After a lengthy five-year grooming period, Vanes “Nightmare” Martirosyan has officially been unleashed from the Wild Card Gym, a true contender ready to run with the big boys at junior middleweight.
Rated in all four top ABCs (not that it means anything these days), battle-tested in his last fight with a former world champ everyone – Martirosyan included – assumed was shot, and going up against another undefeated fighter this weekend, the Armenian-born, made-in-America nightmare from Glendale, Calif. is ready to prove himself ready for a title, a marquee name and top billing.
“All my career, I don’t think I’ve showed my best,” Martirosyan said last week at the Wild Card. “It’s going to be a big surprise – for the fans and for my opponent.”
On Saturday, in the co-main event under the Miguel Cotto vs. Yuri Foreman bill at Yankee Stadium, New York City, Martirosyan, 27-0, 17 KOs, will put his NABF belt on the line against New York born-and-bred “Mean” Joe Greene, 22-0, 14 KOs.
“He’s undefeated, but not really,” says Martirosyan. “I know him from the amateurs, and he’s a good, young fighter. But I’m in the best shape of my life.
“Fighting Joe Greene will be a good fight, but I will be victorious.”
Like Martirosyan, Greene is also a five-year pro on what has been a lengthy grooming plan, though his opposition may not have prepared him for this next step, fightnews.com reported.
“I don’t want to jump over Greene, but if all goes well, I’m going to call out Paul Williams,” says Martirosyan.
