WBC Interim Super Middleweight World Champion Lester Martinez will make his first title defense against undefeated 2020 Olympian Luka Plantic this Saturday, August 29 at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. Martinez has had quite the journey from the 11-year-old who first tried out the sweet science, and he has certainly benefitted from a familiar face who has been with him every step of the way. Coach Hector Arreola first met a 12-year-old Martinez at a boxing talent scouting event in the youngster’s hometown of San Benito, Peten, Guatemala. Coach Arreola quickly saw talent in Martinez, and got him involved in an amateur boxing program in a nearby department, Izabal, in Guatemala.
Martinez went on to have a highly successful amateur career on the Guatemalan National Team, winning a silver medal at the 2012 Youth World Championships, defeating two-time Olympic champion Arlen Lopez in international competition, and making a run at the two Olympic teams before turning professional in 2019. He is now 20-0-1 as a professional and the first Guatemalan boxer to win a piece of a major sanctioning body world title. Every step of the way, Coach Arreola has been by his side, just as he will be on Saturday night. Martinez and Arreola arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday to undergo final preparations and fight week festivities for his August 29 bout.
Arreola joined forces with the world class training team of Brian “BoMac” McIntyre, Esau Dieguez and Red Spikes in 2023, but has been the key piece of Martinez’s coaching staff since the start.
While they were completing Martinez’s preparatory training camp in Colorado Springs, Coach Arreola wrote the article below to describe the importance of Martinez’s journey, his impact on his beloved home country and the inspiration Martinez is providing to others.
“TALENT DOESN’T ASK FOR A PASSPORT”
The story of Lester Martínez, as told by Lester’s head coach, Hector Arreola
They say talent can’t be improvised—that not just anyone is born with the spark and discipline required to reach the top. But if my years inside the squared circle have taught me anything, it’s that true talent can come from anywhere, regardless of the odds or the history stacked against it. Lester Martínez is living proof of that truth.
Guatemala is not traditionally known as a boxing powerhouse. In fact, professional boxing in our country is still in its infancy; it has been barely eight years since we began taking structured steps into the prizefighting world. Throughout the last century, there were isolated attempts and sporadic bouts, but the harsh reality remained: a professional boxing victory had never been recorded on Guatemalan soil. History only began to be rewritten in 2019.
That April marked a definitive turning point. Lester stepped into the ring for his professional debut against none other than former world champion Ricardo Mayorga. Many thought it was madness, but in the second round, Lester showed what he was made of by knocking out the Nicaraguan veteran—igniting a spark that no one could put out.
From that point on, the road was anything but easy. We embarked on a grueling journey through Mexico—the undisputed heartland of Latin American boxing—building his skills and earning respect fight by fight. Then came the leap to major cards in the United States, taking on world-class opponents. Today, seeing Lester established as the WBC Interim Super Middleweight World Champion is more than just an athletic achievement; it is a testament to relentless hard work.
As his longtime coach, witnessing this evolution firsthand fills me with indescribable pride, but I know this means far more than a belt or gym success. Guatemala is a resilient country, yet one historically battered by natural disasters, political corruption, and bitter disappointments in its most beloved sport, soccer. For the millions of Guatemalans living both at home and abroad, Lester represents something far greater.
In a sport as brutal, lonely, and demanding as professional boxing, seeing one of our own stand among the elite restores faith. Lester doesn’t just prove that world-class talent exists in Guatemala; he serves as a powerful reminder that no matter where you come from, with the right preparation, you can rewrite history.
Tickets are on sale now for the highly anticipated WBC Interim super middleweight title fight between champion Lester Martinez of Guatemala City, Guatemala and challenger Luka “The Thunder” Plantic, 13-0 (10 KOs), of Zagreb, Croatia, August 29 at the USC Galen Center in Los Angeles. The 12-round main event tops an exciting and full card from ProBox Promotions.
Tickets, starting at $50 + fees, are now available through the USC Galen Center Event Page, through ProBox TV Tickets, or 24 hours a day by phone: 1-833-550-6452. Ticket buyers from outside of the United States should call (213) 740-4672 to purchase their tickets.
