Joshua vs Martin; A heavyweight clash may happen

[Davidreed]

IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin & his camp had some news that they might fix and accept the match against Joshua. Well if it's really happen then we may see a thrilling match for IBF championship. Whats your views
Here the news http://combatsportsnews.tumblr.com/post ... ht-charles

[ThereByTheGrace]

It seems all very vague at the moment. Just hurry up and get a fight made so we can all slag off Hearn!

[Stuarty]

I think Martin realises he's a total turnip and he's trying to get as much money possible (quite rightly) for what will probably be his first and last defence. I wouldn't be surprised to see this happening tbh. Dragging it out though! AJ will never get an easier opportunity.

[Nightmare Roy]

OK AJ wins this but then, he'll be under pressure to really step it up. I can hear Fury now, "he's a fraud they stole that belt from me, he's not a champ until he beats the Gypsy Warrior" he would have a fair point too.

[Stuarty]

OK AJ wins this but then, he'll be under pressure to really step it up. I can hear Fury now, "he's a fraud they stole that belt from me, he's not a champ until he beats the Gypsy Warrior" he would have a fair point too.

True. He could always take a few soft IBF defences and continue learning before he feels he's ready for a big test?

[Nightmare Roy]

OK AJ wins this but then, he'll be under pressure to really step it up. I can hear Fury now, "he's a fraud they stole that belt from me, he's not a champ until he beats the Gypsy Warrior" he would have a fair point too.

True. He could always take a few soft IBF defences and continue learning before he feels he's ready for a big test?

He could and the Hype Fury would create would make the fight enormous!

[Rob3_142]

OK AJ wins this but then, he'll be under pressure to really step it up. I can hear Fury now, "he's a fraud they stole that belt from me, he's not a champ until he beats the Gypsy Warrior" he would have a fair point too.

True. He could always take a few soft IBF defences and continue learning before he feels he's ready for a big test?

Maybe. But he'll be a marked man. How many 'soft defences' is Martin guna get? None it seems. Everyone who's not a world champion will be looking at Joshua (providing he beat Martin) as the easy option to a world title. I personally think Joshua needs 3 world level fights without the responsibility of defending against mandatories before he tackles a world champion. Then, and only then will we know for sure he's everything we hope he is, and can tackle anyone.

[Batley18]

OK AJ wins this but then, he'll be under pressure to really step it up. I can hear Fury now, "he's a fraud they stole that belt from me, he's not a champ until he beats the Gypsy Warrior" he would have a fair point too.

True. He could always take a few soft IBF defences and continue learning before he feels he's ready for a big test?

He could and the Hype Fury would create would make the fight enormous!

IBF........soft defences..........never.

[Nightmare Roy]

True. He could always take a few soft IBF defences and continue learning before he feels he's ready for a big test?

He could and the Hype Fury would create would make the fight enormous!

IBF........soft defences..........never.

[Stuarty]

OK AJ wins this but then, he'll be under pressure to really step it up. I can hear Fury now, "he's a fraud they stole that belt from me, he's not a champ until he beats the Gypsy Warrior" he would have a fair point too.

True. He could always take a few soft IBF defences and continue learning before he feels he's ready for a big test?

Maybe. But he'll be a marked man. How many 'soft defences' is Martin guna get? None it seems. Everyone who's not a world champion will be looking at Joshua (providing he beat Martin) as the easy option to a world title. I personally think Joshua needs 3 world level fights without the responsibility of defending against mandatories before he tackles a world champion. Then, and only then will we know for sure he's everything we hope he is, and can tackle anyone.

Martin is apparently offering AJ the fight. He's obviously trying to get the best deal for himself while he's champ and there's nothing wrong with that because I can't see him being champ for long whoever he fights. You make a good point regarding AJ but he could get they tests while he's still the belt holder. IBF rankings aren't anything special. Suppose it could make or break him but he seems a pretty level headed guy so hopefully he'd deal with the pressure of holding the belt.

[Stuarty]

Hearn has helped create this situation because it seems AJ is going to be on BOffice from now on and people will want to see him in with live opponents. It's all good saying he needs to take his time (and I agree to an extent) but putting him on PPV creates pressure also.

[Rob3_142]

True. He could always take a few soft IBF defences and continue learning before he feels he's ready for a big test?

Maybe. But he'll be a marked man. How many 'soft defences' is Martin guna get? None it seems. Everyone who's not a world champion will be looking at Joshua (providing he beat Martin) as the easy option to a world title. I personally think Joshua needs 3 world level fights without the responsibility of defending against mandatories before he tackles a world champion. Then, and only then will we know for sure he's everything we hope he is, and can tackle anyone.

