Prospect Watching: Peterson, Martirosyan, Outclass their Opponents

By Raymond Markarian

The journey to become an elite boxing superstar is a marathon, not a sprint. Two well respected young prospects; Anthony Peterson and Vanes Martirosyan desire to become a part of the cream of the crop. And their talents were on display for the boxing world when both combatants won unanimous decision victories on Thursday, June 26, at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada . 

Vanes Martirosyan 20-0 (13 KO’s) is spooky inside the ring. The 22 year old Armenian is technical in his approach, working an offensive attack behind a solid left jab. On this night, Martirosyan towered over the much smaller and overmatched Angel Hernandez from the sound of the opening bell. During the first minute of the bout, Martirosyan went for the knockout. The former Olympian used an aggressive assault highlighted by a quick right cross to the temple that sent a lackluster Angel Hernandez’s to the canvas. 

At this point, many at ringside expected a short night. Yet, to his credit, Hernandez displayed toughness and rose to his feet. However, the Hernandez girt was not efficient enough to prevent the seemingly obvious Martirosyan triumph. Instead of pressing for the knockout, Martirosyan worked behind his jab, and threw the left uppercut at will, over the course of ten rounds, on way to a unanimous decision victory.  

Sometimes in boxing, speed is power. In the main event of the night, the visibly strong Anthony Peterson used his excellent speed to baffle Fernando Trejo inside the ring. Peterson kept Trejo at bay by rapidly throwing a piston like jab towards the torso of throughout the duration of the bout. Most of the fight took place in the center of the ring. But, Peterson controlled the bout. At one point in round nine, Peterson connected with seven jabs in a row before Trejo even threw a punch.

The contest looked like a sparring session at best. If Peterson pressed the action he could have closed the show. However, the Washington D.C. based lightweight prospect was not going for the knockout, to the dismay of the crowd. In the end result was clear Peterson wins via a landslide unanimous decision victory. Peterson’s record improves to 27-0 with 19 KO’s.

RESULT

HyeFighter Vanes Martirosyan Wins AGAIN!!! #20!!

Unbeaten HyeFighter jr middleweight Vanes "The Nightmare" Martirosyan moved to 20-0 with 13 KOs after a ten round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Angel Hernandez (28-7, 16 KOs). Martirosyan dropped Hernandez in round one, and continued to dominate hi opponent in all 10 rounds, taking a shutout 100-89 verdict on all cards.

Martirosyan vs Hernandez - click to view album

Mark your calendars - HyeFighter Vanes "The Nightmare" Martirosyan is scheduled to fight next on June 26th 2008
at the Orleans Hotel & Casino,
in Las Vegas, Nevada -
Televised  LIVE on Versus TV

The Fight will be televised LIVE on Versus TV
@ 6pm PST

Visit www.Versus.com to find your local provider.

For Group Tickets (4 or more) in the Los Angeles area, please call (818) 974-4642

or visit www.TicketMaster.com

Click Here

for the latest updates, photos, news, etc...on the Nightmare!!

RESULT

HyeFighter Gegard Mousasi out-worked Dong Sik Yoon in the first match of the middleweight tournament. Mousasi delivered inside and outside low kicks to the and landed knees at will while Yoon was attempting a standing kimura.

Mousasi danced with the devil at one point. He attempted to kimura the judoka, but Yoon quickly escaped and Mousasi then found himself in danger of tapping to the "Dongbar." Mousasi was lucky on this occasion, escaping after his arm was fully extended just before the end of the first.

In the second Mousasi survived an uppercut to get to Yoon's back and lock in a body triangle. He spent the remainder of the fight playing bongos on Yoon's head.

All three judges saw the fight for Mousasi, who cemented his position as one of the favorites in the tournament. After the fight, Mousasi again said that he really wants to fight Manhoef in the next round.

Gegard Mousasi vs. Dong Sik Yoon

Round 1

Yoon trades punches with Mousasi and takes him down with a single-leg. Mousasi gets to his feet and is caught in a standing kimura. Mousasi stays patient and knees the hamstring and punches the head. The referee restarts the action after the stalemate. Mousasi attacks the lead leg of Yoon with three low kicks. Mousasi stuffs a weak shot and briefly takes Yoon's back. He strikes the head of his opponent then moves to half-guard after Yoon rolls over. Mousasi stands and knocks Yoon down with a knee on the chin. Yoon quickly recovers and gets full-guard. Yoon goes for a heel hook but gives up side-control for his effort. Yoon rolls over and gives his back. Yoon slips out the back door and works for an armbar. He has the position secured but he can't free Mousasi's grip. Mousasi eventually escapes into side-control, where he knees the body. Interesting round. Mousasi controlled much of the round but was close to being finished.

