‘I GOT MATURITY’

THREE months later, Martinez was back. He travelled to Bristol and stopped Adrian Stone. He then flew to Belfast for a rematch with Williams which he won by forcing a demoralised, weight-drained and beaten Williams to retire after nine rounds. Eventually, after putting Martinez through a test of fire, Matchroom realised that instead of trying to beat him it might be in their interests to throw their weight behind him. Unfortunately for both parties, his situation in Madrid prevented them from joining forces. If circumstances had been different, maybe Martinez wouldn’t have had to toil for so long before making waves on the world scene.

“I remember Adrian as a very good person, a big athlete. Also, all his team were very respectful with me. In the fight I felt very strong. I did a very good fight that night,” Martinez said. “The rematch against Richard Williams was better for me than the first fight. I started to have a very good moment and my confidence was better and better round after round. In my opinion, accepting the rematch was a mistake by Williams’ team.

“When I won the rematch against Williams the promoter asked me about the possibility of representing the UK but it was not possible because I was living in an illegal situation in Spain and, therefore, in all of the European Union. It was a very good offer but was impossible at that moment.”

When boxing fans look back over Martinez’s career, the left hand which brought a brutal end to his rivalry with Paul Williams and his mastery of Kelly Pavlik, Matthew Macklin, Darren Barker and Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr will always attract more attention and discussion than his exploits on these shores but for the man himself, his time here was invaluable.

“The three fights in the UK were the big step that I needed as a fighter. I won the fights but also I got maturity as a human being, as a man.”