McWilliams vows to be magnifico against master blaster “Rey” Martinez + WBC STATS

By James Blears

A Green and Gold festivity, or alternately a winter of discontent faces vintage Puerto Rican veteran McWilliams Arroyo, against Mexico`s “Mini Marciano” Julio Cesar “Rey” Martinez, the WBC flyweight champion on November 19th at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Aged thirty five, McWilliams (21-4, 16 KO`s) is nine years older than the champion. This is his third try for a world title and time is running out to emulate his Twin brother McJoe who was a world champion. McWilliams couldn`t have picked a more daunting Macbeth of a challenge. Rey Martinez tends to be shorter than his opponents, but what he lacks in height, he invariably makes up for in heavy handed punching power. In that department he doesn`t come up short.

Good things sometimes come in smaller packages. A reporter once told Jack Dempsey that most of his opponents were taller than him. The “Manassa Mauler,” begged to differ, stressing they looked much smaller, once they were flat on their backs!

Not only can Rey dish it up, he can also dish it out, in the hallowed and furrowed tradition of the big punchers! As the late great boxing writer of the London Evening Standard and ITV commentator Reg Gutteridge wryly and drily observed about the less than huge Rocky Marciano: “He may have heaved his punches like cobble stones, but he made every one count!”

Fond of softening up his opponents with an eye watering body attack, before moving in to end the night`s fight, Rey is a ruthlessly efficient KO artist, who possesses the power and the unforgiving relentlessness of a crushing wrecking ball. In the vogue of Joe Frazier, he too has that power to demolish the walls of cities and citadels. But… McWilliams will certainly not be a static target. He`ll use all means and ways, plus accumulated savvy at his disposal to display his proven boxing skills, as the cornerstone foundation of his strategy.

Rey`s only defeat was in his career debut against Joaquin Cruz with a close split decision loss. Since then he`s never looked back. He graduated in his seventh fight by defeating Edgar Sosa by UD. Fouteeen of his twenty two fights haven`t gone the distance, with one no contest.

Rey who`s from the world famous boxing cradle of Tepito, invariably does altitude training in the chilly climes of the Otomi Ceremonial Center to gain plenty of puff. At a WBC Martes a Café in the Rail Workers Union Headquarters in the heart of Mexico City, a reporter asked Charlie Edwards over the airwaves, where he was doing his altitude training? Charlie was stumped.

Rey seems to have a penchant for battering Brits. He KO`d Andrew Selby from Wales, then he dropped WBC flyweight champion Charlie Edwards with an avalanche of blows, but couldn`t hold back his momentum, landing a punch while Charles was down on his haunches. So, it was declared a no contest and Rey had to regroup for his WBC title opportunity all over again. Charlie vacated the title to move up to super fly, and so Rey fought and overcame tough and talented ex- champion Cristopher Rosales. Referee Raul Caiz stepped in to stop it in the ninth.

In defense number one, Julio Cesar went to town on Welshman Jay Harris, who bravely stayed on his feet to lose a UD, after withstanding a fearsome onslaught. Jay was cut over the left eye in the second and dropped in the tenth, but toughed it out to go the full distance.

Rey was due to fight Maximino Flores in his second defense, but four days before the fight, Flores tested positive for covid. Moises Calleros stepped in at less than week of notice. He was unable to make the weight and came in at 117.4 pounds, which was 5.4 lbs over the category limit. He was dispatched in two brief rounds at the 2.42 mark.

JC was due for his third defense against Francisco Rodriguez Jr, but had to withdraw due to illness, which wasn`t covid related.

The scheduled fight with McWilliams was lined up for February 27th this year, but misfortune struck again. JC suffered a fracture to his right hand in sparring, which then swelled up. He pleaded to go ahead, but this wasn`t possible.

He recovered well and fought Jose Cordova on June 26th, winning via a sixth round TKO. So, now we`re looking forward to his battle against McWilliams, who stayed busy to win the vacant WBC Interim title, stopping Abraham Rodriguez in the fifth with a TKO.

Julio Cesar is as fearless as he is fearsome during the business at hand. He often signs off in press conferences with a carefree laugh promising: “With everything except fear.”

Rey has said and he`s repeated that he wants to become a unified champion, before moving onwards and upwards to the super flyweight division. But he certainly won`t be overlooking McWilliams, who a while back, showed quality in defeating Carlos Cuadras for the WBC Silver super Flyweight title.

