BOXING: Team USA’s Vanes Martirosyan Grabs First Win at Athens Test Event

Sports Features Communications (press release), FL
May 28 2004

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – United States welterweight (152 lbs/69 kg)
Vanes Martirosyan recorded a win in his first bout of the Athens Test
Event on Thursday evening at the Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall in
Athens, Greece. Martirosyan defeated Bulent Ulusoy of Turkey, 23-14,
in their quarterfinal match-up, and the first bout of the tournament
for both Martirosyan and the U.S. team.

Despite early nervousness in the contest, Martirosyan pushed
through a tough first round to pull out the preliminary victory.
Martirosyan’s Armenian background contributed to his nervousness,
knowing the battles that his homeland had faced with Turkey, but
strong advice from his father helped Martirosyan turn his attention
back to business in the ring.

“My dad told me to forget about the past and have fun, and that’s
what I tried to do,” Martirosyan said. “I knew that my opponent was
very good, but I listened to the instructions from my corner and used
my jab. ”

Head Coach Basheer Abdullah praised his boxer’s victory in his first
bout of the competition, but saw room for improvement. “Overall I
give him a B-,” Abdullah said. “It was a good start for Vanes. He was
a little nervous and it showed but he put it all together and pulled
out the win.”

Martirosyan will face Cuban World Champion, Lorenzo Aragon in
Saturday’s semifinal action, and the 18-year-old Olympian is ready
for the challenge.

“I feel great, and I am going to go into the ring with a lot of
confidence on Saturday,” Martirosyan said.

Middleweight (165 lbs/75 kg) Andre Dirrell of Flint, Mich., will
be the next U.S. boxer to compete in Athens when he faces off with
China’s Dabateer Ha on Friday evening.