VETERAN boxer Carlo Demecillo is set to face undefeated rising star Carl Jammes Martin in a much-anticipated showdown on May 16, 2026, in Taguig, Metro Manila.
According to Big Yellow Boxing Gym head coach Christopher Tepora, the bout is already agreed upon, although a few final details are still being worked out.
“This should be a 50-50 fight. Martin is good, but Carlo is a veteran who has fought elite opponents,” Tepora said.
Demecillo, 29, comes from a family of boxers and has built his reputation by facing top-level fighters in the super-bantamweight division. He once held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia-Pacific Youth bantamweight title.
Throughout his career, he has faced strong opponents such as Tasna Salapat, Sho Ishida, Arthur Villanueva, Satoshi Shimizu, and Hisashi Amagasa. He also holds wins over fighters like Virgel Vitor, Jess Rhey Waminal, Justine Darap, and Bryl Bayogos.
Tepora believes Demecillo is fully prepared for the challenge.
“I can promise everyone that Carlo will give Martin a good fight. We are training hard and he has been sparring with strong partners,” he added.
On the other hand, Martin remains one of the most exciting young boxers in the Philippines. The 26-year-old is still unbeaten with a perfect professional record and is waiting for a possible world title shot in the super-bantamweight division.
He is currently ranked No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), just behind Junto Nakatani, while reigning champion Naoya Inoue holds all the major belts in the division.
Martin had a strong year last season, winning two fights by unanimous decision against former world title challenger Aran Dipaen and Francisco Pedroza.
Demecillo enters the bout with a record of 19 wins, 12 losses, and 2 draws, with 11 knockouts. Martin, meanwhile, remains undefeated at 27-0 with 20 knockouts — setting up an exciting clash between experience and youth in Taguig. / EKA
