In a significant reshuffle in the super flyweight division, Fernando “Pumita” Martinez vacated his IBF title and IBF TITLEtitle, just months after securing the WBA title in a historic unification fight. The move comes ahead of his planned rematch with Kazuto Ioka, which was initially scheduled for New Year’s Eve but has yet to be officially confirmed.
Martinez (17-0, 9 KOs), an undefeated Argentine star, made a splash in the boxing world when he captured the IBF Super Flyweight title in February 2022 by defeating Jerwin Ancajas. He successfully defended it in two high-profile fights before unifying with the WBA belt in July 2024 after a dominant win over Ioka in Tokyo.
While Martinez was expected to make a mandatory defense of his IBF Title against Jade Bornea, the IBF had given the champion some leeway following his victory in July. However, it appears that the Buenos Aires fighter has chosen a different route to further solidify his legacy in the sport. According to ESPN’s Salvador Rodriguez, Martinez opted to vacate the IBF belt and focus on other potential matchups.
Martinez (17-0, 9 KOs), an undefeated Argentine star, made a splash in the boxing world when he captured the IBF super flyweight title in February 2022 by defeating Jerwin Ancajas. He successfully defended it in two high-profile fights before unifying with the WBA belt in July 2024 after a dominant win over Ioka in Tokyo.
The vacant IBF title will now be contested between two of the best Mexican fighters, Willibaldo Garcia (22-5-1, 13 KOs) and Rene Calixto (23-0, 9 KOs) in December in Japan. It’s an unusual venue for an exclusively Mexican title fight, but Calixto has built a strong presence there, having fought twice in Japan and being promoted by the Kameda brothers.
With Martinez now stepping away from the IBF title picture, the prospect of an undisputed super flyweight champion seems more elusive than ever. However, fans are hopeful that the right matchups will eventually emerge to crown a true king of the 115-pound division before the window closes for fighters like Bam Rodriguez and Martinez.
