Martin: I’m bringing devastation

As former heavyweight titleholder Charles Martin (25-1-1, 23 KOs) prepares to return to the ring against Adam Kownacki (17-0, 14 KOs) in just a couple of weeks, Martin tells Sky Sports that he’s been preparing himself for this moment and that he expects to make some noise in the division.

“I’ll come in to make a statement. I’m bringing devastation,” Martin said.

Martin, 32, is just two low-level fights removed from his swift title loss to Anthony Joshua back in early 2016, when he surrendered the IBF belt. In fact he had only been champion for less than three months as he was coming off a vacant title win over Vyacheslav Glazkov who was badly compromised in that fight.

But Martin says his loss to Joshua forced him to rededicate himself to his craft and that it was an invaluable learning experience, one which he’s grown from.

“I’m more mature, I’m grown. I’m a grown man.

”So we’re ready when I get in that ring. When I work out, when I go to training, I’m serious about what I do. I’m taking my craft seriously, so that’s what the difference is. I’ve grown.”

His opponent, Kownacki, 29, is an undefeated Polish boxer fighting out of Brooklyn, with perhaps his best win (on paper, anyways) coming against Artur Szpilka last summer. Kownacki says he’s preparing for this fight as if Martin were still a world champion so that he can ensure that he’s ready for the contest. He believes he’ll be ready to vie for a world title opportunity with a win in Brooklyn on September 8.