Armenian to resume title quest

Nothing seems to stop Vanes Martirosyan these days as he looks to climb his way to a world championship.

Not any of his 19 opponents to date. Not a change of trainers from Freddie Roach to Ronnie Shields. Not moving from his hometown in Glendale, Calif., to Houston. Not even a four-month hiatus from fighting because of a back injury.

But the 6-foot, 154-pound Martirosyan, who represented the United States at the 2004 Olympics, said he's ready to take the next big step in his quest to become world champion when he faces Angel Hernandez in a 10-round super welterweight bout Thursday as part of a Top Rank card at the Orleans Arena.

"I'm anxious to get back in the ring after taking the last couple of months off. My back feels fine," said Martirosyan, 21, who was born in Armenia and moved to the United States when he was 4.

If you plan to watch Martirosyan (19-0, 13 knockouts) fight Thursday, don't leave your seat. In the 19 fights in which he has competed, only one has gone beyond six rounds. His fights have averaged 3.6 rounds.

When he fights Hernandez, it will be the second time Martirosyan has been scheduled to compete in a 10-round bout. In his other scheduled 10-rounder, he stopped veteran Michi Munoz in the third round on Feb. 7 at the Hard Rock.

"He has all the tools and personality to be a star," Top Rank president Bob Arum said. "He has a strong following among the Armenians, and he's the kind of fighter who can attract new fans."

Martirosyan left Roach this year because Roach has to devote so much of his time to Manny Pacquiao, who will fight David Diaz on Saturday for the WBC lightweight title. Shields, another veteran trainer, agreed to take on Martirosyan, but it meant Martirosyan had to leave California to train with Shields in Texas.

"The change has been very positive for me," Martirosyan said. "It helps me stay focused because I left all my friends in California.

"... When I was with Freddie, I'd move a lot inside the ring. With Ronnie, I'm more economical in what I do. I jab a lot more. I use both my hands. And I don't think about the end. I think about the moment."

Said Arum: "Ronnie has more time to spend with Vanes. He's making tremendous progress with Ronnie, and Vanes has a really bright future. He will be a world champion."

• NEW PROMOTION -- World Xtreme Boxing Challenge, the latest attempt to promote tournament-style boxing, will make its debut Aug. 29 in Des Moines, Iowa.

The WXBC will use professional fighters with at least 10 bouts of experience, and the once-monthly cards will feature eight fighters in six elimination bouts in weight classes ranging from junior lightweight to heavyweight. Scoring will be open, and fighters will be paid by the number of rounds they win.

WXBC, a venture of Don House, claims it will pay out $2 million over the entire card. A spokesperson said plans are in the works to bring the WXBC to Las Vegas.

• LOUIS DOCUMENTARY RE-AIRS -- Today marks the 70th anniversary of the rematch between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling at Yankee Stadium, which might have been the most politically and socially powerful fight in boxing history. Louis avenged his 1936 loss to Schmeling with a first-round knockout June 22, 1938.

In conjunction with the anniversary, HBO Sports will present an encore airing of its documentary, "Joe Louis: America's Hero ... Betrayed" on Tuesday. The program first aired in February.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.