Vanes The Nightmare Martirosyan (25-0, 16KOs) Light Middleweight / Super Welterweight

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Vanes Martirosyan wins
improving to 20-0,
after dominating Angel Hernandez and claiming a
10-Round Unanimous Decision.

Vanes Martirosyan

Former U.S. Olympian Vanes Martirosyan (20-0, 13 KOs) of Glendale, California dropped former title challenger Angel Hernandez (28-7, 16 KOs) of Chicago, Illinois in the first and completely dominated him over the course of ten rounds in a light middleweight bout. Martirosyan, 155, consistently landed solid shots to the body and head of Hernandez, who never got in any sort of rhythm. Midway through Hernandez, 155, seemed content to clown around rather than attempt winning the fight. Martirosyan displayed a technically sound technique, repeatedly firing the left jab and straight right hand to much success. All three judges scored the bout for Martirosyan, 100-89.

After the bout a Top Rank spokesman said, “He’s about ready to move up and go to HBO.” Martirosyan himself refused to call out any names, but said he would leave those decisions to his management. His victory was made more impressive once it was learned that Martirosyan had hurt his left hand early in the fight. “It started to hurt in the third and fourth rounds,” said Martirosyan. “It started to hurt more and more every round.” Vanes did mention that it would not cause him to lose any ring time.

Ban on Pro Fights Revisited
Council will look at whether to allow boxing events in the City of Glendale, CA, to generate revenue at venue.

Ban on Pro Fights Revisited
Council will look at whether to allow boxing events in
the City of Glendale, CA, to generate revenue at venue.
By Jason Wells
Glendale News Press
Published: Last Updated Thursday, July 3, 2008 10:22 PM PDT
Link to Original Article Online.

GLENDALE — A long-standing prohibition on professional boxing and other sparring matches in Glendale may be lifted after the City Council, seeking to boost revenue at the Civic Auditorium, agreed this week to revisit the ban.

Mayor John Drayman called for a report on the logistics and possible repercussions involved with lifting the ban after a promoter inquired about using the auditorium to host future matches.

To do so, the council would have to reverse the city’s current municipal code, which bans “any boxing contests or sparring or wrestling match” that does not involve amateurs or students.

Kahren Harutyunyan, the Glendale-based promoter and professional boxer who submitted the request to use the auditorium, said the ban has stifled local development of boxing and forced homegrown boxers out of the city.

“No one can showcase their talent in the city,” Harutyunyan said. For an area that has produced several successful amateur and professional boxers — such as boxer Vanes Martirosyan, who represented the United States in the 2004 Olympics — that’s a shame, Harutyunyan said. Allowing boxers to fight in their hometown would not only bring the community together, but draw in outside promoters, and with them, more media attention and outside money to a cash-strapped city.

“It just does not make any sense to have this ban,” he said.

The move by Harutyunyan comes at a time when the city is especially receptive to exploring new ways to generate revenue at its underperforming auditorium at 1401 N. Verdugo Road, which last fiscal year claimed a loss of about $400,000.

“I do see an opening with the budget situation, but we don’t need a deficit to come up with such a great idea,” he said.

With 10,000 square feet of open, usable space on the building’s second floor, the auditorium is one of the few, if not only, venues in Glendale that could host a professional fight, said George Chapjian, director of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, which manages the space.

While the logistics and potential impacts of bringing professional boxing matches had yet to be fully examined, the idea seemed promising on its face, Chapjian said.

“I think it would be an opportunity for us,” he said.

City officials studying the logistics of reversing the ban do not know exactly when or why the prohibition was adopted — a finding that some council members said would play a major factor.

“That needs to be looked at,” Councilman Ara Najarian said. “We don’t want to create an atmosphere where we’re known as the boxing city. . . . It’s not just the money.”

Whether perceived or actual, the sport of boxing has, over time, attracted a crowd that doesn’t always jive with community standards and law enforcement, Najarian said.

