The World Boxing Council has approved a rematch between Christian Mbilli and Lester Martínez following a draw in their previous fight.
According to WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán, the request was submitted to the WBC Board of Governors by Martínez’s team, and the matchup was unanimously approved and promoters ordered to begin negotiations.
The Cameroonian-French interim WBC super-middleweight champion Mbilli retained his title after a draw against the Guatemalan at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 13.
The thrilling, hard-fought bout was part of the undercard for the Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez vs. Terence “Bud” Crawford fight.
Mbilli entered the ring as a heavy favourite to keep his interim title, but Martínez displayed his strong Olympic experience and excellent preparation from his time as a sparring partner in Crawford’s camp, delivering a performance deserving of applause.
Martínez did not shy away from Mbilli’s pressure; he went toe-to-toe, demonstrated remarkable courage, and engaged in fierce exchanges that excited the fans filling the Allegiant.
After 10 grueling and exhilarating rounds, judge Chris Migliore scored the bout 96-94 in favour of Mbilli, while Patricia Morse Jarman scored it 97-93 for Martínez. Glenn Feldman’s score of 95-95 resulted in a draw, which may have been the most accurate scorecard of the night.