Martin is apparently offering AJ the fight. He's obviously trying to get the best deal for himself while he's champ and there's nothing wrong with that because I can't see him being champ for long whoever he fights. You make a good point regarding AJ but he could get they tests while he's still the belt holder. IBF rankings aren't anything special. Suppose it could make or break him but he seems a pretty level headed guy so hopefully he'd deal with the pressure of holding the belt.

It doesn't sound like Martin or his promoters are particularly wise. Yeah okay fine, there's a payday at the end of it, and carrying a belt he can probably demand a decent % of the purse, but then what? He'd probably lose to Joshua, and have to work his way back up, but for what? One decent-ish payday? If I was him, I'd try get a few more top 20 fights under my belt, maybe get a bit more experience, and 1-2 more pay days out of being world champ.

At the end of the day, false world champion, and won't be there for long.

[Rob3_142]

Hearn has helped create this situation because it seems AJ is going to be on BOffice from now on and people will want to see him in with live opponents. It's all good saying he needs to take his time (and I agree to an extent) but putting him on PPV creates pressure also.

They managed a 440k PPV sales with AJ headlining against a barely top 50 fighter. I don't see many people complaining that it wasn't a good night of boxing either. It seems to me that they're not struggling to sell Joshua PPV to the general public and will continue to do so. I personally was much more upset about paying PPV for Mayweather and Pacman.

[Larrylefthook]

Maybe. But he'll be a marked man. How many 'soft defences' is Martin guna get? None it seems. Everyone who's not a world champion will be looking at Joshua (providing he beat Martin) as the easy option to a world title. I personally think Joshua needs 3 world level fights without the responsibility of defending against mandatories before he tackles a world champion. Then, and only then will we know for sure he's everything we hope he is, and can tackle anyone.

Martin is apparently offering AJ the fight. He's obviously trying to get the best deal for himself while he's champ and there's nothing wrong with that because I can't see him being champ for long whoever he fights. You make a good point regarding AJ but he could get they tests while he's still the belt holder. IBF rankings aren't anything special. Suppose it could make or break him but he seems a pretty level headed guy so hopefully he'd deal with the pressure of holding the belt.

It doesn't sound like Martin or his promoters are particularly wise. Yeah okay fine, there's a payday at the end of it, and carrying a belt he can probably demand a decent % of the purse, but then what? He'd probably lose to Joshua, and have to work his way back up, but for what? One decent-ish payday? If I was him, I'd try get a few more top 20 fights under my belt, maybe get a bit more experience, and 1-2 more pay days out of being world champ.

At the end of the day, false world champion, and won't be there for long.

I bet Martin is insisting on a rematch clause so 2 big paydays would be great for him, then rebuild his career and get a fight with Wilder.

[Nightmare Roy]

I don't know the maths but Wilder has been getting $1.5m ish per fight apparently, if Martin came to the UK it would sell out the 02 and probably do 400-500 ppv's if he was getting 50% of that, we are talking millions, I'd cash in if I was him, who knows maybe he could win it too.

[Stuarty]

Hearn has helped create this situation because it seems AJ is going to be on BOffice from now on and people will want to see him in with live opponents. It's all good saying he needs to take his time (and I agree to an extent) but putting him on PPV creates pressure also.

They managed a 440k PPV sales with AJ headlining against a barely top 50 fighter. I don't see many people complaining that it wasn't a good night of boxing either. It seems to me that they're not struggling to sell Joshua PPV to the general public and will continue to do so. I personally was much more upset about paying PPV for Mayweather and Pacman.

Same but most of us were always going to pay the money for that lol. The public are a gullible bunch when it comes to boxing (not slagging anyone i get sucked in a lot of the time) but sooner rather than later he's going to have to fight a decent name (I liked the Whyte fight). If he gets Martin and his title the PPVs are more justifiable, for a little while longer anyway.

[Stuarty]

I don't know the maths but Wilder has been getting $1.5m ish per fight apparently, if Martin came to the UK it would sell out the 02 and probably do 400-500 ppv's if he was getting 50% of that, we are talking millions, I'd cash in if I was him, who knows maybe he could win it too.

I agree. I have only seen him a couple of times so maybe I'm being harsh but he should strike while the irons hot and take the biggest deal for him while he has the title. I don't think he'll have it long. I think AJ slaughters him but if he can get a good deal coming over here then why not? I don't think it's a bad move for either fighter but it's the heavyweights so it could obviously all go pear shaped in one punch but that could happen against anyone halfway decent.

[GlobalBox]

Be interesting to see how Joshua reacts if Eddie can't make this now with all the fuss/press speculation about it. With a couple of Matchroom boys in bed with Haymon already I wonder if that will make things easier or harder.

