Lester Martinez vs. Immanuwel Aleem | ProBox TV - March 21, 2026

[Ruthless-RKO]

MARTINEZ, ALEEM TO FIGHT FOR WBC INTERIM 168-POUND TITLE MARCH 21

Lester Martinez and Immanuwel Aleem will square off for the WBC interim super middleweight title on March 21 at the National Orange Show Event Center in San Bernardino, California, Martinez’s promoter, ProBox, announced Thursday night.

Martinez sought a rematch against Christian Mbilli following their spectacular split draw in September, but he’ll have to settle for a shot at a secondary title.

Montreal’s Mbilli was the WBC interim champion at the time he fought Martinez on the undercard of Terence Crawford’s win against Canelo Alvarez. He was elevated to full champion once the sanctioning body stripped Crawford on December 3 for not paying a $300,000 sanctioning fee.

The WBC ordered an immediate rematch between Mbilli and Martinez four days following their thrilling, back-and-forth fight that featured 685 combined punches. The move became a moot point once the sanctioning body elevated Mbilli as its full titleholder.

Crawford announced his retirement on December 16, which made Mbilli an even bigger power player in the division and a desirable opponent for Canelo Alvarez for a potential fight this September, all while leaving Martinez on the outside looking in, at least for now.

Martinez (19-0-1, 16 KOs) is an entertaining power-puncher from Guatemala who is coached by Brian McIntyre. He has long received support from Crawford, his training stablemate.

Martinez is The Ring’s No. 4-ranked super middleweight contender. Mbilli is rated No. 3 and Alvarez is No. 1. The 30-year-old Martinez can further stake a claim in the division by beating Aleem for the WBC’s interim title.

“I really thought I won the fight on September 13, and it’s been frustrating to not get a rematch with Mbilli,” Martinez said. “I very much appreciate the WBC for giving me this opportunity. It’s been my dream to be the first Guatemalan champion ever. I can’t wait for March 21.”

Before the bout against Mbilli, Martinez knocked out Joeshon James in the fourth round last March at the same venue where he’ll meet Aleem almost a year to the day later.

Aleem (22-3-3, 14 KOs) is ranked No. 14 by the WBC, but he is nowhere near the stratosphere of the top-flight contenders in the division. Aleem is 6-3-3 over his last 12 fights spanning 10 years.

The 32-year-old contender from Richmond, Virginia, has fought to draws against Winfred Harris Jr., Matt Korobov and Demond Nicholson, lost to Amilcar Vidal Jr., Ronald Ellis and Hugo Centeno Jr. He last fought against Nicholson in July, when he won their rematch by ninth-round TKO.

[Ruthless-RKO]

What’s the point of this.

Why not just order Mbili to defend the belt against Martinez?

Why an interim?

Why not just make it a final eliminator?

Oh Yh.

Sanction fees.

[530426]

WBC и Сулейман опять придумывают нового чемпиона. ненужного никому

Это будет 9(!) временный чемпион + 2 чемпиона в отпуске . Этого оказалось мало!

С сентября еще планировался бой между Мартинесом - Мбилли2 и что? Мбилли они повыслии до полноценного чемпиона и тут же зачем-то ввели временный титул

Лучше был Мбилли обязали провести защиту с Лестером. У них был такой шикарный первый бой!

[530426]

WBC и Сулейман опять придумывают нового чемпиона. ненужного никому

Это будет 9(!) временный чемпион + 2 чемпиона в отпуске . Этого оказалось мало!

С сентября еще планировался бой между Мартинесом - Мбилли2 и что? Мбилли они повыслии до полноценного чемпиона и тут же зачем-то ввели временный титул

Лучше был Мбилли обязали провести защиту с Лестером. У них был такой шикарный первый бой!

[MPW]

What’s the point of this.

Why not just order Mbili to defend the belt against Martinez?

Why an interim?

Why not just make it a final eliminator?

Oh Yh.

Sanction fees.

Yup, sanctioning fees. More sanctioning fees. And even more sanctioning fees.

Plus, the possibility of Martinez winning the bout or a controversial - undeserving? - Mbilli victory would put the seemingly much-desired Alvarez-Mbilli fight in jeopardy.

I've posted it before and will probably do so again, the most logical and deserving resolution would have been to have Mbilli defend the full SMW title against Martinez in a May rematch, with the winner taking on Alvarez in September. But apparently the WBC doesn't care about logic or what should happen, and the Frenchman will be almost a year in between bouts while waiting on Alvarez.

