What to Know
- Interim super middleweight champion Lester Martinez is staying busy while he waits for a title fight, taking on undefeated Luka Plantic of Croatia in Los Angeles on Saturday.
- The fight will air on ProBoxTV under its new subscription model on the ProBox YouTube channel starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
- Appearing on the undercard are undefeated light heavyweight Najee Lopez and highly regarded super bantamweight contender Ramon Cardenas.
Buried under a loaded boxing schedule this weekend, one of boxing’s most exciting performers in the competitive super middleweight division might be forgotten. That would be a shame, because WBC Interim Super Middleweight Lester Martinez of Guatemala (20-0-1, 16 KOs) returns to maintain his top standing on Saturday in Los Angeles against undefeated Luka Plantic of Croatia (13-0, 10 KOs).
With a win, Martinez will make his case to face the winner of the October 31 fight between WBC World Super Middleweight champion Christian Mbilli of Canada and former undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The card marks ProBox TV’s new subscription model, moving its fight cards and much of its content behind a paywall. Access is $4.99/monthly via the ProBox YouTube channel. Sign up information here.
For fans who hesitate to cough up $59.99 to see the heavyweight in London, including another Croatian competing this weekend, $4.99 for a full month may be more appealing.
Martinez, age 30, is itching to become boxing’s first-ever world champion from Guatemala. No matter how many or how few people watch the broadcast, Martinez has quickly become a major fan draw in Southern California, home to the largest Guatemalan population in the United States.
I sat among the fans who packed the modest, steaming-hot San Bernardino venue with fervor in March. Promoter Garry Jonas said he regretted not booking a bigger venue. This time, the Galen Center will accommodate a far larger audience and test Martinez’s drawing power.
Martinez won a lopsided decision against Immanuwel Aleem, covered by national news media from Guatemala. Martinez said he felt a lot of pressure to perform well.
“There’s always room for improvement. Aleem showed good resistance. (He was) a very good, strong opponent, but this time around, we’re gonna do things much better, trust me.”
Martinez will now take on a greater threat in the former Olympian and southpaw in Plantic.
“We’re fighting a very dangerous opponent,” said Martinez. “There’s a reason he’s here. He’s in the top 10. He undefeated and he’s earned that. But we’re going to make the adjustments.”
What Martinez cannot do is fight Plantic while thinking about facing either Alvarez or Mbilli, who he fought to a draw on the Crawford vs Canelo undercard last October.
Martinez admitted he’ll be one of the most interested observers. “Right now, my immediate focus is on Luka and taking care of business, defending my title. Then we can look forward to that tremendous fight and hope that, yes, we fight the winner,” whoever that might be. He promises he’ll be ready no matter who it is.
Plantic Plans To Make The Most of His Chance
But Plantic gets a say, and he intends to make himself known on a North American stage and set himself up for bigger opportunities with a win on Saturday.
“We are looking at his every move, his every punch. I study him. I don’t see anything (he does wrong),” said Plantic, who has a specific opponent already pictured.
“I’m here for the WBC interim title and to face Canelo next. I feel I will steal the show. You will see a war. We are going to change Guatemala night to Croatia night.”
World Class Training in Omaha
Working the last three years with trainer Brian “BoMac” McIntyre has also given Martinez the opportunity to gain invaluable experience working as a key sparring partner for Terence “Bud” Crawford, particularly during his training camp preparing to face Alvarez. No doubt trading rounds with a pound-for-pound great sharpened Martinez’s defensive reflexes and ring IQ, helping him transition from a powerful prospect into a highly disciplined, world-class contender.
Martinez brought in his own combination of power and precision. He isn’t a one-punch knockout fighter, but rather breaks down his opponents with an improved jab and relentless pressure behind a solid engine.
Lester Martinez Motivated To Put On A Show
Martinez will step into the ring against an undefeated fighter known as a knockout artist in Plantic, who is also aggressive in the ring. Martinez won’t have trouble finding him. What’s unknown is how much power Plantic has, and whether he can deliver it. His record is impressive but his pro resume is still thin.
Martinez may need to work a bit harder for a victory against Plantic than he did against Aleem, but he’ll be highly motivated and cheered on by the passionate Guatemalan fans and other knowledgeable Southern Californians who know their boxing and are embracing Martinez.
On the Martinez vs Plantic Undercard
Light heavyweight Najee Lopez of Puerto Rico (16-0, 13 KOs), based in Atlanta, will face Juan Carrillo of Colombia (15-0, 11 KOs) in the co-main event, with someone’s undefeated record up for grabs.
“I definitely see this fight pushing me towards a title fight.” 😤
Najee Lopez previews Saturday’s co-main against undefeated Juan Carrillo.#MartinezVsPlantic pic.twitter.com/MIAvn9eJPT
— ProBox TV (@ProBox_TV) August 26, 2026
Super bantamweight contender Ramon Cardenas of San Antonio (27-2, 15 KOs) will fight a scheduled ten-rounder against Leonardo Carrillo of Colombia (20-1-1, 9 KOs), based in Panama. He’s not related to the Carillo in the co-main.
“To be a world champion, that’s my ultimate goal.” 💥
Ramon Cardenas’ story, and Saturday brings the next chapter at the Galen Center.#MartinezVsPlantic pic.twitter.com/ILPWGqeR6G
— ProBox TV (@ProBox_TV) August 27, 2026
Cardenas came back from a solid performance in a loss against pound-for-pound great Naoya Inoue in May 2025 with a spectacular fifth-round knockout victory over Eric Ayala in December, making the short list of 2025 Knockouts of the Year.
Cardenas has serious power and has gained confidence since his appearance on last year’s Cinco de Mayo card. He’s one to watch among the smaller division talents.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.