You would imagine to get Martin that Hearn could perhaps promise certain things re other fighters that Haymon has got, re interacting with the Matchroom stable, it's happened already so it's not a big deal from that point of view.

Martin cannot earn anywhere near the money defending in the states against the likes of Szpilka or Jennings that he can earn over here, I don't even think if he fought Wilder he would get more than $1.5 million. If he brings his title over here there must be every chance of him doubling that at least.

Let him take a cut of the revenue in the states as well and it's easy enough to make, it really will boil down to whether Martin wants it or not I think.

[Rob3_142]

I don't know if anyone saw the interview with David Haye about Charles Martin, but before that IBF bout, he didn't even know who he was. I'll be honest, I didn't either. I don't know if that reflects David Haye's depth of knowledge in his own division or if Martin winning a world title is that absurd of a scenario. It's like the Rocky story. But what's more, it's quite probable the majority of the American public still don't know who Charles Martin is, and it probably wouldn't sell that well.

It'd be a bad month for Eddie if he ends up throwing AJ in with a B class fighter, especially after the Brook/Kahn debacle.

[Boxerbeetle]

I don't know if anyone saw the interview with David Haye about Charles Martin, but before that IBF bout, he didn't even know who he was. I'll be honest, I didn't either. I don't know if that reflects David Haye's depth of knowledge in his own division or if Martin winning a world title is that absurd of a scenario. It's like the Rocky story. But what's more, it's quite probable the majority of the American public still don't know who Charles Martin is, and it probably wouldn't sell that well.

It'd be a bad month for Eddie if he ends up throwing AJ in with a B class fighter, especially after the Brook/Kahn debacle.

Haye doesn't seem to follow boxing very much - he hadn't heard of De Mori either until he signed to fight him.

[Bard of Boxrec]

This Martin guy...shaking my head at how a nondescript paper titlist can work his way into the picture like this, but whatever, kudos if he actually wants this fight. Joshua rolls right through him. AJ will take care of all these chumps and the new heavyweight era will be defined alongside the other real fighters in the division like Haye, Parker, and maybe Wilder and Fury. Can't wait!

[Datsue]

I don't know if anyone saw the interview with David Haye about Charles Martin, but before that IBF bout, he didn't even know who he was. I'll be honest, I didn't either. I don't know if that reflects David Haye's depth of knowledge in his own division or if Martin winning a world title is that absurd of a scenario. It's like the Rocky story. But what's more, it's quite probable the majority of the American public still don't know who Charles Martin is, and it probably wouldn't sell that well.

It'd be a bad month for Eddie if he ends up throwing AJ in with a B class fighter, especially after the Brook/Kahn debacle.

Haye doesn't seem to follow boxing very much - he hadn't heard of De Mori either until he signed to fight him.

Impossible to tell with Dave if he's being a disrespectful prick or genuinely does not follow the game--I remember his response to Manuel Charr after the Chisora bout ("Who's he again? Is he? Really? Oh.").

Though I laughed at that one, to be fair.

[lillywhite14]

It makes absolute sense for Martin imo. He'd be looking at a payday that would equate to about 5 or 6 defences for him back home, something that's very unlikely to happen. Also, there currently isn't a better time to fight Joshua, why do you think Haye is so keen? Joshua won't get any worse than he is now, not for a while anyway. I still believe he is a defeat away from being close to fulfilling his potential, and with his current set up, losing to lesser fighters is a possibility.

If Joshua gets the fight and wins, then he won't have to fight a mandatory for about ten months. Even then I'd suspect it would be Glazkov considering how he's shot at the title went and how keen the IBF were to get him involved. In the meantime, how about 2/3 defences against the likes of Takam, Pulev and co? These names are being bandied about as potential fights for AJ anyway, why not add a title to the fight and make even more money for everyone involved?

Martin/Takam/Pulev/Glazkov. Come through them and if he is still champ, massive, massive mega fight with Fury. Easy this promoting lark!

[lefty]

This Martin guy...shaking my head at how a nondescript paper titlist can work his way into the picture like this, but whatever, kudos if he actually wants this fight. Joshua rolls right through him. AJ will take care of all these chumps and the new heavyweight era will be defined alongside the other real fighters in the division like Haye, Parker, and maybe Wilder and Fury. Can't wait!

Parker's a hype job.

[crusader]

This Martin guy...shaking my head at how a nondescript paper titlist can work his way into the picture like this, but whatever, kudos if he actually wants this fight. Joshua rolls right through him. AJ will take care of all these chumps and the new heavyweight era will be defined alongside the other real fighters in the division like Haye, Parker, and maybe Wilder and Fury. Can't wait!

Parker's a hype job.

Because he went 8 with Bergman?

He seems pretty good to me, though not at the same level as AJ.