An all-action marauder has a chance to reclaim world champion status.
11 fights, all ending in stoppage. Win or lose, former world champion Marko "MMM" Martinjak (9-2, 9KO) always entertains. He employs a very visually pleasing style, his hands are kept low, but very active, peppering with jabs and straights setting up his heavier weapons to arrive unannounced. I’ve also seen on multiple occasions that when presented with a clinch, the Croatian will throw his hands in the air showing the referee, it’s his opponent slowing things down, not him usually getting a separation pretty quickly and getting the action resumed. He’s very light on his feet, constantly moving, demonstrating great cardio, and as a viewer, even when there aren’t punches being thrown, it appears as though something is happening. With his hands constantly moving, his activity level staying high, and given his history of knockouts, you always feel as though he’s on the verge of something catastrophic. Obvious power, accuracy, and activity, everything a fight fan could want.
With a background in gloved boxing, like many, Martinjak was able to reinvent himself as a bare knuckler under the BKB promotion. Although his new line of work wasn’t exactly a welcome one, getting stopped in his debut.
However, “The Emperor” would learn from this loss and make 2017 his year, winning four fights, all by knockout. He would also collect a BKB title in that year before charging into 2018 where he kept his winning streak going with another KO. He would be away from fighting from late 2018 and not compete again until 2022. But he would return in style, and pick up a KO win over Chad Kelly in resounding fashion, one of the best bare knuckle knockouts ever.
Then he would enter a trilogy that has truly defined his career. He would get stopped in the first round against Jerome Hatch, only to respond with two resounding knockouts in back-to-back fights. Having toppled his most noteworthy adversary, Martinjak put up another highlight when he stopped Kevin Greenwood in the first round with another memorable KO.
And now post BYB-BKB Merger, the newly minted super cruiserweight division, will have the vacant title hanging in the balance of the upcoming bout between Martinjak and Brad Scott. Scott isn't nearly as experienced as his foe, but he is still undefeated with a 3-0-1 record. His lone blemish is a draw with Kevin Greenwood, but after that bout, he stopped Martyn Grainger to get back in the win column.
Between these two there are 12 wins, all by KO and only one fight total has gone the distance. Already with a predisposition to knocking people out, factor in the Mighty Trigon of BYB (which almost always results in a knockout on its own) and fans are in for an absolute banger in the main event of BYB 33.
Martinjak and his all-action style has made him not only a fan favourite, but one of the most dangerous bare knucklers on the planet, with a win, given his resume since his return the the sport in 2022, I personally will be pining for him to crack our pound for pound list to get the recognition he deserves. Saturday November 9th, for the BYB Police Gazette Super Cruiserweight World Diamond Belt, Marko Martinjak vs Brad Scott, do not miss it.
Top Photo Courtesy of BYB.
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