Boxing: Former bantamweight champion Martin Power to take on Ashley Sexton for the Commonwealth title
Published: 27 January, 2011
by STEVE BARNETT
FORMER British bantamweight champion Martin “Too Much” Power returns to the ring for only the second time in more than a year next Saturday when he takes on Ashley Sexton in an eliminator for the Commonwealth title.
The Castlehaven Road-based fighter, who turns 31 on Valentine’s Day, is dropping down to super flyweight for the six-round showdown, which will be held at Brentwood Leisure Centre in Essex.
Martin has once again made St Pancras Amateur Boxing Club in Kentish Town his second home as he prepares for the fight under the guidance of trainer CJ Hussein.
There are easier ways to make a return than taking on unbeaten 23-year-old “Flash Ash”, but the father-of-two is ready and raring to go and confident he will once again reign in the ring.
“I know Ashley really well and we have sparred together quite a lot.
I considered him a mate until I heard he was bad-mouthing me behind my back. He was telling people he put me over in sparring, which is rubbish.
“I know a lot about him boxing-wise, and all I can say is I’ve never looked forward to a fight so much in my career.”
To say that Martin has endured a roller-coaster of a ride since he last stepped in the ring would be an understatement. The lowest point came when his mother Nellie sadly passed away in September. On the day of her funeral his brother Sean became a father for the first time with a little girl, who was named after their mum.
Within weeks Martin married his long-term girlfriend, Karen with whom he has a three-year-old son, Martin junior, and an 18-month-old daughter, Muryn.
Martin said: “We had pushed the wedding forward so that my mother could be there, but unfortunately she didn’t make it. On the day she died she gave me her blessing, so we went ahead with the wedding in October. Getting married was one of the best days of my life.
“The past year has been crazy. My mother supported me 100 per cent. Sometimes when I’m training I think of her and it really spurs me on and I push myself harder.
“She was such a strong woman, a real fighter. She wouldn’t have wanted to see me moping around, she’d have wanted me to pick myself up and get on with things.”