The 130-pound title picture will crystallize Saturday evening at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, as the unbeaten Xavier Martinez (17-0, 11 KOs) battles recent world title challenger Robson Conceicao (16-1, 8 KOs) in a 10-round WBC title eliminator. (photos by Mikey Williams)
Conceicao is coming off last September's valiant challenge of WBC world champion Oscar Valdez in Tucson, Arizona. Valdez rallied late to edge the unanimous decision. Martinez grinded out decisions over veterans Claudio Marrero and Juan Carlos Burgos in his last two outings, ample preparation for his Top Rank debut.
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In the 10-round junior lightweight co-feature, Mexican knockout artist Rene Tellez Giron will battle rising Puerto Rican star Luis Melendez. Conceicao-Martinez and Melendez-Giron will be televised live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
The undercard — streaming live on ESPN+ starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT — includes Tulsa-born heavyweight Jeremiah Milton (3-0, 3 KOs) and middleweight Nico Ali Walsh (3-0, 2 KOs) in four-rounders.
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