Gor Yeritsyan (left) vs. Mahonri Montes. Photograph credit score: Tom Hogan/Hoganphotos/Ring Metropolis
Gor Yeritsyan has been biding his time.
The unbeaten welterweight has sparred the very best of the very best lately. Now that these fighters are retired or close to retirement, Yeritsyan believes his time to make noise within the sport is now.
Yeritsyan will lastly return to motion after an extended layoff as he faces Gustavo David Vittori, Friday night time, at Commerce On line casino, in Commerce, California. The eight-round bout will precede the principle occasion between unbeaten junior middleweight prospect Callum Walsh and Carson Jones.
Each fights will stream reside on UFC Struggle Move (10 pm ET/ 7 pm PT).
Yeritsyan (14-0, 12 knockouts), who’s initially from Yerevan, Armenia, and now lives in Los Angeles, California, has not fought since December 2020, knocking out former fringe contender Mahonri Montes within the sixth spherical. Yeritsyan additionally has victories over notable opposition, together with Ali Funeka and Patrick Ortiz.
The 28-year-old has fought on native membership reveals in Southern California and even on modest playing cards in Russia. Yeritsyan even fought on a High Rank card in November 2019.
Yeritsyan landed on Friday’s card, which is promoted by Tom Loeffler, who has labored with former featherweight titlist Kevin Kelley, former Ring Journal world heavyweight champions Vitaly and Wladimir Klitschko and former unified middleweight titleholder Gennadiy Golovkin.
“Tom Loeffler is an effective man,” Yeritsyan informed The Ring at a current open exercise. “He’s an excellent promoter. I do know he’s going to look out for my greatest [interests]. He’s labored with the very best, together with the Klitschko brothers.”
Yeritsyan has skilled at Wild Card Fitness center, in close by Hollywood, the place he has been lucky sufficient to absorb the sparring periods of Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, who skilled there for a number of years. He’s now skilled by Freddie Roach, who skilled each Pacquiao and Cotto.
On the open exercise, Yeritsyan regarded very sharp whereas working the mitts with Roach. During the last a number of weeks, Yeritsyan has gotten nice sparring towards a few of the greatest fighters at 140 kilos.
“I spar towards my good associates Raul Curiel, Callum Walsh, Elvis Rodriguez and Egidijus Kavaliauskas,” stated Yeritsyan, who was a six-time nationwide newbie champion in Armenia and completed with an newbie file of 151-30. “I’m 100-percent prepared for this combat.
“I spar towards completely different boxers and I consider my fashion can adapt towards anybody’s, particularly within the welterweight division.”
Whereas Yeritsyan may very well be a couple of years away from going through the higher echelon of the division, he’s assured he could make noise now within the prime of his profession. Terence Crawford and Errol Spence are the requirements of the welterweight division however Yeritsyan believes his skill-set might rival towards different welterweights.
Yeritsyan is hoping his alternative comes sooner relatively than later.
“Crawford and Spence are on the prime of the division,” stated Yeritsyan. “They’re each abilities. They’re the very best. They’re nice boxers.
“Folks assume I’m a prospect now however I consider my fashion is able to face the highest fighters within the division. Individuals who noticed my final combat favored my fashion and I believe the identical will occur for many who watch my combat on Friday. I’ve robust abilities within the ring. I prefer to work within the middle of the ring and permit my skill-set to dictate the combat.”
Yeritsyan hopes to make an announcement on the expense of Argentina’s Vittori (28-14-1, 12 KOs), who has misplaced seven of his final 11 bouts, together with these versus Rances Barthelemy, Lindolfo Delgado, Tyler Tomlin and Avious Griffin.
Whereas Yeritsyan just isn’t overlooking Vittori, he stays assured that he’s going to indicate why he’s a fighter to look at at 147 kilos.
“I consider I can face the highest fighters within the subsequent 12 months or two. I consider Tom Loeffler goes to push me to get championship fights.”
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has coated boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He might be reached at [email protected]. You may also observe Francisco on Twitter @FSalazarBoxing.
