JAKARTA - Argentine boxer Fernando Martinez defended the junior bantam class of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) in California on Saturday local time, defeating former champion Jerwin Ancajas from the Philippines unanimous decision.
Martinez defended the crown he fought against from Ancajas in February with a jury score of 119-109, 118-110 and 118-110 in the championship rematch in control of California.
"This is the validation of the first fight," Martinez said through an interpreter as reported by Antara from AFP, Sunday.
"Obviously the training was very hard. I prepared very well."
Martinez's record (win-loss) increased to 15-0 while Filipino left-handed Ancajas slumped to 33-3 with two series and 22 KOs.
"I'm ready for anyone. My record shows I'm a champion," Martinez said.
The South American fighter realized that defending the world's crown for the first time was more difficult than winning it for the first time.
"It's definitely harder to defend that hunger and defend the title," he said.
They joined in to throw more than 1,400 punches in the 12 round match.
Martinez won the IBF crown in the 115-pound division of Ancajas in February with an absolute victory in Las Vegas, breaking a record 21 of the Filipino fighter's one-decade unbeaten matches.
Ancajas, who managed to defend nine titles he won in 2016, filed a rematch clause for the chance to reclaim the crown.
Ancajas, a year younger than the champion at the age of 30, suppressed attacks in the fourth and fifth rounds while Martinez dominated the sixth round with a confusing combination.
A header experienced by Ancajas had stopped the fight in the seventh round but the two boxers quickly swung back when the round ended.
Martinez clashed his legs with Ancajas' feet at the end of the 11th round and fell onto the canvas but was quickly parried as not a knockdown, something the two boxers had not experienced in their pro careers.
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