LAS VEGAS – Frank Martin apologized to his team post-fight, having come up short and been stopped in eight rounds by Gervonta Davis.
Detroit’s Martin lost for the first time in his career, at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand, with the southpaw 18-1 (12 KOs). Despite a decent start, Davis eventually caught up with him.
“I let my people down,” Martin said. “At the end of the day, I came out to be great, but I came up short. I got caught with a shot that I didn’t see. One that came underneath and it went from there.
“I’ll be back better. Watch film and grow.
“I got to chillin’ too much on the ropes. Derrick [James, my trainer] – that’s one he’s been talking to me about in training camp for a while, not getting comfortable just because I can catch shots and this and that. I just feel I was on the ropes too much.”
Martin knew Davis well having sparred him years ago, and he gave the WBA lightweight champion from Baltimore plenty of credit.
“He got power,” he added. “He does a great job landing that shot, hitting guys on the button and just getting them out of there because he’s an accurate puncher and he knows how to land that shot.
“He’s got good traps; good set ups; good traps. The trap I got caught with was one we knew could happen. He can box, he can punch, he’s adaptable and I feel he can adapt to a lot of different styles.”
Martin regardless said his evening unravelled because he failed to stick to his own strategy and got drawn into Davis’ game.
“I got away from the game plan by being on the ropes too much,” he said. “That wasn’t the part of the game plan. Derrick didn’t want me on the ropes. I was trying to see something while I was on the ropes, I just wasn’t able to find what I was looking for.”