Frank Martin and Romero Duno meet in a key showdown on FOX on New Year’s Day.
The two-hour FOX kickoff show precedes a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View heavyweight extravaganza featuring top contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz facing former heavyweight champion Charles Martin in the main event, plus heavyweight rising star Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sanchez battling Christian Hammer in the co-main event. Hammer replaces Carlos Negron, who was forced to withdraw after a positive COVID test.
The pay-per-view action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will also see heavyweight contenders Jonnie Rice and Michael Coffie battle in a 10-round rematch, former title challenger Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington in a 10-round showdown against Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen and unbeaten Viktor Faust facing Iago Kiladze in a 10-round attraction to open the pay-per-view.
The 26-year-old Martin (14-0, 10 KOs) has risen up the lightweight rankings in 2021 with a pair of impressive victories. Martin knocked out the previously unbeaten Jerry Perez in a dominating performance in April, before most recently earning a unanimous decision over Ryan Kielczweski in August. Originally from Indianapolis, Martin now trains in the Dallas-area under the guidance of top trainer Derrick James and alongside unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.
Representing his native Cotabato City, Maguindanao, Philippines, Duno (24-2, 19 KOs) enters the fight the winner of three-straight bouts, all by knockout. The 26-year-old has put together the winning-streak following a 2019 defeat to unbeaten contender Ryan Garcia. Duno’s 2021 triumphs have come over Ramon Elizer Esperanza in August and Jonathan Perez in September.