If the council were to reverse the ban on boxing and other sparring events, which would also presumably apply to mixed-martial-arts fights, conditions could be applied to the permitting process that would allow Glendale police to adequately control the new business element, Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Background checks and extensive review of permit applications, together with monitoring from an established vice unit, should provide the necessary controls to keep out any illicit activity that may come attached to the fighting rings, he added.

“I think it could be done,” Lorenz said.

City officials are tentatively scheduled to bring their report on the matter to the council in August.

At that time, the council would provide direction on whether to pursue a reversal of the ban, or to maintain the status quo.

Write to gnp@latimes.com and urge City of Glendale
To lift the ban on boxing.

In your letter, please provide your hometown
and phone number for verification.

Contact Art of Boxing Promotions for additional information.

By Jason Wells
Glendale News Press
Published: Last Updated Thursday, July 3, 2008 10:22 PM PDT
Link to Original Article Online.

WORLD BOXING NEWS
Each Nation's Best: Armenia
SecondsOut.com - By Derek Bonnett - July 1, 2008

Armenia is a former republic of the Soviet Union located between the Black and Caspian Seas. The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity back in the fourth century and it holds great significance in Judeo-Christian theology as the final resting place of Noah’s Ark after the flood.

The Republic of Armenia holds a far less significance in the history of professional boxing. To be more exact, the nation has only boasted two world champions and to find them you have to go way, way back to…2004. That’s right; Vic Darchinyan and Arthur Abraham are the only two Armenian born fighters to hold world titles. Their respective accomplishments will be detailed later on.

While there are no other world champions to speak of, Armenia has had a few other professional prizefighters worth mentioning. Ted Levin (Ted L. Abajian) is the first recorded boxer to come from Armenia. Between the years of 1917-1921, Levin was hailed as the bantamweight champion of California, Arizona, and Mexico. However, Levin does not match the usual criteria of the fighters mentioned in Each Nation’s Best as he finished his career with an unassuming dossier of 13-20-13 (1). William Abelyan is a former contender in the featherweight division whom posted notable wins over Orlando Salido, Guty Espadas Jr., Jesus Salud, and Martin Honorio; however, he failed in his only world title shot against Scott Harrison. Artyom Simonyan achieved contender status after defeating the capable Fahsan 3K Battery in a 2004 title eliminator. However, Israel Vazquez and the late Agapito Sanchez stopped him in the most important bouts of his career.

Armenia’s current crop of fighters is responsible for this nation’s first noticeable impact on the sport of boxing and, in the coming years, just might continue to establish a memorable history for sports fans. The following boxers are four of Armenia’s best.

4.) Khoren Gevor is a fringe middleweight contender with a professional ledger of 29-3 (15). The orthodox fighter is best known for his defeat to fellow Armenian Arthur Abraham in what could be considered the most underrated KO of 2007. Gevor acquitted himself well enough against the IBF middleweight champion, but was stopped in the eleventh round in chilling fashion. Gevor’s previous two defeats came to the then undefeated Lukas Konecny.

Outside of the Abraham fight, Gevor is largely inexperienced at the world-class level. However, Gevor scored an eight round decision victory over the respectable Sergey Tatevosyan when he was 21-4. Gevor also handed five European prospects and contenders their first defeats. A second world title attempt is possible for Gevor since he holds the #7 spot in the eyes of the IBF and the #17 slot for the WBC.

Gevor, 29, has posted one victory in 2008, but needs to remain active and begin testing himself against a higher caliber of opposition if he is to make a serious impact on the Armenian boxing scene. He could gain some valuable experience by sharing the ring with a veteran like Howard Eastman.

3.) Vanes “The Nightmare” Martirosyan is a very promising twenty-two year old junior middleweight prospect. So far in his four-year professional campaign, Vanes is 20-0 (13). He has a solid amateur background and represented the United States, where he now resides, in the 2004 Olympics as a welterweight. Top Rank has been taking their time with Martirosyan bringing him up with steadily increasing opposition.

