Chattanooga native Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin will box for the second time this year at the famous Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Sept. 10. But this one will be for a championship, the vacant World Boxing Council Continental Americas title.
Martin’s April 23 win at the Forum was on a card headed by middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, and Martin subsequently went to 15-0 on July 16 in Birmingham, in a program topped by WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
The return to the Forum will be an eight-round lightweight bout for the 23-year-old Central High School graduate in the undercard of the WBC super flyweight world title fight between Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (45-0, 38 KOs) and Carlos “Principe” Cuadras (35-0, 27 KOs).
Martin’s opponent will be 32-year-old Fermin “El Seda” De Los Santos (28-15-2, 18 KOs). Their fight will not be on the night’s main telecast, but it will be on the international broadcast.
“This is a dangerous fighter,” Martin’s manager, Tim Van Newhouse, said Wednesday night. “Look at the KOs. And those 15 losses were against legitimate guys.”
In the announcement release, Van Newhouse said, “Ryan has all the tools to become a world champion. The WBC Continental Americas title is another step toward that process. September 10th will bring more proof why Ryan is considered by many as one of America’s fastest rising prospects.”
Said Martin: “I feel blessed to be back at the Fabulous Forum. This is another unique opportunity to perform in front of HBO Sports and be featured on the international telecast.”