STARS ARE ALIGNED FOR VANES MARTIROSYAN
Igor Frank
411mania.com
/boxing/84953/Stars-are-Aligned-for-Vanes-Martiros yan.htm
Sept 10 2008
TX
My trip to Houston to cover a slugfest between Juan Diaz and Michael
Katsidis included an extra added bonus of meeting a super welterweight
prospect from Glendale, California Vanes Martirosyan. The 2004 US
Olympic representative moved to Houston about a year ago to avoid
distractions in California and to be able to reach another level in
his professional career.
Vanes was born on May 1st, 1986 in a town called Abovyan in then
Soviet Armenia.
His father is a patriot and got part of his hand blown off in a war
with Azerbaijan.
The whole family moved to California in search of a better life when
Vanes was only four years old. His father, a military man and a strong
disciplinarian, made sure that once he brought Vanes to the boxing
gym that he stayed there. Vanes grew up to be a very nice young man,
respectful, polite, the kind that would help an old lady to cross
the street and that is the product of good family upbringing.
Vanes "The Nightmare "Martirosyan got his nickname way before he
turned professional. Obscure in the amateur ranks, Vanes ripped through
the Western Olympic trials destroying several highly ranked national
boxers to earn a spot on 2004 U.S. Olympic team. The young Nightmare
underdog defeated several current champions during those trials,
such as current WBC light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and
WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto. He would then go into history
records as the first ever Armenian to represent the United States of
America in the Olympics as well as the first ever U.S. Olympian from
Glendale, California.
In order to succeed in business one has to have the right circumstances
and to surround himself with the right people. This cliche could not
be truer for boxing.
Vanes met Shelly Finkel, one of the top boxing managers in the
business, while he was still an amateur. Vanes told me that Shelly
spent thirty thousand dollars on tickets to have his family and friends
attend the events at the Olympics in Athens Greece. Shelly Finkel
treats Vanes like a son; he has not charged the young man any fees,
yet 20 fights into his professional career Martirosyan is making six
figures a year from his TV fights.
Martirosyan, upon his return from Olympics, signed a promotional
contract with Bob Arum of Top Rank and turned professional in early
2005. Employing the services of Bob Arum, who is by the way to receive
a life time achievement award at a World Boxing Hall of Fame Banquet
on November 15th in Los Angeles, was another very good move.
Bob is the top man when it comes to developing fighters and bringing
out the best in them, case in point careers of Oscar De La Hoya,
Floyd Mayweather Jr, Miguel Cotto and Kelly Pavlik. The deal was
signed at the MGM grand in Las Vegas and another red hot prospect
entered the picture in a talent rich super welterweight division.
"This is a major signing for us," said Arum:" We think Vanes is a
tremendous talent and a future star, and we have big plans for him."
Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach was brought in to help Martirosyan
to learn professional boxing game and to improve on his skills. Vanes
spoke very highly of his trainer and the gym:" Freddie is like a god
and Wild Card Gym is like a church of boxing," said young prospect,
referring to limitless opportunities for sparring. Vanes told me
about sparring with great Bernard Hopkins and ex super welterweight
champion Roman Karmazin. Any day at the Wild Card one might run in
to Sugar Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya, and Manny Pacquiao or even
ring Master James Toney. Vanes cherished his learning opportunities
and his progress as a professional seemed very smooth at first. But
fame has its pit falls that are sometimes very hard to deal with
for a young man. Vanes could not walk on the streets of Glendale
without somebody wanting to party with him or wanting to have a
piece of him. On the other hand Freddie was training one super star
after another which allowed him less time for young prospect, who
started to feel directionless. In April of 2007 Vanes got his wake
up call. With less training and more partying and less attention from
Freddie because of preparation of De La Hoya for his mega fight, young
Martirosyan entered the ring against Nelson Estupinan. Before long
Vanes found himself on the canvas in shock, luckily he was able to get
up and finish his opponent before the end of the second frame. Vanes
and his team had to reevaluate. They decided that Vanes needed more
individual attention from the trainer and picked Ronnie Shields to
help him get back on the right track, which meant moving to Houston,
another added bonus to get away from distractions in Los Angeles.
His father, Norik has asked a friend to help young Vanes to get an
apartment and to settle in Houston; instead Dr. Albrik Nazarian talked
to his wife and decided to open his house for a young man." The boy
will be lonely in the apartment," said Albrik to his father: "Let him
stay with us. I will watch over him." In the past year Dr. Nazarian has
become a father figure to Vanes; he makes sure that he trains and eats
right, keeps him away from distractions and teaches him the philosophy
of life. Vanes showed a lot of respect and admiration for his mentor.
Meanwhile in the gym at the Savannah Boxing Club, Ronnie Shields spends
a lot of time with young Martirosyan improving his skills. There is a
good environment at the gym conducive to training hard and learning:
among his stable mates are Juan "Baby Bull "Diaz and Rocky Juarez,
who has just registered impressive victories in their home town. I
watched Vanes rooting for them as though they were his brothers.
"The main thing he taught me is how to use my jab," said Vanes of
his new trainer: "He says everything starts with the jab."
Vanes told me he would like to fight Alfredo Angulo soon. I have been
following the progress of this Mexican Olympian who has been knocking
out opponents with great regularity and expressed my concern about
his strength and skills. Vanes told me with a confidence of a real
champion: "I can out box him easy."
So all the stars are aligned for Vanes Martirosyan: he has confidence,
skills, great manager, great promoter, great trainer and a wonderful
mentor; it is time to shine.
On September 19th, 2008 Martirosyan (20-0,13KO) is scheduled to
face undefeated Mexican super welterweight banger Michael Medina
(18-0-2,14KO) at the Buffalo Bill’s Star Arena in Primm, Nevada. A
ten round contest will be televised on Telefutura, do not miss it.
Igor Frank is a boxing writer for the Burbank Times and a regular
contributor to 411mania.com.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress