Though he didn’t enjoy any TV exposure, former briefly reigning IBF heavyweight champ “Prince” Charles Martin enjoyed picking up another comeback win last night. Facing former Olympian Devin Vargas on the Andy Ruiz-Luis Ortiz card, this in a non-televised fight, the southpaw scored a fourth round stoppage win.
Martin, who was hurt in the third round and was forced to hold on until his head cleared, came back strong in the next round, belting Vargas with shots that drove the 40 year old all over the ring. Vargas was badly cut, this from a butt, and he was a bloody mess. Finally, referee Jerry Cantu dived in and stopped the fight at 1:59 of the fourth round.
Martin is now 29-3-1(26), with the 36 year old coming back from January’s KO loss to Ortiz. Vargas, who should think strongly about calling it a day, falls to 22-8(9) and he has now lost three of his last four.
Martin, who so meekly “gave away” his IBF heavyweight title to Anthony Joshua, this seemingly an age ago now, has shown heart in the fights he has had since that bad night in London. Martin showed guts in his 2018 decision loss to an unbeaten Adam Kownacki, while he had Ortiz down twice in the fight from January of this year. Martin still believes he can do big things, yet the odds are against him.
To this day, most fight fans, if you bring up Martin’s name, instantly think of the AJ embarrassment. Still, there could be some further decent fights out there for the tall lefty. Martin does carry power and he has a pretty good chin, this when he’s motivated to fight. That said, it’s your guess as much as anybody else’s where Martin goes next.
As for Vargas – who never reached the heights he and some others felt he would do upon going pro after having had a fine amateur career – he must know that, having given it his best shot, he will not be getting too many more opportunities.