Frank Martin will be at the top of the prelim card, fighting former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy on the Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman PPV event on October 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
Martin\u2019s Comeback Trail<\/p>\n
Martin (18-1, 12 KOs) didn\u2019t make it onto the main card on PBC on Prime Video PPV. Perhaps a big reason for that is he\u2019s coming off an eighth-round knockout loss to WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis on June 15, 2024, and he\u2019d chosen to sit outside of the ring for 16 months.<\/p>\n
\u2018The Ghost\u2019 Martin reportedly earned $1.5 million for the Tank Davis fight. With that nice payday, it\u2019s understandable why he\u2019s not been in a hurry to return to the ring.<\/p>\n
Barthelemy\u2019s Veteran Edge<\/p>\n
Martin, 30, is moving up in weight to take on the 39-year-old Barthelemy (30-3-1, 15 KOs). On paper, Martin should have a good chance of winning based on his youth. However, he has never won a world title before, and he lacks the same experience that the Cuban Rances has.<\/p>\n
The lack of activity for Martin in the last two years could be a problem for him. Before fighting Gervonta last year in June, Frank hadn\u2019t fought in 11 months since his 12-round unanimous decision win over Artem Harutyunyan on July 15, 2023.<\/p>\n
Martin had a tough time in that fight and needed to rally in the championship rounds to edge a decision by the scores 115-112, 115-112, and 114-113. That fight showed Martin\u2019s level, or lack thereof. He\u2019s a decent fighter, but not an elite-level one. For that reason, you have to give Barthelemy a good chance of winning. He\u2019s got the pedigree from his two-division world titles and being on Cuba\u2019s national team as an amateur.<\/p>\n
Rances Promises a Reminder<\/p>\n
\u201cOctober 25 is the night I remind everyone who Rances Barthelemy is,\u201d said Rances Barthelemy. \u201cFrank Martin is a talented fighter, but I\u2019ve been in deep waters before, and experience counts when the lights are brightest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barthelemy has lost two out of his last three fights to Gary Antuanne Russell and Jose Ramirez. Those are fighters that Martin would very likely lose to as well if he\u2019d fought them at 140.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited to be back after people tried to bash me for taking one loss,\u201d said Martin. \u201cI took it as a lesson learned and I\u2019m back mentally and physically at the top of my game. Rances is gonna have to deal with everything I went through, and he\u2019s gonna feel it on every punch. I\u2019m back and I\u2019m pissed off and dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dan Ambrose has been a leading voice at Boxing News 24 for years, known for his no-nonsense takes on the sport. Love him or hate him, Dan has built a strong following thanks to his outspoken analysis, direct opinions, and in-depth coverage of the global boxing scene.<\/p>\n
His articles often spark debate among fans, as he isn\u2019t afraid to challenge popular narratives or question fighters\u2019 performances. Alongside his opinion pieces, Dan provides fight news, previews, and post-fight breakdowns that give readers both detail and perspective.<\/p>\n