Kiko held to shock draw by Declan Geraghty opponent

Former IBF super bantamweight World champion Kiko Martinez suffered a shock draw on Saturday night in Spain.

‘El Sensacion,’ who has fought in Ireland seven times during his career including two fights with Carl Frampton, was held to a split decision draw (78-74, 74-78, 76-76) with Nicaraguan Eusebio Osejo in an eight-round fight in Benidorm.

A veteran of of six World title fights, Martinez was making his comeback following his fifth round stoppage loss to Leo Santa Cruz in February. However it didn’t go to plan against the game Central American, a man who has troubled the likes of Jhonny Gonzalez and Cristian Mijares.

The fight was Osejo’s first bout since his disqualification loss to Dublin’s Declan Geraghty in Liverpool last month. While Geraghty was disappointed following that fight, in which he took a count in the second round, this most recent result certainly colours Geraghty’s performance in a much more impressive light.

Kiko is well-liked here in Ireland, but this draw suggests that he could be a fighter in decline, and perhaps also takes some of the sheen off Santa Cruz’s win.

Despite only being 30, Martinez has had a long career, and it is almost nine years since he announced his arrival on the scene with a one-round demolition of Bernard Dunne in front of a gob-smacked Point Depot crowd.