[1986515]

MARTINEZ, ALEEM TO FIGHT FOR WBC INTERIM 168-POUND TITLE MARCH 21 geometry dash 3d

Lester Martinez and Immanuwel Aleem will square off for the WBC interim super middleweight title on March 21 at the National Orange Show Event Center in San Bernardino, California, Martinez’s promoter, ProBox, announced Thursday night.

Martinez sought a rematch against Christian Mbilli following their spectacular split draw in September, but he’ll have to settle for a shot at a secondary title.

Montreal’s Mbilli was the WBC interim champion at the time he fought Martinez on the undercard of Terence Crawford’s win against Canelo Alvarez. He was elevated to full champion once the sanctioning body stripped Crawford on December 3 for not paying a $300,000 sanctioning fee.

The WBC ordered an immediate rematch between Mbilli and Martinez four days following their thrilling, back-and-forth fight that featured 685 combined punches. The move became a moot point once the sanctioning body elevated Mbilli as its full titleholder.

Crawford announced his retirement on December 16, which made Mbilli an even bigger power player in the division and a desirable opponent for Canelo Alvarez for a potential fight this September, all while leaving Martinez on the outside looking in, at least for now.

Martinez (19-0-1, 16 KOs) is an entertaining power-puncher from Guatemala who is coached by Brian McIntyre. He has long received support from Crawford, his training stablemate.

Martinez is The Ring’s No. 4-ranked super middleweight contender. Mbilli is rated No. 3 and Alvarez is No. 1. The 30-year-old Martinez can further stake a claim in the division by beating Aleem for the WBC’s interim title.

“I really thought I won the fight on September 13, and it’s been frustrating to not get a rematch with Mbilli,” Martinez said. “I very much appreciate the WBC for giving me this opportunity. It’s been my dream to be the first Guatemalan champion ever. I can’t wait for March 21.”

Before the bout against Mbilli, Martinez knocked out Joeshon James in the fourth round last March at the same venue where he’ll meet Aleem almost a year to the day later.

Aleem (22-3-3, 14 KOs) is ranked No. 14 by the WBC, but he is nowhere near the stratosphere of the top-flight contenders in the division. Aleem is 6-3-3 over his last 12 fights spanning 10 years.

The 32-year-old contender from Richmond, Virginia, has fought to draws against Winfred Harris Jr., Matt Korobov and Demond Nicholson, lost to Amilcar Vidal Jr., Ronald Ellis and Hugo Centeno Jr. He last fought against Nicholson in July, when he won their rematch by ninth-round TKO.

This isn’t right. Lester Martinez should be getting a rematch with Mbilli for the full WBC title, not fighting another guy for an interim title. This is yet another example of how little the belts mean (or should mean).

[Ruthless-RKO]

‘Expect great things from Lester Martinez’

Lester Martinez might have drawn with Christian Mbilli on the biggest show of 2025, but despite the blemish on his record, his stock has only risen.

Martinez, from Guatemala, is now 19-0-1 (16 KOs) and a problem for any of the best super middleweights in the world.

On March 21, he will fight for the WBC interim world title against Immanuwel Aleem, the 22-3-3 (14 KOs) “Chosen One” who fights out of Richmond, Virginia, at the Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, California.

It was the venue where, almost a year ago, Martinez stopped the previously unbeaten Joeshon James in four rounds.

The Mbilli fight, on the undercard of the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Terence Crawford Allegiant Stadium spectacular last September 13 in Las Vegas, was one of the most exciting bouts of 2025.

“I put it this way,” Martinez told Boxing Scene. “It was a tie that felt like a victory. After drawing with the world champion when nobody knew who you were, only your people were with you, and my father … [it was a success]. … Being nominated and winning Fight of the Year by the WBC – and even by other sites – being the winner of that, that means people really liked it all over the world. It feels pretty awesome.”

Martinez has been unflinching with his positivity, even though he said he had been “left with a bit of sting from not getting the WBC world title” with the draw, an outcome from which many felt Martinez deserved better.

Team Martinez believed that had the fight been scheduled over 12 that its fighter would have stopped Mbilli.

“After that fight, I took a break, rested up, I enjoyed time with my family and friends and the benefits from what I did; the viewership and where it was broadcast [on Netflix], then I refocused,” Martinez said.