Round 2

Yoon lands an uppercut that backs Mousasi up. Yoon drops levels for a single but Mousasi easily defends and takes Yoon's back. Mousasi controls the left wrist and punches the head with his right hand. Mousasi locks on a body-triangle from the back position. Mousasi continues to punch away at Yoon's head for several minutes. Mousasi should easily take the fight on the judges' scorecards. Gegard Mousasi takes the unanimous decision.

RESULT

HyeFighter Abraham KOs Miranda!
IBF middleweight champion HyeFighter Arthur Abraham (27-0, 22 KOs) impressively knocked out Edison Miranda (30-3, 26 KOs) in round four of a hotly anticipated rematch on Saturday night at the Hard Rock LIVE Arena in Hollywood, Florida. Abraham started to open up in round three landing some clean shots. Abraham explosively dropped Miranda three times in round four and the bout was stopped. Time was 1:13. Anyone up for Abraham-Pavlik?  It seems all Miranda brought to the fight was trash talk with no ability to back it up.  Abraham literally destroyed Miranda in the forth round.  With this KO Abraham has gotten a step closer to his desire of becoming a "Super Champion".                                                                     CLICK TO WATCH THE KO

Edison Miranda: He prepared very well. I have no quarrels tonight. He was prepared and he was very strong. I don't know what happened. I was 100% coming into this fight. I don't know. He was too strong today. He's a great champion."

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- After listening to Edison Miranda's trash talk for the past two years, middleweight titleholder Arthur Abraham finally shut his mouth.

Abraham, who had his own mouth literally shut after his jaw was broken in two places by Miranda when they first met, scored a sensational fourth-round knockout in their nontitle rematch on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Live Arena.

For all of Miranda's brash trash talk, he couldn't come close to backing it up.  Fighting in the United States for the first time, Abraham started a bit slowly, but then cranked it up in the fourth round.

He floored Miranda three times before referee Telis Assimenios called it off at 1:13 without a count as Miranda lay with his head against the bottom rope.

"I am a true champion and a true champion has confidence," Abraham said. "So I was here to make [a name for myself]." They were fighting at a catch weight of 166 pounds because Miranda can no longer make the middleweight limit of 160, but the added pounds sure didn't hamper Abraham's considerable power. He sent Miranda down for the first time early in the fourth with a crushing left to the head. Miranda scrambled to his feet, but was clearly wobbly. "I concentrated my right hand and pointed it directly at his chin," Abraham said of the first knockdown.

Moments later, Miranda was down again from a left to the chin.

"I wanted to take care of him with the left. Boom," Abraham said.

And seconds later, Miranda went down again on another left hand as Assimenios waived it off, much to the delight of the small, but vocal group of fans who traveled from Germany to cheer Abraham on.

"I wanted to hit him with a right, but he turned his head so I hit him with the left," Abraham said of the final knockdown.

Miranda, who has smack talked like no other fighter in the sport in recent years, was finally humble after suffering a crushing knockout loss.

"He prepared very well," Miranda said. "I have no quarrels tonight. He was prepared and he felt very strong. I don't know what happened. I was 100 percent coming into this fight. I don't know. He was too strong today. He's a great champion."

When Abraham and Miranda met the first time, on Sept. 23, 2006, in Germany, Abraham retained his title in a bruising, foul-filled, bloody fight.

After his jaw was broken, Abraham was swallowing and spitting blood throughout the fight and was put into intensive care for three days after losing a liter of blood.

The injury required surgery, during which he had two titanium plates and 22 screws inserted into his jaw, and an eight-month layoff.

Miranda, 27, of Colombia and now living in Puerto Rico, was also docked five points for an intentional head butt and low blows.

The rematch looked like it might degenerate into another foul-filled affair in the second round when Miranda (30-3, 26 KOs) ripped Abraham with a clear low blow. Abraham, 28, originally from Armenia but now a star in Germany, was given time to recover and Miranda was warned by Assimenios.

Abraham said he didn't see any difference between the first fight and the rematch, broken jaw notwithstanding.

"There is no difference," Abraham said. "Every ring is the same. In this fight, I was more cautious. The last time, I didn't pay as much attention to that. I tired him out then knocked him down."

Abraham (27-0, 22 KOs) now plans to return to 160 pounds and defend his title for the eighth time in the fall against Raul Marquez, who defeated Giovanni Lorenzo in an elimination fight on the undercard.

But after that, a potential big-money showdown with recognized champion Kelly Pavlik -- who also owns a knockout win against Miranda -- could loom in early 2009. Pavlik promoter Top Rank and Abraham promoter Wilfried Sauerland have been discussing the fight for several weeks.

"I want to thank America for this big chance. Thank you, America," Abraham said. "I wish for one chance to fight Oscar De La Hoya and one chance to fight Kelly Pavlik. I like America. The American people are very nice people and I come again."

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.