Martin acknowledged that he and Hitchins have exchanged words previously, but emphasized that their competitive relationship is grounded in positioning reasonably than hostility. That distinction matters in a division where undefeated fighters often circle one another publicly without committing to a collision.
“That’s what I would like,” Martin said to Lalos Boxing when asked about facing Hitchins. “We didn’t have words. The primary time we bumped into one another afterwards. Then we saw one another again and had words. But I feel like that’s going to be a cordial sort of match. Each time we do fight, it’ll be cordial. We’re going to speak and do all that. But on my end, ain’t no animosity.”
Skilled Path Forward
Martin’s language reflected acceptance reasonably than provocation. He didn’t frame Hitchins as a private threat or goal, but as an opponent whose position makes the fight a logical step. Fighters who expect to stay within the title picture typically begin identifying peers they see as a part of their competitive path, and Martin’s willingness to talk openly about Hitchins signaled that he views the matchup as realistic reasonably than hypothetical.
The timing reinforces that interpretation. Hitchins continues to construct his standing while Martin works to stabilize his own position following his first skilled defeat. Each fighters occupy similar competitive territory, where victories against credible opposition determine who moves closer to a championship opportunity.
Martin’s focus remained grounded in performance reasonably than rivalry. He described his recent work in camp as a continuation of the adjustments that allowed him to regain his form following his loss, emphasizing that his priority is maintaining his level reasonably than reacting emotionally to potential opponents.
“It just got to be in a man,” Martin said. “Some guys can lose and never come back from it. I took a loss. My bounce back game can be lots more crazy.”
Martin faces Albright on Saturday, a fight that serves as his immediate test. His acknowledgment of Hitchins because the opponent he wants next revealed how he views his own trajectory, identifying the contender he expects to come across as he works to reestablish himself within the division’s upper tier.