Martinez scores knockout in return from retirement

Kiko Martinez and Sergio Garcia picked up wins on the undercard

Former middleweight kingpin Sergio Martinez’s return to the ring was, thankfully, not the disaster we feared. “Maravilla” successfully ended his six-year retirement earlier today with a seventh-round finish of journeyman Jose Miguel Fandino.

The 45-year-old Martinez (52-3-2, 29 KO), out of action since falling to Miguel Cotto in heartbreaking fashion, showed that he can still deliver some nasty combinations. He managed to drop Fandino (15-7, 8 KO) in the sixth round before ultimately putting him away with a straight left to the body.

While Martinez proved himself superior to BoxRec’s 161st-ranked middleweight, one would hope that he doesn’t pursue any of the current division elite. That said, Oscar De La Hoya just announced his own comeback, so maybe those two can get this out of their systems against one another.

The card also saw Kiko Martinez and Sergio Garcia pick up victories over their designated victims; Martinez stopped Noe Martinez Raygoza in three, while Euro champ Garcia went the distance against Pablo Mendoza.