Robson Conceicao dropped a controversial decision against Oscar Valdez in September, but he has another opportunity Saturday to prove he’s a player at 130 pounds.
The winner of the fight between Conceicao and Xavier Martinez (10 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+) will be in line for a title shot later this year in one of boxing’s best weight classes, a high-stakes bout between two promising contenders. Martinez sits just outside ESPN’s top 10 in the division and figures to be ranked with a win (Conceicao is No. 10).
Martinez (17-0, 11 KOs) is undefeated but struggled in a win over Claudio Marrero in 2020 and was forced to survive two knockdowns. Marrero was his toughest opponent to date, but now Martinez steps up to the top level against Conceicao.
