Frank Martin was fully focused on the task at hand. But the very moment he registered his fairly one-sided victory over Michel Rivera, the soon-to-be 28-year-old looked brazenly into the crowd and locked eyes with Rolando “Rolly” Romero before calling him out.

While the highly ranked lightweight contender made his feelings known, in a perfect world, he would rather face Devin Haney for all of the lightweight marbles. However, with Haney currently preoccupied with a looming showdown against Vasiliy Lomachenko, Martin would like to remain active.

Romero, 27, is hoping to eventually put behind the most disappointing night of his professional career. After proudly boasting that he would effortlessly steamroll Gervonta Davis, the loquacious contender was forced to eat his words, courtesy of a Davis left hand.

Since his devastating sixth-round stoppage defeat, Romero has urged Davis to face him in an immediate rematch, something the Baltimore native has openly dismissed.

With his name and star power reaching its crescendo, Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) remains focused on attracting some of the more bigger names in the ring. And while Errol Spence Jr., Martin’s promoter, understands where he’s coming from, he believes that a showdown against Romero isn’t the path that his fighter should go down.

“Don’t call out Rolly no more,” said Spence to Martin following his victory. “He’s a tuneup.”

Well before the pugnacious puncher suffered defeat at the hands of Davis, Spence never thought highly of his skills and antics. Even now, despite campaigning two weight classes apart, Romero (14-1, 12 KOs) has admitted that he would love nothing more than to face the current unified welterweight champion.

Romero’s wishes, of course, are unlikely to come true as Spence considers him nothing more than a simple tuneup as well. Instead, the 32-year-old will continue to sift through a sea of welterweight contenders as he inches closer to his return to the ring.