Erislandy Lara heartedly accepts Vanes Martirosyan's offer
Ammunition shells are flying between undefeated junior middleweight prospect Vanes Martirosyan (28-0, 17 KOs) and Erislandy Lara (13-0, 8 KOs). A week ago, Martirosyan waged that he would compete against any fighter at 154-pounds. Soon after the challenge
was proposed, Erislandy Lara accepted it.
In a fervent response, Martirosyan said, "I think he's running too fast and he's going to run into a wall and fall. If he wants to fight, I'll be happy to give him his first loss.”
Lara, the 2005 amateur welterweight world champion, has reportedly ordered his team to arrange the fight. It would be his highest profile bout, as well as his biggest payday, to date. Lara hopes a deal can be reached by the end of the year. "Tell Vanes,
not much more needs to be talked about. I have informed my team about your so called acceptance to fight me later this year. Now we will see what type of man you really are, cause I'm calling your bluff that you will HIDE behind your promoter just like [Alfredo]
Angulo and the rest of the division," declared Lara.
Martirosyan is promoted by Top Rank and is trained by Freddie Roach. While a prospective fight with Lara would undoubtedly be a barnburner and a crowd pleaser, it is improbable that it will happen anytime soon. Promoters want hype up their fighters for as
long as possible before putting them up with stiff competition—and Lara is stiff competition.
What’s more likely is that, even if Martirosyan wants to fight, his team will pursue a title before Lara. Lara, on the other hand, still has a lot to prove professionally before he is likely be put in the ring with Martirosyan.
In 2007, Lara and fellow Cuban amateur superstar Guillermo Rigondeaux defected from Cuba and attempted to flee elsewhere. Both were subsequently caught and returned to Cuba, where they were banned from boxing indefinitely. In 2008, Lara made a second attempt
by way of a speedboat through Mexico, again with Rigondeaux, and was successful. He now resides in Hamburg, Germany, and is managed by Arena-Box Promotion.
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