pro after an outstanding amateur career for Chattanooga's YCAP boxing program headed by Joe Smith and Andy Smith.