Israel Adesanya, the highly acclaimed pound-for-pound fighter, recently shed light on an encounter with Martyn following his triumph over Nate Robinson in a boxing match. According to Adesanya, Martyn approached him and suggested a fight, but Adesanya promptly dismissed the challenge, expressing that certain individuals lack the necessary qualities and worthiness to engage in combat with professional fighters like himself.
Martyn, however, responded to Adesanya’s remarks by presenting a direct message he had sent to the MMA superstar shortly after Paul’s fight, demonstrating his admiration and respect for Adesanya. This response implies that the exchange between the two individuals may have unfolded differently from the way Adesanya described it.
It’s noteworthy that Martyn and Adesanya have no prior history of conflict. Nonetheless, Martyn has gained attention for issuing challenges to MMA fighters, asserting that his bodybuilding physique and weight advantage would overwhelm smaller fighters in a street fight. This pattern of behavior was evident in his viral challenge towards Demetrious Johnson in 2023, which prompted Johnson to mention Martyn’s name during his conversation with Adesanya.
While Martyn has accepted challenges from lesser-known athletes, he has yet to substantiate his claims through meaningful actions. Given this track record, it’s unlikely that Adesanya will consider facing Martyn in the cage or ring anytime soon, reinforcing the vast gulf between professional fighters and non-professionals in the combat sports realm.
