Last night at the Morongo Resort and Casino in Cabazon, California, Junior Middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan (34-1-1, 21 KOs) took home the WBO Intercontinental title after winning a wide unanimous decision over tough fringe contender Mario Lozano (28-5, 22 KOs).
After ten rounds of action dominated by the speed and accurate punching of the Armenian born fighter, the judges rendered three shut-out score cards that read 100-90 across the board.
Despite the seemingly effortless performance against the hard punching and granite chinned Mexican fighter, veteran trainer Joe Goossen assessed his new pupil’s first fight competing under the Goossen Tutor promotional banner, which was broadcast in the main event of ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights”.
“Although I only was able to work with Vanes for about three weeks before this fight, I saw bits and pieces of the work we did in the gym,” stated the colorful LA based boxing mentor. “He stuck to the game plan and never allowed Lozano to gain any confidence throughout the entire fight.”
Most ringside experts and boxing pundits observed that Vanes was successful in forcing the action while taking the lead proficiently, moving in and out of range with sporadic and effective movement.
Against a heavy handed counter puncher like Lozano, Martirosyan’s decision to limit the amount of openings he showed his opponent was not coincidental.
“Against a very hard puncher like Lozano, we didn’t want to give him any additional openings and opportunities to land something big. It was the only chance he had to win the fight. Vanes did a brilliant job of controlling the distance with his jab and footwork, and let his hands go in quick, sporadic intervals; which consequently made it virtually impossible for Lozano to time and counter Vanes effectively.”
“That was all part of the game plan against a counter puncher with a great chin like Lozano. Even though Vanes floored him and had him hurt in the second round, I didn’t want Vanes to put his foot on the gas and try to get him out of there, because it would have given Lozano a greater opportunity to counter with something effective.”
“With only three weeks to work on improvements like the left hook to the body and left uppercut from mid range, I wanted Vanes to stick to what he had grown accustomed to doing in the ring; with more of an emphasis on offense and forcing the pace of the fight.”
“But most importantly, I was very pleased that Vanes fought a more disciplined fight than he’s shown in the past.”
Last November, the former 2004 Olympian lost his lone major world title opportunity via split decision to current WBO title holder Demetrius Andrade. It was a tactical fight in which Vanes floored the counter punching southpaw in the final minute of the opening stanza, only to lose control of the twelve round contest by drifting away from the original gameplan and looking to land another knock-down shot.
Mr. Goossen felt that it was important to stick to the script during their first bout together.
“We didn’t want to take a chance on getting caught against a guy who has knock-out power in both hands and a very good chin, even though Vanes hurt him several times during the fight. Why give someone the only opening they have to win the fight if you don’t have to?”
Throughout the entire broadcast, ringside analyst and fight trainer Teddy Atlas frequently scrutinized the “bouncing” movement of Martirosyan, calling it amateurish at times.
With his distinctive brand of “Goossen logic”, the heralded boxing coach offered a sound retort to Teddy’s critical evaluation from ringside.
“Lozano was flat footed throughout the entire fight and got his ass kicked for ten rounds.”
The word according to Joe Goossen…thanks be to boxing!!
