Artem Harutyunyan Aims to Impress Against Shakur Stevenson
On Saturday, March 25th, WBC lightweight title challenger Artem Harutyunyan will face off against the talented Shakur Stevenson at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Stevenson, the reigning champion, will be defending his belt in the final bout of his promotional deal with Top Rank.
Harutyunyan, who holds a 12-1 (7 KOs) record, is eager to make the most of this opportunity after a close decision loss to Frank Martin in Las Vegas last July. “I’m happy to be here in Newark,” said the 33-year-old challenger, who was born in Armenia and currently resides in Germany. “I came all the way up here to fight Shakur Stevenson’s hometown. It’s a big opportunity for me, and I will do my best and show a great fight.”
Harutyunyan has been training in the United States for the past month, determined to prove that he deserves another shot at the big stage. “I know Frank Martin knows he lost the fight, and I told everybody I will be back in the States, and now it’s happened, I’m back here. It’s a great chance. I did a great training camp. I’m well prepared and I’m ready for this fight.”
While Stevenson is a highly-skilled fighter and a former Olympic silver medalist, Harutyunyan is not deterred by the champion’s reputation. “I know Shakur Stevenson is a good fighter, he’s a world champion. He’s a silver medalist and I am bronze, and now we fight for the world championship – the WBC. Everyone wants to see Shakur Stevenson lose. Many people say he’s boring, but it’s his style and it works. I’m happy to be here. I want to show all the fans and the boxing fans that I can give him a good fight.”
Harutyunyan even addressed the criticism Stevenson has received for his recent performances, notably his drab contest against Edwin De Los Santos in November. “Some people say I should wear running shoes in this fight – it’s just a joke,” Harutyunyan smiled. “Many fighters don’t want to fight with him [Stevenson], someone said they’re all ducking, but I want to make this fight happen. He’s a good fighter. Give him the respect, the credit he deserves. This is going to be a great night, and I want to show the fans a good boxing match.”
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