Happy Birthday Vanes Norikovich "The Nightmare" Martirosyan

38 today.

Later this month will also mark both the 8 year anniversary of his very competitive rematch loss to Erislandy Lara in his 154lb swansong - and the 6 year anniversary of his not quite so competitive second round KO loss to GGG at middleweight.

He's listed as retired on Wikipedia, but to my knowledge there was never an official announcement on that front. He teased one in 2019:
https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...date-confirmed-blames-dkp-update-back.623263/

And not long before that seemed en route to a grudge match with Jarrett Hurd:
https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/vanes-norikovich-martirosyan-vs-jarrett-hurd.621731/

And announced a comeback fight 3 years ago that was supposed to happen on October 21st of 2021 but never came off:
https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...rosyan-returning-to-action-october-21.664438/

Since then pretty quiet on social media for the most part. I guess a return wouldn't be impossible at this point, as he's a known gym rat and still involved with the sport (as coach) but. Idk. Think he probably bumped up as close to greatness as he was going to get.

Very good fighter, maybe among the better of recent stock to never hold a world title belt. Could have medaled in the Olympics in '04 had it not been for the luck of the draw placing him in the second round against the dangerous (eventual gold medalist) Lorenzo Aragón.

 

Martirosyan vs. Lara I:

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Martirosyan vs. Lara II:

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The rivalry that more or less defined his pro career. Good effort(s), but just short.

 

Ironically, if you swap the results around they make more sense. Lara should have gotten a TD victory the first time, while you could argue a draw for V-Mart in the rematch.

 

Yeah, really anybody after the 1990s signing with DKP has to have their judgment questioned. I mean, Mayorga we already knew had a screw loose, but anybody else...

True but in my head they're very closely linked. You could argue the rematch win as being Lara's second best result, behind Trout.

I was rooting for Vanes against Boo-Boo but thought he lost clearly in a fight as hideous as expected:
https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...l-garcia-vs-roman-martinez-rbr.492272/page-23

I did have the Charlo fight a draw.
https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...harlo-vs-vanes-martirosyan-rbr.532678/page-15