Julio Cesar Martinez vacates WBC flyweight title, will move up to 115 pounds

Julio Cesar Martinez has vacated the WBC flyweight title, announcing Wednesday that he will campaign at 115 pounds instead

The 29-year-old Martinez (21-3, 15 knockouts) of Mexico City, Mexico made seven defenses o the belt he won in 2019 with a ninth round stoppage of Cristofer Rosales. His last defense came in March, when he knocked down the previously unbeaten Angelino Cordova twice, winning a majority decision in Las Vegas.

““After careful reflection, I vacated the flyweight title to pursue new opportunities at super flyweight. This step will allow me to continue growing as a boxer and face new challenges. I am very grateful to the WBC for their support throughout my career,” Martinez said in a statement on the WBC website.

Martinez had previously flirted with moving to junior bantamweight, but missed the 115-pound limit by a pound and a half for his fight in March of 2022 against Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez before losing a unanimous decision. Since then Martinez has won three straight.

Martinez had been rated no. 3 by The Ring at 112 pounds, right behind Jesse Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards, respectively.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman tells The Ring that the WBC board will rule on who to sanction for the vacant title “very soon.” The top two contenders for the belt currently are Angel Ayala Lardizabal (17-0, 7 KOs) of Mexico City and former unified minimumweight titleholder Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (38-6-1, 26 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico.

Three of the four belts at 112 pounds are now currently vacant after “Bam” Rodriguez vacated the IBF and WBO titles in order to face Juan Francisco Estrada for the WBC junior bantamweight title on June 29, leaving WBA titleholder Seigo Yuri Akui as the only currently champion at 112 pounds.