Although McWilliams lost a UD to Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez for the WBC flyweight title, he put up a very good account of himself. He also lost to Kazuto Ioka for the WBC Silver super fly belt and Amnat Ruenroeng for the IBF flyweight title.

Carlos Buitrago twice dropped him, but McWilliams got up each time and won a UD, successfully defending his WBO Latino flyweight title. In his pro career McWilliams has yet to be stopped. He is a smart, wily skilled and accomplished boxer, and he`s durable. His ability to slip and also withstand punches will be exactingly tested against a younger, fresher champion, who`s ruthless…aren`t they all?

McWilliams insists he retains the gnawing hunger plus ambition to go all the way, and has worked for this fight as never before.

Rey`s boxing sometimes displays a rough edge rudimentary lack of finesse, but he more than makes up for this with awesome chopping block power. McWilliams has the ability and the potential to outbox him, but only if he can utilize all of his skills to blunt that ferocious attack.

WBC STATS

WBC Flyweight World Championship
November 19, 2021 / Manchester, England, United Kingdom / SNHU Arena

MATCHROOM BOXING PRESENTS:

JULIO CESAR “El Rey” MARTINEZ (Mexico)
WBC Flyweight World Champion / 4th Title Defense
Age: 26 / Date of birth: January 17, 1995
Residence, birthplace: Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Record: 18-1, 1 NC, 14 KOs / Total rounds: 86
World championship fights: 4-0, 1 NC, 3 KOs
Height: 5’2″ – 157cm / Reach: 64″ – 163cm / Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Eddy Reynoso / Trainer: Mauricio Aceves

McWILLIAMS ARROYO (Puerto Rico)
WBC Interim Flyweight Champion
Age: 35 / Date of birth: December 5, 1985
Residence: Fajardo, Puerto Rico / Birthplace: Ceiba, Puerto Rico
Record: 21-4, 16 KOs / Total rounds: 140
Height: 5’4″ – 163cm / Reach: 64″ – 163cm / Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Orlando Piñero / Trainer: Anthony Otero

WBC FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Pone Kingpetch (Thai) 1963
2. Hiroyuki Ebihara (Jap) 1963 – 1964
3. Pone Kingpetch (Thai) * 1964 – 1965
4. Salvatore Burruni (Italy) 1965 – 1966
5. Walter McGowan (GB) 1966
6. Chartchai Chionoi (Thai) 1966 – 1969
7. Efren Torres (Mex) 1969 – 1970
8. Chartchai Chionoi (Thai) * 1970
9. Erbito Salavarria (Phil) 1970 – 1971
10. Betulio Gonzalez (Ven) 1972
11. Venice Borkorsor (Thai) 1972 – 1973
12. Betulio Gonzalez (Ven) * 1973 – 1974
13. Shoji Oguma (Jap) 1974 – 1975
14. Miguel Canto (Mex) 1975 – 1979
15. Chan-Hee Park (Kor) 1979 – 1980
16. Shoji Oguma (Japan) * 1980 – 1981
17. Antonio Avelar (Mex) 1981 – 1982
18. Prudencio Cardona (Col) 1982
19. Freddie Castillo (Mex) 1982
20. Eleoncio Mercedes (DR) 1982 – 1983
21. Charlie Magri (GB) 1983
22. Frank Cedeño (Phil) 1983 – 1984
23. Koji Kobayashi (Jap) 1984
24. Gabriel Bernal (Mex) 1984
25. Sot Chitalada (Thai) 1984 – 1988
26. Yong-Kang Kim (Kor) 1988 – 1989
27. Sot Chitalada (Thai) * 1989 – 1991
28. Muangchai Kittikasem (Thai) 1991 – 1992
29. Yuri Arbachakov (Russia) 1992 – 1996
30. Chatchai Sasakul (Thai) 1997 – 1998
31. Manny Pacquiao (Phil) 1998 – 1999
32. Medgoen Singsurat (Thai) 1999 – 2000
33. Malcolm Tunacao (Phil) 2000 – 2001
34. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (Thai) 2001 – 2007
35. Jorge Arce (Mexico) (Interim) 2005 – 2006
36. Daisuke Naito (Japan) 2007 – 2009
37. P. Wonjongkam (Thai) (Interim) * 2009
38. Koki Kameda (Japan) 2009 – 2010
39. Pong. Wonjongkam (Thai) * 2010 – 2012
40. Sonny Boy Jaro (Phil) 2012
41. Toshiyuki Igarashi (Japan) 2012 – 2013
42. Akira Yaegashi (Japan) 2013 – 2014
43. Roman Gonzalez (Nic) 2014 – 2016
44. Juan Hernandez (Mexico) 2017
45. Daigo Higa (Japan) 2017 – 2018
46. Cristofer Rosales (Nic) 2018
47. Charlie Edwards (GB) 2018 – 2019
48. Julio Cesar Martinez (Mexico) 2019 –
*Regained
WBC TOP 10 FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Miguel Canto (Mexico)
2. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (Thailand)
3. Chartchai Chionoi (Thailand)
4. Efren Torres (Mexico)
5. Yuri Arbachakov (Russia)
6. Roman Gonzalez (Nicaragua)
7. Sot Chitalada (Thailand)
8. Akira Yaegashi (Japan)
9. Betulio Gonzalez (Venezuela)
10. Shoji Oguma (Japan)

