BIO
2004 OLYMPICS - Athens, Greece

First Round:
Weighing in at 152 pounds representing the United States of America, Vanes Martirosyan was poised and ready in his first round fight on 8-15-04 in Athens, Greece, where he won a 45-20 decision against Benamar Meskine of Algeria.

The Associated Press reported from ringside: Vanes Martirosyan battered Algeria’s Benamar Meskine in a 45-20 victory in the preliminaries Sunday. The win gives the American a second-round match with Cuba’s Lorenzo Aragon.

“I finished like a champion,” said Martirosyan, an Armenian-born 18-year-old. “I could have won another four rounds, to tell you the truth. I felt so good out there.”

Martirosyan showed the power and flair of a contender, dictating the fight’s pace with a stiff jab and opportunistic combinations. He also counterpunched effectively while landing more shots to the head than almost any competitor so far at the busy boxing venue, which hosts more than 20 fights every day of the preliminaries.

Martirosyan was one fight from elimination at the U.S. team trials in February, but the two top contenders were disqualified when Andre Berto threw Juan McPherson to the canvas, injuring McPherson’s neck. McPherson was medically disqualified, and Berto was banned for his actions. Though he caught a lucky break, Martirosyan made the most of it by earning an Olympic spot in the ensuing qualifying tournaments.

Martirosyan was cheered at Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall by his father, Norik, a former amateur fighter who moved his family to California when Vanes was 4; his younger brother, Vatche; his uncle and his cousin - and fans from the United States who showed up unannounced, waving Armenian and American flags.

Quarterfinal Round:
Vanes advanced to the Quarterfinal Round on 8-22-04 to face 30 year old Lorenzo Aragon of Cuba. Vanes lost the bout on a 20-11 decision.

The former two-time amateur world champion Lorenzo Aragon went on to win the Silver Medal.

AMATEUR HIGHLIGHTS:

America’s Olympic Qualifier: in his first fight in Tijuana, Mex., on 3-15-04 he won a 43-34 decision against Pedro Monsivais of Mexico; in the quarterfinals on 3-16-04 he stopped Tureano Johnson of the Bahamas in the 3rd round; in the semifinals on 3-18-04 he won a 25-18 decision against Adam Trumpish of Canada; in the finals on 3-20-04 he won a 25-21 decision against Andre Berto of Haiti...

Olympic Box-offs: in his first fight in Cleveland, Oh., on 2-27-04 he won an 18-4 decision against Cory Jones of Brooklyn, N.Y.; in his second fight on 2-29-04 he won a 25-17 decision against Austin Trout of Las Cruces, N.M….

Olympic Team Trials: in his first fight in Tunica, Miss., on 2-17-04 he stopped Rudy Cisneros in the 3rd round; in his second fight on 2-18-04 he lost a 20-19 decision against Andre Berto; in the finals he won an 18-4 decision against Cory Jones…

Olympic Western Trials: in his first fight in Bakersfield, Ca., on 2-3-04 he won a 35-22 decision against Timothy Bradley; in his second fight on 2-4-04 he stopped Carson Jones in the 2nd round; in his third fight on 2-5-04 he stopped Jonathan Ochoa in the 3rd round; in the semifinals on 2-6-04 he won a 30-11 decision against Cymone Kearney; in the finals he won a 31-11 decision against Enrique Gutierrez…

Everlast U.S. National Championships: in his first fight in Colorado Springs, Col., on 1-13-04 he won a 29-6 decision against Brent Rodrigues; in his second fight on 1-14-04 he won a 20-6 decision against Rondale Mason; in the quarterfinals on 1-15-04 he won a 12-0 decision against Roger Cantrell; in the semifinals on 1-16-04 he lost by disqualification in the 2nd round against Rudy Cisneros…

2003 - Fran Jones Under-19 National Championships, silver medalist: in his first fight he won on retirement in the 3rd round against Zacharey Pouncey; in the quarterfinals he won a 16-2 decision against Shawn Estrada; in the semifinals he won a 13-7 decision against Austin Trout; in the finals he lost a 24-19 decision against Nick Casal…

2002 - Junior Olympic International: Vanes won decisions against Gregory Newby of the U.S.A. and Desmond Wallace of the Bahamas…