Kiko Martínez says he’s more popular in Ireland than his native Spain as he prepares to defend his IBF lightweight world title against Josh Warrington tonight.
The Torrellano native defends the belt for the first time after shocking Kid Galahad in Sheffield in November with a sixth-round knockout.
36-year-old Martínez has a long relationship with the Emerald Isle dating back to his 2007 clash with Bernard Dunne, which saw him seal the European super-bantamweight title.
Martínez stunned Dunne with three knockdowns inside the opening 90 seconds as the referee was forced to end the fight at what was then the Point Theatre.
La Sensación took the belt back to Spain but it would be far from his last visit to Ireland as promoters Brian Peters and Pat Magee would take him back on several occasions.
He beat Ghanaian Lante Addy and Romanian Gheorghe Ghiompirica in Dublin the following year before twice facing Carl Frampton in Belfast.
The second defeat, in 2014, saw Frampton pick up his first world title as Martínez relinquished his IBF super-bantamweight crown.
But Martínez had long since earned his stripes with the Irish boxing public and he says he’s still more famous here than in his home country.
“Ireland is honestly very special for me. I love being able to walk down the street in Ireland and men, women and kids ask me for a photo,” Martinez told the Guardian.
“I now have a lot of good friends in Ireland – Frampton, [Michael] Conlan, Bernard Dunne and the promoters. There’s so much history between me and the Irish. Without doubt, I’m more popular in Ireland than in Spain.
“I was always treated very well and everyone has always known more about me in Ireland than say Madrid or Barcelona.
“I think it’s because of their knowledge and love of the sport of boxing. It was always an honour to go to Ireland to fight and feel so loved.”
Martínez is once again the away fighter against the hometown hero as he takes on Warrington in Leeds for the second time tonight, having lost by majority decision when they last met there in 2017.
“The only way I can win is being true to myself, being the same Kiko Martínez I have always been," the understated Martínez said.
"I need to forget about everything going on in the background: the hype, the atmosphere and the city I am fighting in. At some point, it will be me and Warrington alone in a ring. That’s all that matters.”
