Martinez vs Aleem Predictions: A fistfight breaks out in the WBC queue

Lester Martinez fights for the WBC interim super middleweight bauble once more, this time against Immanuwel Aleem. The 12-rounder takes place this Saturday, March 21. The event emanates from the Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, California. You can watch the fight live on the ProBox TV YouTube channel.

Read on for my Martinez vs Aleem predictions ahead of this 168lb scrap.

Martinez vs Aleem Odds

Martinez is a 1/10 to go home with the win while Aleem is on the market at 15/2. The draw is priced at 16/1.

Martinez vs Aleem Fight Preview

Martinez fought for this same WBC interim trinket in his last fight. That 12-round battle saw the Guatemalan come up agonisingly short in an instant classic split draw with then-champion Christian Mbilli. The ferocious, rock’em-sock’em affair was one of the fights of 2025 and fans are begging for a rematch.

Initially it seemed like one was in the offing but, as is often the case with life, politics got in the way of a mutually-beneficial outcome. When Terence Crawford vacated the WBC crown in contentious scenes, Mbilli was ordered to fight Briton Hamzah Sheeraz for the vacant belt. But the towering Slough fighter instead opted to pursue a WBO title fight with Diego Pacheco. That fight then went to the wall, but by that stage Mbilli had already been elevated to full WBC world championship status by the irked sanctioning body.

Which is why Martinez is fighting for the interim crown once again. But let’s just call this fight what it is, which is an eliminator for the WBC title. The path is essentially set; win this and Martinez gets his rematch.

So what of the occupant of the opposite corner? As Martinez’s stirring underdog display proved against Mbilli, you discount an unfancied fighter at your peril. So what is Aleem all about?

This New York-born boxer fights compact, limiting his opponent’s target by tucking up on the way in. Aleem has good handspeed and okay power. He looks to box his way into range behind the jab before whipping a right hook over on the inside. 

This could make for a thrilling fight, as Martinez looks to get close and stay there. He throws in combination and always with violent intent. The key here will be who wins the outside battle. Martinez is an inch shorter at 5’8 while Aleem concedes an inch-and-a-half of reach. Neither fighter is cut-out for trying to nick this one at range. A potent cocktail for fans hoping for the leather to fly. 

Martinez vs Aleem Full Card

Lester Martinez vs Immanuwel Aleem

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Martinez vs Aleem Prediction

This one has all the ingredients for a thriller. I’m edging towards Martinez, because we have never seen what it takes to stop his relentless charge. Aleem has never had to walk through what Martinez put Mbilli through. If that sort of onslaught comes, I’m not sure he can. Martinez to win at 1/10.

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