Jared Anderson, 23, is labeled as boxing’s “most promising young heavyweight.” He was scheduled to bring his 14-0 record into a title bout against Zhan Kossobutskiy on Saturday July 1 in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio.
Kossobutskiy lost an out-of-ring scuffle with the United States of America in June, which refused to grant him a visa to enter the country. Anderson was left without an opponent and ESPN suddenly didn’t have a title fight on its Main Event card which was set to be televised.
Twelve days before the fight, Anderson accepted a challenge from an aging, but seasoned fighter. The guy was certainly supposed to be pushover and Anderson was set to move to 15-0 before a national TV audience.
Charles Martin of St. Louis, 37 and a former titleholder, was a long shot at best. Yet, he turned into Rocky Balboa for a night and almost pulled off a stunning upset.
Anderson promptly put Martin on his behind late in the third round with a stiff jab. It seemed as if it would not be long before the show in Toledo came to a close.
Martin had other thoughts. He caught the youthful Anderson with a right hook late in the fifth round and followed with a flurry of punches. Anderson was in genuine trouble when the round ended.
Martin wobbled Anderson again in the 1oth round, but the fifth was the lone round the judges awarded the veteran challenger.
Anderson prevailed with a unanimous decision, but it took a full 10 rounds to prevail. Martin entered the ring without much fanfare. He left to a tremendous ovation from the Toledo crowd.
I’ve seen Martin fight before but had no idea he had not retired. His record fell to 29-4-1 (26 knockouts) but he was tough and resourceful.
“I took the fight on 11 days’ notice,” Martin told ESPN following the fight.
“I did the best I could. He’s a real champion. He’ll be making his way to the top soon. I’m proud of him.”
Martin won the vacant IBF heavyweight title in January 2016 when his opponent, Vyacheslav Glazkov injured his knee. He did not hold the title long. In his first title defense, Martin was knocked out by Anthony Joshua.
Martin’s 85 days as champion is the second shortest in heavyweight boxing history. Tony Tucker held the same IBF championship belt for just 64 days in 1987.
“I think I took his best shots very well,” said Anderson.
“I don’t think there was a time in the fight where I looked unsteady or where I couldn’t hold my own. Did I feel like he got me with a good shot and stunned me? No. But do I feel like he got me with a good shot and made me aware? Yes, so I had to readjust and get back to the game plan.”
My advice to Anderson is to not lie to himself. An old guy with a short time to prepare took him the distance and stunned him at least twice. That’s not good.
My advice to Martin is to take last September’s win and last Saturday’s gallant effort and call it a career. Paraphrasing a line from the character Marcellus Wallace in “Pulp Fiction,” there is no old-timer’s day in boxing.
All-Star Selections
As I mentioned last week, the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game will feature few Black players.
L.A. Dodgers outfielder Mookie Wilson will start for the National League. Pitchers Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers, Marcus Stroman of the Chicago Cubs and Josiah Gray of the Washington Nationals were selected.
In the American League, Texas Rangers shortstop Marcus Semien is a starter. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees outfielder, was named a starter, but will not participate in the game because of a toe injury.
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker will pilot the American League.
The Reid Roundup
The Atlanta Braves starting infield of shortstop Orlando Arcia, first baseman Matt Olson, second baseman Ozzie Albies, and third baseman Austin Riley are All-Stars. Ron Washington, the former Texas Rangers manager who lost the heartbreaking 2011 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, is now a coach with the Braves, and works with infielders. Albies said on Twitter that Washington called the accomplishment “one of the most emotional days of my career.”