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE FLYWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY
42 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, of whom only six have regained the title: Pone Kingpetch (Thailand), Chartchai Chionoi (Thailand), Betulio Gonzalez (Venezuela), Shoji Oguma (Japan), Sot Chitalada (Thailand), Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (Thailand).

152 flyweight world championship bouts have been held in WBC history.
MEMORABLE WBC FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS:
June 26, 2021 Julio Cesar Martinez TKO6 Joel Cordova – Guadalajara, Jalisco
Oct. 23, 2020 Julio Cesar Martinez TKO2 Moises Calleros – Mexico City, Distrito Federal
Dec. 20, 2019 Julio Cesar Martinez TKO9 Cristofer Rosales – Phoenix, Arizona
Dec. 22, 2018 Charlie Edwards W12 Cristofer Rosales – London, England
Apr. 15, 2018 Cristofer Rosales TKO9 Daigo Higa – Kanagawa, Japan
May 20, 2017 Daigo Higa TKO6 Juan Hernandez – Tokyo, Japan
Apr. 23, 2016 Roman Gonzalez W12 McWilliams Arroyo – Inglewood, California
Sep. 5, 2014 Roman Gonzalez TKO9 Akira Yaegashi – Tokyo, Japan
Apr. 8, 2013 Akira Yaegashi W12 Toshiyuki Igarashi – Tokyo, Japan
Mar. 27, 2010 Pongsaklek Wonjongkam W12 Koki Kameda – Tokyo, Japan
Nov. 29, 2009 Koki Kameda W12 Daisuke Naito – Saitama, Japan
July 18, 2007 Daisuke Naito W12 Pongsaklek Wonjongkam – Tokyo, Japan
July 30, 2005 Jorge Arce TKO3 Angel Priolo – La Paz, Baja California
Mar. 2, 2001 Pongsaklek Wonjongkam TKO1 Malcolm Tunacao – Phichit, Thailand
Sep. 17, 1999 Boonsai Sansurat TKO3 Manny Pacquiao – Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
Dec. 4, 1998 Manny Pacquiao KO8 Chatchai Sasakul – Phuttamonthon, Thailand
May 9, 1997 Chatchai Sasakul W12 Ysaias Zamudio – Bangkok, Thailand
June 23, 1992 Yuri Arbachakov KO8 Muangchai Kittikasem – Tokyo, Japan
Feb. 15, 1991 Muangchai Kittikasem TKO6 Sot Chitalada – Ayutthaya, Thailand
Oct. 8, 1984 Sot Chitalada W12 Gabriel Bernal – Bangkok, Thailand
Mar. 15, 1983 Charlie Magri TKO7 Eleoncio Mercedes – London, England
May 18, 1980 Shoji Oguma KO9 Chan-Hee Park – Seoul, Korea
Jan. 8, 1975 Miguel Canto W15 Shoji Oguma – Sendai, Japan
Aug. 4, 1973 Betulio Gonzalez W15 Miguel Canto – Maracaibo, Venezuela
Feb. 23, 1969 Efren Torres TKO8 Chartchai Chionoi – Mexico City, Distrito Federal
Dec. 30, 1966 Chartchai Chionoi TKO9 Walter McGowan – Bangkok, Thailand
Sep. 18, 1963 Pone Kingpetch KO1 Hiroyuki Ebihara – Tokyo, Japan

WBC Statistics by Luis Medina./table>