All posts by David Martinez

Year in Review / The Best in Boxing 2025

David Martinez, Year in Review / The Best in Boxing

Annually, at the end of the year, I assemble the top awards in boxing. Here are my “personal” choices for the year 2025. Also listed (in order) are the Runner Up’s and a look back at the previous winners in each category since year 2020.

I sincerely respect and openly welcome all opinions of others – thank you!

David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

2025 / FIGHTER OF THE YEAR – Terence Crawford (42-0 / 31 by KO)

RUNNER UP’S

Naoya Inoue (32-0 / 27 by KO)

Jesse Rodriguez (23-0 / 16 by KO)

Oleksandr Usyk (24-0 / 15 by KO)

PAST WINNERS

Oleksandr Usyk – 2024

Naoya Inoue – 2023

Dmitry Bivol – 2022

Canelo Alvarez – 2021

Teofimo Lopez – 2020

2025 / FIGHT OF THE YEAR – Callum Smith vs. Joshua Buatsi (UD-12)

RUNNER UP’S

Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Coner Benn 1 (UD-12)

Dimitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev 2 (MD-12)

Junto Nakatani vs. Sebastian Hernandez (UD-12)

Kenshiro Teraji vs. Seigo Yuri Akui (KO-12)

PAST WINNERS

Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Serhi Bohachuk – 2024

Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez – 2023

Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano – 2022

Stephen Fulton Jr. vs. Brandon Figueroa – 2021

Jose Zepeda vs. Ivan Baranchyk – 2020

Continue reading Year in Review / The Best in Boxing 2025 →

RING TRIVIA for December 2025 – The Correct Answers

David Martinez, Trivia

I have always been intrigued with boxing trivia. This actually began back when I was a young kid in 1961. I would pick the minds of the older generation and ask questions about their era to educate myself. It’s now my pleasure to bring the boxing trivia format to my website www.dmboxing.com for everyone to enjoy. On a quarterly basis I post five multiple choice questions – in March, June, September, and December – with the correct answers to follow by end of each posting month for your viewing.

David Martinez / Boxing Historian

1) Which world champion never had a fight at the Los Angles Olympic Auditorium?

A — Marvin Hagler 

B — Sonny Liston

C — Muhammad Ali

D — Leo Randolph / CORRECT ANSWER

2) What boxing family had a sibling who went into baseball, and eventually played six years in the Major Leagues?

A — The Ayala’s

B — The Zivic’s

C — The Balthazar’s

D — The Goossen’s / CORRECT ANSWER

Continue reading RING TRIVIA for December 2025 – The Correct Answers →

FROM THE DESK OF: David Martinez

David Martinez, FROM THE DESK OF:, hats

(Winter 2025 Edition)

The Winter season is officially upon us and as I respectfully do on a quarterly basis, I continue to say thank you to a small team of people that truly help make dmboxing.com the success that it has been since the first publication on July 15, 2007. I would like to acknowledge these people, who are: Bob Quackenbush (Proof Reader / Photo Editing); Tom Donelson (Member Boxing Writers Association of America / BWAA); Kathy Kraft / Proof Reader – retired); and Steve Corbo (Boxing Writer / Guest Posts).

There are three other people who are no longer with us (R.I.P.) who were very instrumental in their contributions to the website, and I will never forget them. They are: Rusty Rubin (In Rusty’s Corner / Glove2Glove); Harold Lederman (HBO World Championship Boxing / Hey Harold!); and Jim Amato (Senior Boxing Writer / Boxing Historian).

As viewed in this edition, my official website hat is displayed. It is blue in color with embroidered logo on front, and website address on back. It has an adjustable Velcro strap to fit all sizes. Purchasing this attractive product can be done by sending $25.00 to: David Martinez Boxing, 810 Coronel Street, Santa Barbara, California 93109 – AND – the price includes FREE shipping to all USA mailing zones.

A huge shout out to my friend Steve Corbo, from Chicago, who has recently submitted many of the Ring Trivia questions currently listed on my website. His trivia is outstanding and although I know 95% of the answers without cheating by looking them up, one that I missed was “Which world champion never had a fight at the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium?”

A – Marvin Hagler

B – Sonny Liston

C – Muhammad Ali

D – Leo Randolph

My answer was “A – Marvin Hagler” … but the correct answer was “D – Leo Randolph”.

I thank Steve for his interest and contributing, as he is the second person to do so – the late Don Fraser (R.I.P.) also sent me many boxing related trivia items to post.

Continue reading FROM THE DESK OF: David Martinez →

Jimmy Barry / The Little Tiger

David Martinez, FLASHBACK, History

*** FLASHBACK *** This article was originally published for viewing on www.dmboxing.com on August 15, 2017

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

There is a boxer that nobody ever talks about these days. A boxer who seems to have been lost in the fog of time, but whom I rate as one of the finest to ever come out of Chicago! His name is Jimmy Barry. He was known as “Little Tiger” and this 5-feet-2 Irish kid was as good as they come.

Born on March 7, 1870 he started his professional boxing career in 1891, winning 27 straight without a loss, with 18 of those wins coming by knockout.  On December 5, 1893 he knocked out Jack Levy in 17 rounds to win the “100 pound Championship of America”.

On September 15, 1894 Barry knocked out Casper Leon in the 28th round to win the bantamweight championship. They would fight in a rematch in May 1895. The bout was ruled a draw when police stepped in to halt the bout in the middle of the 14th round. He and Leon would eventually fight each other four times, with three of the fights being a draw and the other ruled a six round no-contest decision.

On December 6, 1897, at National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England Barry defeated Walter Croot in the 20th round to gain undisputed recognition as Bantamweight Champion of the World. Croot died after the fight, due to injuries he received when he was dramatically knocked out cold with a tremendous right hand to the jaw. An autopsy ruled his death resulted from being hit with such force that his skull was fractured when striking the mat.

