NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Tremendous bantamweight contender Azat Hovhannisyan is staying prepared and champing on the bit to return to the ring following his battle of the 12 months contending loss to Luis Nery in February.
Hovhannisyan (21-4, 17 KOs) had a strong exhibiting in all out slugfest however light late, struggling a tenth spherical knockdown and eleventh stoppage loss in a brutal bout that was extremely aggressive and shut on the playing cards.
The 12-year veteran fighter Armenian native has been coaching on the Brickhouse Boxing Membership in Los Angeles with coach Julian Chua trying to reset his profession.
The 35-year-old nicknamed “Loopy A” with the frenetic, crowd-pleasing preventing type mentioned his contract with Golden Boy Promotions has expired and he’s requested his handler Egis Klimas, a three-time BWAA supervisor of the 12 months, to get him the most important fights potential.
“I’m on the lookout for the absolute best fights at 122 or 126 kilos,” Hovhannisyan advised BoxingScene.com in an interview. “I wish to battle both Stephen Fulton, Murodjon Akhmadaliev, or John Riel Casimero. They didn’t win their final fights both and I’m assured we are able to carry out one of the best from one another by matching as much as see who will take one other step ahead. These would all be supreme fights for me, and I do know placed on a fantastic present. I do not wish to get in a battle with a man I can knock out in two to 3 rounds simply to pad my document.”
The previous world title challenger Hovhannisyan was adamant that he needs to be matched robust whereas incomes an inexpensive purse. Hovhannisyan earned a assured minimal of $125,000 in his final bout in opposition to Nery, in response to the California State Athletic Fee.
The opponents Hovhannisyan is eyeing look like nicely inside motive.
Akhmadaliev dropped a pair of tremendous bantamweight titles to Marlon Tapales in April, former 122-pound unified champion Fulton was knocked out by Naoya Inoue in July, and Casimero fought to a 3 spherical technical draw in opposition to Yukinori Oguni in October.
Hovhannisyan mentioned he’d even be keen to battle ascending Australian Sam Goodman, a 25-year-old undefeated fighter who’s had a strong exhibiting in 2023 beating TJ Doheny, Ra’eese Aleem, and Miguel Flores.
Hovhannisyan additionally mirrored on his loss to the previous two-division world champion Nery, which ended a seven-fight successful streak relationship again to October 2018.
“I can do a greater job understanding that when the battle will not be going proper for me I ought to do a greater job of listening to my nook,” mentioned Hovhannisyan. “I shouldn’t give you new concepts once I’m not seeing every part there. I might do a greater job slowing down and never making an attempt to energy my manner by way of the battle. I’m including extra technical stuff to my sport proper now, and I can’t wait to point out my followers a brand new and improved model. I’m able to tackle robust challenges.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports activities journalist, author, and broadcast reporter. He’s additionally a member of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America and the MMA Journalists Affiliation. He will be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, by way of electronic mail at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or through www.ManoukAkopyan.com.
