ESPN2 Wednesday Night Fights: Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam vs. Curtis Stevens RBR

Holy ****, Buffer is extremely broken up about Dan Goossen. He barely made it through introducing the memorial 10-count without choking up. They must have been good buddies.

 

Christopher Martin should roll the wraps and put 'em away.

From 2009 until 2011 he began developing a reputation as being an effective upset artist between feather and super bantam despite not having much power or speed or athleticism. He would just outbox guys, staying tall on the outside, using a good busy jab, and executing his tricky defense. He picked up 3-4 quality scalps in that period (including Chris Avalos who just blasted his way through a world title eliminator), although pretty much all of them were plodding sluggers who really gave him what he wanted stylistically. Then he ran into a fellow apple-cart spoiler in tough-as-old-leather Mexican journeyman J.A. Beranza, and has gone a mere 5-4-1 since, losing every time he steps up.

He now looks puffy at 126lbs, and is unable to avoid punches consistently anymore.

I don't mean to disparage Marriaga, who looks a decent prospect with real KO power and nice shot variety & technique (but maybe too rushed in his work, and could improve his aim/accuracy) - but Martin of '09-'11 wouldn't be getting caught with stupid punches like that. His time in the game is up, especially having a good steady full-time job to support his family.