Marc Vidal Sanz vs. Francisco "Kiko" Martínez Sánchez

May 19th in Elx, Baix Vinalopó, Spain, headlining a Maravillabox Promotions card. Euro featherweight title on the line, 2nd defense of Vidal.

Kiko is currently on a very strange run of losing exactly once in each calendar year, to a top-rated elite (Carl Frampton in 2013 & 2014, Scott Quigg in 2015, Léodegario Santa Cruz in 2016, and finally Josh Warrington in 2017) - and winning a bunch of fights, mostly by KO, in between. So the question at hand is where does Vidal fit in - among the C to B- rabble that gets flattened by Kiko or - despite hitherto obscurity - the A-listers that outclass him, or will he occupy that rare middle niche like solid Nicaraguan-Cataluñense journeyman Eusebio Osejo, who drew with Kiko in an 8-rounder directly after the loss to LSC?

 

Marc Vidal Sanz vs. Sergio Prado last January for the more regionally subdivided European Union featherweight title:

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Marc Vidal Sanz vs. Sergio Blanco last July for the full Euro title:

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Both of these, comprising the biggest fights of Vidal's career to date thus far, were split decisions - as have been two of his four draws (in only 16 bouts).

Kiko vs. Franklin Varela from last July:

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Kiko vs. Lorenzo Parra from last August:

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Hmm...while it appears that Kiko is flabby & sluggish these days, he is still heavy-handed & tough as nails with a mean streak. These qualities should be advantageous in the infighting battle of attrition that seems inevitable considering how easily Vidal seems baited into close-quarter trench warfare, and with his being dropped by domestic no-marks you have to lean Kiko by KO.

 

If successful this would be Kiko's first Euro title grab in eight years (when he reclaimed the vacant EBU belt at super bantam against Jason Booth) - and his first was eleven years ago, when he violently dethroned previously unbeaten Bernard Dunne! You'd think he'd be older than just 32 based on how long-term a fixture he is on the scene.

 

Yes, a record that has stood intact since my infancy!

 

Kiko has a huge profile in the UK, probably more famous in that country than his own.

 

...but, guessing you'd have Selby defeating K-Mart?