The orthodox prospect’s best victory came against Michi Munoz, who came into the bout with a record of 20-1 (13). The Nightmare proved be just that for Munoz as he finished his man in the third round. Still, the young prospect barely registers in the world rankings holding a #32 spot by the WBC. Martirosyan’s ranking will likely rise after his impressive decision victory over the seasoned Angel Hernandez on June 26. Hernandez had fought Winky Wright, Kassim Ouma, and Wilfredo Riviera earlier in his career.

Martirosyan needs to stay busy in 2008 and add to the three victories he’s already posted this year. He took a big step up against Angel Hernandez and fought with a small cut over his eye to win. Vanes needs more late-round adventures against tough veterans with greater experience. Former world title challenger Alfonso Mosquera could provide Vanes with a stern test.

2.) Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan is vastly more experienced in comparison to the last two Armenian fighters and holds a record of 29-1-1 (23). Darchinyan held the IBF flyweight title for roughly a two and a half year stint. However, he has gone 1-1-1 in his last three contests. Like Gevor, the Raging Bull was victim to one of the best KO’s in 2007 in which he lost his title to Nonito Donaire. In his most recent effort, Darchinyan had to settle for a controversial draw against Z Gorres.

Darchinyan, 32, may be on the slide, but he has amassed an impressive dossier of victories. His much-revered power from the southpaw stance has humbled the likes of Wandee Singwacha (2), Irene Pacheco, Diosdado Gabi, Luis Maldonado, and Victor Burgos. He is still a knockout threat to any man between 112 and 115 and he is currently ranked #4 at 115 pounds by the IBF.

Darchinyan will be fighting for the second time in 2008 on August 2 in an attempt to claim the IBF super flyweight title from Dimitri Kirilov, who also struggled in his most recent outing. A victory against Kirilov will help re-establish Darchinyan among the lighter weights, but he’ll be hard pressed to regain his former status as an unbeaten flyweight champion.

1.) “King” Arthur Abraham, 28, is the unbeaten IBF middleweight champion of the world and only second to Kelly Pavlik in the division. He holds a stalwart professional resume of 27-0 (22) and has seven defenses of his championship. After his June 21 rematch KO of Edison Miranda in the United States, Abraham seems to be on the verge of his first super-fight

Abraham erased any questions about his controversial 2006 victory over Edison Miranda with a crushing fourth round KO in their rematch. As a champion Abraham has handled a variety of B level contenders with relative ease and dispatched most of them inside of the distance. His best victories as a professional are Kingsley Ikeke (KO5),
Kofi Jantuah (W12), Howard Eastman (W12), and Miranda (W12, KO4).

A showdown with Kelly Pavlik is among the hottest match-ups in the sport, but it is not likely to happen soon. On the Abraham-Miranda II undercard, old warhorse Raul Marquez defeated Giovanni Lorenzo in a title eliminator and could be next for the champion. The Miranda victory marked Abraham’s second in 2008.

It’s unclear whether or not Noah walked off of his ark into Armenia with a pair of boxing world champions in tow, but the former Soviet Nation is showing the beginnings of a proud history. For Armenian boxing, the present is already far brighter than the past. The future could be even brighter.

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Pound for Pound by Default
Now that stars like Oscar De la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Bernard Hopkins are in the final throes of their careers and every other promotional company is trying to move their advanced prospects into title contention, Top Rank is in the enviable position of not only having some of the most promising advanced prospects in the sport (Vanes Martirosyan, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Bernabe Concepcion and Lamont Peterson), but some of the more marketable young titlists (Nonito Donaire and Juan Manuel Lopez) to go along with three of the top four or five fighters in many pound for pound rankings (the aforementioned Manny Pacquiao, Kelly Pavlik and Miguel Cotto).

It's safe to say that Top Rank has no worse than the second most talent of all the promotional companies in boxing and is likely sitting in the top spot.

July 9, 2008
By ANTONIO ANDRES CARRIEDO