Continue reading Jimmy Barry / The Little Tiger →

RING TRIVIA for December 2025

David Martinez, Trivia

I have always been intrigued with boxing trivia. This actually began back when I was a young kid in 1961. I would pick the minds of the older generation and ask questions about their era to educate myself. It’s now my pleasure to bring the boxing trivia format to my website www.dmboxing.com for everyone to enjoy. On a quarterly basis I post five multiple choice questions – in March, June, September, and December – with the correct answers to follow by end of each posting month for your viewing.

David Martinez / Boxing Historian

1) Which world champion never had a fight at the Los Angles Olympic Auditorium?

A — Marvin Hagler 

B — Sonny Liston

C — Muhammad Ali

D — Leo Randolph

2) What boxing family had a sibling who went into baseball, and eventually played six years in the Major Leagues?

A — The Ayala’s

B — The Zivic’s

C — The Balthazar’s

D — The Goossen’s

Continue reading RING TRIVIA for December 2025 →

J.J. Johnston (R.I.P.)

David Martinez, R.I.P.

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

A friend to all that knew him was J.J. Johnston … actor, author, and a top and very knowledgeable boxing historian. Born in Chicago, Illinois on October 24, 1933, he passed away on November 4, 2022.

Johnston lived in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles and began appearing in movies and stage productions in 1972. He is known for his roles in Fatal Attraction (1987), JFK (1991), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), and Spartan (2004), just to name a few. He also had roles in many selected television programs throughout his career.

Another highlight was when he and David Mamet played “Tweedle Dee” and “Tweedle Dum” in a Chicago stage production of “Alice in Wonderland”.

I met J.J. back in the mid-nineties while attending a Golden State Boxing Association luncheon at the old Spaghetti Factory in Hollywood, California.  J.J. would always attend with his display of incredible boxing collectables in those years (1997-2007) which was during my tenure with the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

I was truly honored when he presented me with his outstanding publication “Chicago Boxing” which he personally autographed on November 15, 2005. The book is simply amazing with outstanding photos, all in black and white, and arranged in chronological order.

Continue reading J.J. Johnston (R.I.P.) →

Carlos Ortiz (R.I.P.)

David Martinez, FLASHBACK, History, Lightweights

***** FLASHBACK *****

This article was originally published on July 18, 2022 for viewing on www.dmboxing.com


David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

On June 13, 2022 the boxing world lost a great champion. Carlos Ortiz passed away at the age of 85. He was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on September 9, 1936.

Ortiz began his outstanding professional career in 1955 with a first round knockout over Harry Bell in New York.

He suffered his first loss losing to Johnny Busso via 10 round split decision on June 27, 1958. Ortiz was 21 years old and held an undefeated ring record of 26-0 entering that bout. Three months later in September, Ortiz reversed his loss with a convincing 10 round decision win. Both Busso fights were held at Madison Square Garden, New York.

After posting a ring record of 29 wins, 2 losses, and one no-decision, Ortiz met Kenny Lane for the vacant junior welterweight / super lightweight title in New York on June 12, 1959. Lane had given Ortiz a 10 round loss prior, on December 31, 1958, but this time Ortiz would win by knockout after two rounds to become the second Puerto Rican world champion since Sixto Escobar did it more than thirty years before.

Continue reading Carlos Ortiz (R.I.P.) →

P4P Women Rankings / dmboxing.com

David Martinez, P4P Rankings - Women

NOTE: That due to many requests and increasing interest in women’s boxing, I am delighted recently to adding this newest category to www.dmboxing.com for viewing.

Current Top Dozen

(As of: November 1, 2025)

1 – Katie Taylor (25-1 / 6 by KO)

2 – Claressa Shields (17-0 / 3 by KO)

3 – Amanda Serrano (47-4-1 / 31 by KO)

4 – Chantelle Cameron (21-1 / 8 by KO)

5 – Gabriela Fundora (16-0 / 9 by KO / 1 NC)

6 – Mikaela Mayer (22-2 / 5 by KO)

7 – Dina Thorlund (23-0 / 9 by KO)

8 – Alycia Baumgardner (16-1 / 7 by KO / 1 NC)

9 – Lauren Price (9-0 (2 by KO)

10 – Yokasta Valle (33-3 / 10 by KO)

11 – Elle Scotney (11-0 / 0 by KO)

12 – Evelyn Nazarena Bermudez (22-1-1 / 8 by KO)

Wardley by Knockout over Parker … Sensational Heavyweight Fight

David Martinez, Heavyweights, Recent Fights

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

By no fault of my own, I actually missed the live telecast of the Fabio Wardley vs. Joseph Parker heavyweight bout from the 02 Arena in London. So, I had to settle for watching the replay knowing the result; I usually don’t do that, but I’m certainly glad that I did so on this one!

A better than 3 to 1 underdog, interim WBA champion Wardley (20-0-1 / 19 by KO) surprised many, including me, coming from behind on the scorecards to defeat the interim WBO heavyweight champion Parker (36-4 / 24 by KO) by eleventh round knockout.

The fight itself was action packed from start to finish. Wardley began slowly and Parker started strong with both fighters landing their own big shots. In round 2, Wardley threw more than a dozen unanswered punches with Parker losing his mouth piece to avoid a possible early knockout.

As the fight progressed, it was apparent that Parker was winning more rounds, but Wardley continued throwing right hand punches that kept the fight exciting and interesting.

At the start of round 10, it was clear that Parker came to fight, but Wardley countered with a flurry of punches of his own to pin Parker on the ropes, as the bell rang to save Parker from further punishment.

Continue reading Wardley by Knockout over Parker … Sensational Heavyweight Fight →