SAN ANTONIO — Frank Martin returned to the ring Saturday night with the force of a man determined to erase his last performance from memory. And in his first fight at 140 pounds, “The Ghost” delivered exactly that a ruthless knockout win over former two-division champion Rances Barthelemy at the Frost Bank Center.
Frank Martin (19-1, 14 KOs) knocked Barthelemy out cold with a beautifully timed straight left hand late in the fourth round, flattening the 39-year-old veteran on his back and prompting referee James Green to wave the fight off instantly with four seconds remaining in the round.
The victory, featured on the Isaac Cruz–Lamont Roach PPV undercard, marked Martin’s first bout since his knockout loss to Gervonta Davis in June 2024 and served as a loud announcement that he plans on being a real factor at junior welterweight.
Martin wasted no time asserting himself, dropping Barthelemy in the first round and again twice in the fourth before closing the show with the final, devastating blow.
The back-to-back left hands that floored Barthelemy midway through the fourth round set the tone, and the finishing shot moments later removed all doubt that Martin’s move up in weight suits him well. “It felt good,” Martin told PBC’s Brian Campbell. “At 140, I feel a lot more comfortable. I’m stronger, and I still have my speed. I felt better than my prior two fights.”
A Much-Needed Reset at 140 Pounds
Saturday’s win was Frank Martin’s first appearance since Davis handed him the lone loss of his career in Las Vegas. The Detroit-born, Dallas-based southpaw looked noticeably bigger, sturdier, and more confident at junior welterweight.
The transition appears to have injected new momentum into a career that stalled after the Davis defeat.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
