Third time is a charm for Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez, who headline this Saturday at Belfast’s Odyssey Arena for the Spaniard’s European super-bantamweight title.
Barry McGuigan’s charge has won his first 15 professional fights with 10 knockouts along the way, but his attempt to make the next career step has twice been delayed by injuries sustained by Martinez.
The frustration was on display at the pre-fight media day as the two engaged in a war of words which promises to spill into their title fight, but the first signs of bad blood came in interviews given by each fighter in previous weeks.
“Waiting has really frustrated me,” said Frampton. “The first time he pulled out with about 10 days’ notice, the second time he was kind enough to give us five weeks to get another opponent.
“It has frustrated me that it has taken until now for it to happen. I believe I could have been European champion when I was originally meant to fight him in my 11th fight, but it is just going to be worse for him because I am a better fighter than I was then and he is going to be in for a world of pain.
“It is a big fight, a big chance for me to look good, with his European title on the line and my IBF Intercontinental title too.
“It has been a long time coming and I am excited about it, I can’t wait, I think it is going to be a great crowd who will make a lot of noise in the Odyssey.”
Martinez said: “I feel I will win by knockout, or they’ll stop the fight cause of the beating I’m going to put on him - that’s how I see it in my mind.
“I don’t worry about the judges. This is a great country for boxing, it’s a serious title up for grabs and it’s not Germany or France. They know about boxing here and the judges will be fair.
“I think Frampton will try to run, I think he’ll box and he won’t go toe-to-toe. I know I’m a lot stronger than him. When I’m in the ring with him, he won’t want to fight with me. He knows it, his corner knows it and all of Ireland knows it.
“I think (previous Frampton opponent) Steve Molitor didn't have a lot of time to prepare for that fight, and he didn't really want to fight any more.
“It was easy for Frampton and Molitor wasn't the fighter that he was in the past. Belfast fans know their boxing, they're not stupid and they would be of the same opinion as me.
“I'm glad to be fighting in Belfast, people will recognise me more over there for the champion that I am, and they like my style. They know me well and boxing is big there, much bigger than in Spain.
“This fight is taking place where it really should be, in Ireland. This is going to be a big fight for all of Europe.”
Despite Martinez’s support of the fight’s location, it was only a matter of time before the champion underscored just who had the home crowd and who was willing to travel for the contest, a topic which sparked hostilities at the press conference.
‘The Jackal’ had a rebuttal for the Spaniard before their face-to-face, however...
“I will bite my tongue and we will see on fight night, I will let my fists do the talking,” said Frampton.
“It is going to be a tough night for him. I just say that he needs to remember that he pulled out of me twice. He sounds a bit like a desperate man to be honest; he is predicted all of these things and making these bold statements.
“I think that he only has one style, which is come forward and be aggressive. He is a big puncher and he is dangerous but I think I can box off the back foot, I can out fight this guy if I want, I can stand and trade with him, I can outman him, I can outpunch him.
“I am very confident, I am always confident in my own ability, I go into every fight believing that I can win and there is no difference with this one. I have trained really, really hard for this fight.
“I have had a long camp, we have done probably 200 rounds of sparring, I am in the best shape I have ever been in and I need it to be like that because I know it is going to be a really tough one.
“An impressive win could make the boys at the top of the division stand up and take notice. I am not looking past Martinez; he is a better fighter than he has been in the last few years.
“He has been in America training for this, taking it seriously. But he is not going to suddenly turn into Sugar Ray Leonard having been in America for a few months.
“It will be the same Kiko Martinez, a little bit sharper and a little bit fitter but I am 100 per cent confident that I am going to get the win here.
“I am better in every department. He sees himself as a big puncher but I believe I am a bigger puncher, I don’t think he has been hit by anybody who can punch harder than me.
“I think I am a better boxer than him, I can outfight him, in every single department I am a bit better than this guy and I will prove it on Saturday.”
Frampton is a fighter fast earning a strong reputation and in a sport defined every bit as much by characters and rivalries as it is by wins and performances, the Martinez hostilities could elevate the Northern Irishman more than the title would, if he succeeds.