“This time, the tickets have absolutely taken off. They’re selling even faster than for the last fight, and that motivates me. People aren’t just coming for my fight but the other fighters on the card.”

The idea of defeating Aleem and raising the green-and-gold belt is something that motivates Martinez, as is the chance to provide his fans and countrymen with something to cheer.

“It excites me. It really does,” said Martinez, who originally hails from Peten Melchor de Mencos but now lives in Guatemala City. “Because I know this is the moment I’ve spent so many years preparing for, and God is giving me the chance to walk into a ring and step into a ring to fight and represent my country. Just like me, the Guatemalans out there are giving it their all to represent their country; I’m one of them. I’m telling you. I don’t want to make promises, I want to deliver. So expect great things from Lester Martinez.”

It is being away from home that Martinez dislikes the most while in camp with coach Brian “BoMac” McIntyre, but he knows it is for the best to get to where he hopes to in his career.

“I think what hurts the most right now is leaving my country, leaving that comfort behind, that comfort zone, because your friends are there, your family … girlfriend,” he said. “But you know that if you don’t do it, you’re not going to get better. You’ll just get comfortable. I was given the great opportunity to be part of an amazing team, and of course I’m going to make the most out of it.”

For the Mbilli fight, Martinez was in camp with Crawford and was inspired by the man who won the main event that night last September. For this fight, even without the incentive of being alongside “Bud,” Martinez insists he is putting in the work.

“I go through it, I’m exhausted, totally wiped out,” he said. “Even things I didn’t know I had in my body hurt. But we’re doing a good job with Coach BoMac, Coach Papo, Bernie, Saul, Coach Hector. … As the days go by, as the fight gets closer, you start feeling good, but you don’t know why. This time I feel more confident. It feels like a championship fight, to be perfectly honest. Regardless of who my opponent is going to be, just knowing deep down that I’m finally going to get a chance to fight for this world title gives me that exact same incredible feeling of pure excitement.

“[It’s] not in the same place [as Vegas], not with the same people [with Mbilli and Crawford]. But the excitement of it being for the title is huge. Very, very big.”

[MPW]

I have to applaud Martinez for his positive attitude, despite getting shafted from the deserved Mbilli rematch with the full WBC title on the line. Even with a win over Aleem, the cynic in me believes he will get screwed out of a shot at the winner of Alvarez-Mbilli fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight Week!!

[Cent0089]

I really hope some of that undefeated fake prospects in undercard will take an L here.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Martinez, 19-0-1 (13 KOs), weighing 167.4lbs and Aleem, 22-3-3 (14 KOs), coming in at 167.6,

co-main event was scapped after Anthony Cuba, 12-1-2 (5 KOs), to dehydration during the weight-cutting process, scrapping his scheduled 140lbs bout versus Mexico’s Jair Valtierra, 18-4 (9 KOs).

In other fights:

10 rounds junior-middleweight: Kevin Anton 153lbs vs. Kudratillo Abdukakhorov 153.2lbs

10 rounds featherweight: Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez 127.2lbs vs. Brandon Chambers 126.8lbs

6 rounds super-lightweight: Charles Harris Jnr 143.2lbs vs. Cesar Villarraga 142.8lbs

6 rounds lightweight: Samuel Contreras 134lbs vs. Cesar Cantu 132.8lbs

4 rounds super-flyweight: Luis Coria 114.8lbs vs. Lito Dante 114

6 rounds super-welterweight: Kevin Ceja Ventura 154.8lbs vs. Aaron Watson 153lbs

4 rounds super-flyweight: Jocelyn Camarillo 107.4lbs vs. Isis Sio 107.4lbs

[Ruthless-RKO]

Full card live here

[513075]

So with the victory.. next step is for the rematch with Mbilli for the full belt?

Or are we going for the usual B.S. and the two won't meet for some time... if at all

[MPW]

So with the victory.. next step is for the rematch with Mbilli for the full belt?

Or are we going for the usual B.S. and the two won't meet for some time... if at all

Since Mbilli is penciled in to meet Alvarez in September, I'm leaning toward the usual B.S.

In my opinion, the Frenchman and Martinez should have had the rematch with the full belt on the line, and the winner could then fight Alvarez in the fall. Instead, Martinez wins the meaningless interim belt, Mbilli is put on the shelf for roughly a year, and Alvarez does nothing to be rewarded with a title shot.

Same old, same old from the WBC.