Vanes Martirosyan Wins WBO Intercontinental Junior Middleweight title

CABAZON, CA — Glendale’s Vanes Martirosyan (34-1-1, 21 Kos) won a one-sided 10-round unanimous decision over Mario Lozano (27-5, 20 Kos) at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa on Friday, winning the WBO Intercontinental junior middleweight title. The bout was the main event of a Goossen Tutor Promotions card that was televised on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights.

All three judges scored the bout 100-89 in favor of Martirosyn, who was last seen in a ring on Nov. 9, when he lost a 12-round split decision to Demetrius Andrade.

Martirosyan was on the attack from the opening bell, throwing and landed hard right hands to the head of Lozano. Martirosyan landed repeatedly with those right hands, which caused Lozano’s nose to start bleeding in the opening round.

Midway through the second round, Martirosyan dropped Lozano with a counter right hand to the head. Lozano did not visibly look hurt, got up and fought on.

The pace of the fight slowed by the fourth round. Martirosyan worked from the outside, setting up his right hand behind a jab.

Lozano made adjustments in the third round and was able to avoid the counter right hands for the first time in the fight. It was a good sign that he was finally able to avoid the big blows and allowed him to survive some tumultuous exchanges.

Although the pace slowed in the second half of the fight, Martirosyan was in control, still landing counter right hands to the head of Lozano. Any time Lozano attempted to rally, Martirosyan was able to snuff it out by landing a series of rights and an occasional left.

“I hurt my knuckles on his head,” said Martirosyan. “I thought for sure I was going to knock him out but he was able to keep going. Nobody has ever knocked him out.”

Martirosyan looks forward to fighting for a junior middleweight title soon.

“Better things are yet to come,” Martirosyan said.