Martin stops Baldonado to retain PH super bantam, capture WBA Asia super bantam titles


Carl Jammes Martin unloaded powerful combinations in the eleventh round against a gassed out Ronnie Baldonado to retain his Philippine super bantamweight title and capture the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia super bantamweight belt at the Elorde Sports Complex in Parañaque Saturday, March 12.

Ifugao standout Carl Jammes Martin retains his Philippine super bantamweight title and captures the vacant WBA Asia super bantamweight belt after scoring an eleventh-round knockout win over Ronnie Baldonado at the Elorde Sports Complex in Parañaque Saturday, March 12. (Screenshot from Elorde TV livestream)

Sensing that Baldonado couldn't return his punches, Martin went for the kill from the get-go as he punished the challenger from Cotabato with precise combos and hefty body shots.

With Baldonado vulnerable and defenseless, referee Nowel Haduca halted the match with 2:02 left in the eleventh round as Martin remained undefeated in 19 matches on top of 16 knockouts.

Martin powered through the eighth round onwards and maintained his stamina enough to level Baldonado's tenacity, cornering him before unloading a flurry of punches.

Despite sustaining a swollen left eye, Martin used his momentum in the ninth round and threw powerful overhand rights and jabs to Baldonado.

The Ifugao standout then unleashed another massive combination followed by a left uppercut and a zooming right hook.

With 10 seconds left in the ninth, Martin caught Baldonado off guard and stepped on the gas with Haduca's signal that the round isn't over yet.

It was in the 10th round where Baldonado's defense started to collapse as Martin capitalized on it and peppered the challenger with combinations.

But the 26-year-old Baldonado recovered from his early slump and returned the favor with his last-second aggression in the 10th.

Early in the second round, Baldonado, who suffered back-to-back losses and fell to a 15-3 win-loss record with nine KOs, scored an early knockdown in the 2:42 mark after connecting a hefty counter right hook as Martin got back up on his feet unfazed.