The light welterweight jigsaw will burst open tomorrow. Focus will remain on Gervonta Davis and the showdown with Lamont Roach Jr. But to many, it’s the double suspense that intrigues. An enveloping curiosity: whether Jose Valenzuela and Alberto Puello, the two 140-pound champions, will scrape through their first title defense successfully. For both, it’s an uphill task ahead. Where Valenzuela faces the 100% KO artist Gary Antuanne Russell, Puello has to deal with the hungry and maybe desperate Sandor Martin.

They can barely afford to brush the challenges under the carpet. Between the two – Russell and Martin – the latter’s claim could be widely seen as more persuasive. What makes Sandor Martin’s argument stronger? Having spent over a decade in boxing, the ‘Arrasandor’ finally made it to a title challenge. It’s not an opportunity that comes easy. It will not be one he would let off so easily either. There’s an obvious curiosity to know more about the Spaniard fighter whose last fight in the US mainland occurred two years ago, when he forced the mighty Teofimo Lopez into a recheck, “Do I still have it?” Let’s explore a few details.

Is Sandor Martin Spanish? Ethnicity and nationality

Sandor Martin was born in Barcelona, Spain. The beautiful city, which played host to the 1992 Olympics, is the biggest and most populous city of the autonomous region of Catalonia. Catalans have their own distinct language (Catalan), culture, and historical identity, separate from the broader Spanish identity.

Many Catalans consider themselves part of a unique ethnic group. So going by that reference, Sandor Martin’s ethnicity could be considered Catalan, but all things considered, he is a Spaniard.

Sandor Martin’s religion and background

It’s hard to determine Sandor Martin’s religious beliefs. He doesn’t appear to display any overt religious gestures, such as the sign of the cross. Nor has he shared social media posts that reveal his religious affiliations. However, given that he was born and raised in Spain, where the majority follow Roman Catholicism, it would be reasonable to assume that he identifies as a Christian.

He picked up boxing at an early age. Growing up in Nou Barris, a Barcelona district, he trained at the KO Verdun gym. Trained by his father, Rafa Martin, the 31-year-old dreams of becoming a world champion and creating history, something no one from Catalonia has done before. “For me, it is a challenge to be the best Catalan boxer in history and the first to be world champion. I feel very proud to put my name alongside eminences like Gironès (Josep Gironès (1904-1982),” he told the regional newspaper ‘ARA.’

It was on October 8, 2011, that Sandor Martin made his professional debut. Fighting primarily in his homeland, Spain, Sandor Martin’s first major break came in 2013 when he secured the Spanish light welterweight title. Though he suffered his first defeat later that year, Martin made a strong comeback by 2015 to claim the vacant European Union title.

In 2017, Olympian Anthony Yigit foiled an attempt for the European championship. But determined as ever, Martin came back two years later and finally became a titleholder. The Barcelona-born southpaw grabbed significant attention when he made his US debut in 2021 against former multi-division champion Mikey Garcia.

Despite the challenges that lie ahead, Sandor Martin remains confident. “I have never doubted that I could be world champion at my level. However, I have had doubts about whether I could ever have the opportunity to be one,” he told ‘ARA.’

Tomorrow, as he walks into the ring, Martin will have only one goal: to defeat the unbeaten Puello and put Spain on the boxing map.

Do you think Sandor Martin would inflict Puello’s first ‘L’?