Frank Martin l𒁃ives up to his “The Ghost” moniker in mꦯore ways than one.
Inside the ring, the 28-year-old rising lightweight’s (17-0) r𒊎apid movements and elusiveness represent a ghost, making him hard to pinpoint in one location.
But he acts like a𓄧 ghost outside the ring as well, seemingly sneaking up on the rest of the 135-pound division.
As he returns to the ring Saturday night against Artem Harutyunyan (12-꧟0) in a 12-round lightweight bout as the main event on Showtime’s card at The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Martin🔯 is currently No. 7 or higher in all four rankings in the division.
“I think there’s a story behin𒁃d the ghost,” Martin told The Post. “I came out of the blue. And it’s been going on since I started boxing. Me coming out of the blue and achieving a lot in a short amount of time. Things like that. Even on the outside of the ring. I feel like the nickname, it goes with who I am, for sure.”
Martin’s last bout in December💙 against Michel Rivera, who entered wit𝓡h a 24-0 record, drew ample intrigue with most expecting it to be a tight contest.
Rivera had emerged in the top 10 of the lightweight rankings as well, and was Martin’s first r🍷eal test against that caliber of opponent.
Additionally, the fight was forecasted to establish who was ready to take that often elusive next step from prospect to contender amo💮ng the division’s top dogs.
Martin revealed himself to be on a different level,🍬 cruising to a unanimous decision victory and scoring ☂the sole knockdown in the bout.
“I’m different,” Marti🎀n said. “Time is gonna tell t𒉰hat I’m just one of those special fighters.
“I definitely feel like that fight right there woke a lot of people up. Woke a lot of people up where they’re like, ‘Oh, he’s up to something.’ But they’re still questioning it, they still want to see more. That’s cool, 💮I’m gonna keep showing them. I’m gonna give them more to see.”
The star-s🍃🐼tudded lightweight division is beginning to open up a bit in front of Martin, who works with highly-acclaimed 2022 Trainer of the Year Derrick James.
James also has undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo, unified welterweight champion Errol Spence and formerꦓ heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in his stable.
Spence also serves as Martin’s promoter.
Undisputed lightweight champ🥀ion Devin Haney is likely to either rematch Vasiliy Lomachenko or move up to super lightweight.
ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚAnd if he does fight Lomachenko, Haney is still likely to m﷽ove up to the 140-pound division thereafter.
A move to the super lightweight division looms for superstar Gervonta Davis, who has emerged as the biggest attraction at lightwei💜ght.
Ryan Garcia, who Davis knock🎐ed out in April in one of boxing’s biggest fights of the year, has since moved up to super lightweight full-time.
With another loss to Haney, the 35-year-old Lomachenko would take a large step back from title contentiꩲo♑n.
💛Former lightweight king Teofimo Lopez has fought three times already at super light🍸weight.
“I feel like [the lightweight division] is up for grabs,” Martin said. “Even with Haney having those belts, it’s꧃ still anybody’sไ division. It’s not safe. Anybody can come to one of the top guys right now and upset one of the guys with the belts or one of those big names. There’s a lot of us right now who are gunning for that top spot.”
Sof😼t-spoken without an overly-large social media presence, Ma🐷rtin’s name doesn’t carry as much recognition as those top guys, and his ascension has received far less fanfare than the previous stars listed.
But Marti🅷n’s win oveꦬr Rivera launched him right into their company.
And with a win over Harutyunyan, “ꦦThe Ghost꧂” will be in a strong position to haunt one of them, regardless of whether they saw him coming.
“I’m ready for that, the highest level of the d💙iviဣsion,” Martin said. “I’m ready for all those guys… A lot of the top guys right now haven’t even really fought top guys. I’m one of the top guys who’s ready for the top guy.”
