Kiko 2.0 – Jose Felix Jr thankful for Irish love
Jose Felix Jr suggests he is Kiko Martinez mark 2 going into his eagerly anticipated clash with Lewis Crocker at the Ulster Hall this weekend.
The Mexican hasn’t come to Belfast comparing himself to the former world champion but he does indicate he has key similarities to ‘Mini Tyson’ – and indirectly suggests he can forge a similar legacy.
The now-retired Martinez had a habit of upsetting or – at the very least – testing Matchroom fighters with Jordan Gill and Kid Galahad two of the more high-profile scalps on his resume.
What’s more, from his bouts with Bernard Dunne, fights in Ireland, and his Carl Frampton history, the Alicante native won Irish hearts to become our favourite away fighter.
Felix feels he could be similar.
The big-punching Sinaloa native already has a Matchroom name on his record, courtesy of his win over Gary Cully in May – and is plotting another when he faces Crocker in Belfast this Saturday night.
The 31-year-old also claims he has a massive Irish following. In fact, he says he has more fans in Belfast than his homeland.
“I have to thank the people of Ireland for their support. It is almost as if I have more supporters in Belfast than I have in Mexico so I thank God for that also,” he said in the Europa Hotel on Thursday.
“I love this city, I love these people. I feel like I’m in Mexico and I feel like I’ve got the support, so I’m very grateful to the people here.”
Speaking about his upset capabilities, he claims Matchroom haven’t learnt from what he believes was an error of judgment in May.
“Picking me the first time was a mistake, a mistake they haven’t learnt from. First Gary Cully, now I’ll beat Lewis Crocker,” he adds before promising to make Eddie Hearn sign him to Matchroom.
“I’m going to put on a better show this time so that Eddie Hearn gets to see me win and gets to see that I’m the next star of Matchroom.”
A lot has been made of the fact Felix Jr, who also fought Crocker’s last foe Tyrone McKenna in a Féile war, moves up to weights to fight the heavy-handed Belfast man.
However, he claims that’s a massive positive.
“I think this fight will be a really interesting fight because when I fought Cully it was a real battle for me to get down to that weight. The main battle I had was with making weight more than anything. This time I’m fighting at 147, I’m much more prepared. This time there won’t be that pressure to make the weight. My battle was with the scales on that occasion but this time I think that will work to my advantage.”
