Robert Easter Jr. vs Ryan Martin Preview Feb. 20th
Former IBF Lightweight Champion Robert Easter Jr. of Toledo, Ohio will be taking on Ryan Martin of Akron, Ohio at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut this Saturday, Feb. 20th. The 12-round junior welterweight bout can be seen on Showtime in America while fans in Canada can catch it on TSN 5. Easter last fought in October, 2019 when he beat Adrian Granados by a 10-round unanimous decision. Martin was last in the ring in October when he stopped Hevinson Herrera in 105 seconds.
Easter Jr. vs Martin Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Ryan Martin +550
- Robert Easter Jr. -800
My Pick
The 30-year-old Easter was an alternate of the 2012 American Olympic Team and will enter the ring with a record of 22-1-1 with 14 Kos. He’s a tall lightweight at 5-feet-11-inches tall with a reach of 76 inches, but doesn’t always take advantage of his size. He’s boxed 140 rounds since turning pro back in 2012 and likes to stay active. Easter has pretty good power in his fists with a current knockout ratio of 58.3 per cent, but has been taken the distance in his last seven fights.
Easter possesses good hand speed and doesn’t mind going toe-to-toe when needed. His lone defeat came at the hands of WBC Lightweight Champion Mikey Garcia in 2018 when he dropped a unanimous decision and also lost his IBF Belt. He had originally won the vacant belt 2016 with a split decision over Richard Commey in 2016 after being dropped in the eighth round. Easter’s draw was a 12-round affair with Rances Barthelemy nine months after losing to Garcia in a shot at the vacant IBO and WBA Lightweight Titles.
His biggest wins have been against Granados, Commey, Javier Fortuna and Denis Shafikov and he’s also beaten the likes of Argenis Mendez, Luis Cruz, Juan Roman Solis, Miguel Mendoza, Daniel Attah, Roberto Acevedo, Hardy Paredes and Carlos Cardenas. The wins over Cruz, Shafikov and Fortuna were title defences. He’s a good combination puncher and a fast starter as all 14 of his Kos have come before the sixth round. If Easter has a weakness it’s his defence since he’s not the hardest guy to hit.
As for Ryan ‘Blue Chip’ Martin, he’s 27 years old and owns a near-perfect record of 24-1 with 14 Kos to his name. Like Easter, Martin is also 5-fee-11-inches tall but unfortunately has an unlisted reach. He turned pro back in 2013 and has 114 rounds of experience under his belt. Before, that, Martin enjoyed an extensive amateur career and fought over 200 bouts, reportedly going 202-22 but fell short of making the 2012 American Olympic team by losing on points to the one and only Robert Easter Jr
Martin is promoted by Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson and since turning pro he’s captured the WBC Continental Americas and WBA Inter-Continental Lightweight Belts. His lone defeat as a pro came against Josh Taylor by seventh-round stoppage in November, 2018 for the WBC Silver Super Lightweight Title in the World Boxing Super Series quarterfinal in Glasgow, Scotland.
Other than Breidis Prescott, there aren’t really any other recognizable foes on his list of opponents other than perhaps Carloa Velasquez, Francisco Rojo, Bryant Cruz, and Luis Eduardo Florez. Martin isn’t known as a big banger and currently owns a knockout ratio of 56 per cent. He’s been knocked down as a pro, but still possesses a pretty solid chin.
Prediction…
Martin didn’t live up to the hype when he was stopped by Josh Taylor in the World Boxing Super Series but he’s still just 27 years old and has time to get his career back on track. He should also be motivated since losing to Easter in the amateurs meant he didn’t make the Olympic team. Easter doesn’t always appear to be motivated himself in some bouts but he’s faced better opposition as a pro and has been a world champion. I’m expecting a close fight but I think Easter should do enough to take it.
Easter has more experience and a win over Martin as an amateur.
Play: Easter Jr. -800 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Robert Easter Jr. betting • Ryan Martin betting