Armenia…Here It Comes!

Armenia is joining the World Boxing Council family as the one hundredth and seventy first affliliate nation, thanks to the initiative and impetus of former boxer Garnik Harutyunyan.

Garnik knows a bit about the sport of boxing. He`s fought 627 bouts, winning more than seventy five percent of them! It would have been even more, but the prevailing rules back then, didn`t allow him to start boxing until the ripe old age of thirteen. The walls of his home in Jermuk, Armenia are festooned with his medals from tournaments national, regional, international and world status.

At the invitation of the World Boxing Council, Garnik, who`s the President of the Professional Boxing Federation of Armenia, came to Tijuana, with fifteen promising young Armenian boxers to showcase their skills honed the Armenian way.

He teamed up with Erik and Diego Morales, who he`s known for many years and become friends with, as the three of them competed in many amateur tournaments around the world. Their protégés sparred in some instructive sessions, learning a lot from each other.

Matchmaker Roberto Diaz from Golden Boy came along to see from himself and liked what he saw, especially the technical skills of the young Armenians. Roberto is a firm fan of Armenian boxing. The first Armenian boxer Roberto signed up for Golden Boy, is Azat Hovhannisyan 20-3, 16 KO`s who fought for the WBC super-bantamweight title, losing a UD to Rey Vargas in a highly competitive fight.

As Roberto says: “I don`t want to build pretty records. Rather, I want to build champions. Azat is a fan friendly fighter.”

Garnik came to Mexico City, where he met World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman and Work Team, at the WBC Headquarters. A Fruitful and successful meeting produced agreements and a decisive  action plan.

Garnik is now heading back to Armenia, where he`ll immediately open a WBC Office in the Capital Erevan. It`s a spacious purpose designed complex containing six areas which include training facilities and an administrative office.

One part of the specific plan is to enable the issuing of professional boxing licenses, so Armenian boxers can fight under than banner of their national flag and bring even more pride to the Country. Armenia already has some pro boxing superstars including Vic Darchinyan, Arthur Abraham and Vanes Martirosyan.

Garnik isn`t wasting any time. He`s returning home tomorrow, Saturday and the WBC office there will officially open in February with a Grand Inauguration. There is a plan for fifteen Mexican boxers to travel to Armenia and have a training camp in the City of Tsaghkadzor and for fifteen Armenian boxers to come to train in Mexico, culminating in a Friendship Tournament.

The population of Armenia is three and a half million people, so it`s a feisty nation,  which is already punching well above its weight with appreciably more to come. Garnik says the ambition is that once things are established, for Armenia to invite the World Boxing Council to hold an annual Convention there, working hard and efficiently towards this goal.

He says: “Professional boxing is a way to win in life. Sporting young men and women dedicate all of their youth to it. We are offering the hand of friendship. This is the start of a great friendship.”

To toast coming success with caviar and vodka, Garnik, colleagues and the WBC reporting team adjourned to the Kolobok Russian Restaurant in Mexico City.

Many thanks to Armenak Eritsian for helping, with the top class translation.