ABELYAN UNIMPRESSED BY HARRISON
sportinglife.com, UK
June 15 2004
William Abelyan is confident of taking Scott Harrison’s WBO world
featherweight title on Saturday night after watching the Scotsman
struggle in his two fights with an ageing Manuel Medina.
Harrison, who defends his title against the American-based Armenian
at Braehead Arena this weekend, controversially lost his belt to
the wily Medina on points last July before regaining it with an 11th
round stoppage in the brutal rematch in November.
But 25-year-old Abelyan believes Harrison’s problems with the veteran
Mexican, who was 32 at the time, prove that the title is there for
the taking.
He said: “I couldn’t believe that Medina went 11 rounds with him in
the second fight. When Medina was going to fight for the IBF title,
I was his sparring partner and I dropped him a couple of times.
“Manuel Medina is an old man and I couldn’t understand why Harrison
took 11 rounds to beat him.
“I saw the Harrison tapes about three times. He fights like a typical
Mexican fighter, he just comes to you and so I’ll be waiting for him.
“When I step inside the ring and I’m just going to do my stuff and
then come out. Boxing is my hobby, Scott and his fans won’t affect
me and I’m ready for anyone.
“I’m not going to say I’m going to knock him out but I will do my
stuff and the knockout will come.
“Getting the WBO title on Saturday will be the best fight of my life.
My home country is the United States now but after this fight I’m
going to celebrate in Armenia.”
Abelyan insists he was destined to be a champion after a tough
childhood in California all but forced him into the boxing game.
He said: “When I was a little kid I loved to fight and I was a
little troublemaker. They expelled me from the school for beating up
a football player but then they told me to come back. But I didn’t
want to go back so I studied at home.
“In America when you fight outside they give you a fine and so I
changed my mind.
“Why pay the government a fine when you can go inside the ring and
fight – and then the government can pay you?
“But I’m not a fighter, I’m a boxer and I’m going to show Harrison
what’s going to happen on Saturday night.”