Filipino boxer Carl Jammes Martin upsets David Picasso in Riyadh to win WBC Silver featherweight title

Unbeaten Filipino southpaw Carl Jammes Martin beat Mexico's David Picasso by split decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to win the WBC Silver featherweight title and improve to 29-0.

Filipino southpaw Carl Jammes Martin stunned the favoured David Picasso of Mexico by split decision in their 10-round featherweight bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Daily Tribune reported. The win earned him the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver featherweight title.

Philstar.com said the fight was held at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, early Sunday Manila time.

How the judges saw it

Judges Jorge Gorini and Barry Linderman scored the bout 95-94 and 96-93 for Martin, while Guido Cavalleri had it 95-94 for Picasso. Picasso scored a knockdown with a jab, though The Ring said Martin was not hurt.

The Ring called it "the best win of his career" in "a razor-thin bout where little separated him and Picasso," and said Martin was more active in the 10th and final round, which likely made the difference on the scorecards.

"Just patience," Martin said in the ring after the fight, when asked how he adjusted after the knockdown, according to Philstar.com.

Still unbeaten

The win took Martin to 29-0 with 21 knockouts, while Picasso fell to 33-2-1 with 18 knockouts. Philstar.com described Picasso as a former world title challenger who lost to Naoya Inoue on points in 2025, and said the victory puts Martin in a position for a world title shot.

Martin, 27, is from Lagawe, Ifugao, according to Philstar.com. The Daily Tribune said his American promoter Sean Gibbons made his Riyadh appearance possible, and that his training camp was held at Gibbons' Knuckleheads Boxing facility in Las Vegas.

Subscribe to newsletter