A deal is in the works for WBC mandatory challenger Sandor Martin to step aside, allowing 140-pound champion Devin Haney to defend his title against Ryan Garcia on April 20th, according to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.
Haney’s required defense is against Martin (42-3, 15 KOs) after Devin claimed the WBC belt from champion Regis Prograis last December in San Francisco.
Mandatory Defense versus Mega-Fight
Sulaiman informed Pro Boxing Fans that negotiations are underway for a step-aside agreement to create space for the Haney-Garcia mega-fight. Considering the significance of this bout, Martin will likely receive a substantial compensation for stepping aside, which benefits both parties. However, Martin would undoubtedly prefer a shot at Haney’s title (31-0, 15 KOs).
Unfortunately, that won’t happen, especially after Haney disclosed the disappointing 35K pay-per-view numbers for his clash with Prograis on December 9th on DAZN. Haney cannot afford another underwhelming pay-per-view event, which would likely be the case if he faced Martin.
Uncertain Future for Martin
As expected, Sandor Martin will once again be overlooked by the winner of the Haney vs. Garcia fight. If their mega-fight on April 20th generates significant pay-per-view purchases and substantial revenue, they may even have a rematch, leaving no room for Martin.
There is no chance that the victor of that bout will agree to defend the WBC light welterweight title against the skilled left-handed Martin, potentially risking a loss or a poor performance like Teofimo Lopez’s controversial win over the Spaniard in December 2022 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Despite clearly losing that fight, Teofimo was awarded a ten-round split decision despite being knocked down twice and outboxed throughout the entire contest by Sandor.
Martin’s prospects of fighting for the WBC 140-pound belt anytime soon, if ever, are grim. It is likely that he will be marginalized and eventually suffer a defeat while waiting for his chance to challenge for the world title.
It is a discouraging situation, but given the revenue generated by Haney and Ryan in their fights, Martin will likely continue to be sidelined repeatedly.
According to the Source boxingnews24.com