World-rated super-bantamweight Carl Jammes “Wonder Boy” Martin made an auspicious US debut Saturday (Sunday in Manila) after scoring a hard-earned eight-round unanimous decision over Mexican Javier Pedroza Portillo at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
Martin, rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization and No. 8 by the International Boxing Federation, decked the game and gutsy Portillo with a solid left to the jaw in the sixth round.
Represented by the father-and-son tandem of Sean and Brendan Gibbons, the unbeaten Martin, who hails from Lagawe, Ifugao, boosted his win-loss-draw card to 26-0-0 with 20 knockouts.
The scores, 79-72, 78-73 and 78-73, didn’t reflect the Mexican’s gallant stand as he even left Martin with facial bruises.
The defeat dropped Portillo’s mark to 19-13-2 with 11 knockouts.
Since relocating from the Philippines to Las Vegas, the southpaw Martin has won two fights on Mexican soil, whipping Anthony Salas in Culiacan in September last year and Ruben Tostado on Christmas Eve in Tijuana.
Later, Martin was introduced to Manny Pacquiao, who was in town to promote his 19 July world title shot at the World Boxing Council welterweight crown of Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand.