Friday, September 28th, 2007
Artyom "Lionheart" Hovhannisyan

Montebello, CA

RESULT:

Artyom WINS by KNOCKOUT in the 1st round

Lightweight prospect Artyom Hovhannisyan may have been fighting way over his head on Friday night when he stepped inside the ring against hard-hitting veteran Jose Luis Soto Karass. With 35 professional bouts, Karass may have been drooling to get inside the ring against Hovhannisyan, with all of four professional bouts under his belt.

However, Hovhannisyan proved that records are deceiving and he could hold his own against any opponent inside the ring.

Hovhannisyan scored a one-punch knockout over Karass before a stunned crowd of about 650 at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello, CA.

The bout headlined a four-bout "Battle of the Rising Stars" card, presented by All Star Boxing Promotions.

On paper, the fight looked like a mismatch. Karass has had a reputation as being a strong fighter over the last couple of years. With all but two of his victories by knockout and having faced strong opposition at 130 and 135 pounds, most thought it was only a matter of time before Karass would school the unbeaten, but untested fighter.

It only took a few seconds for Hovhannisyan to assert himself in the fight. Hovhannisyan set up Karass with a picture-perfect right hand to the head behind a jab. Karass went down face first to the canvas. He stood up quickly and staggered towards a corner, grabbing the ropes. Referee David Denkin began to count, but stopped at five and waved the fight over at 25 seconds.

Although he had no knockouts in his four professional bouts, Hovhannisyan seemed to take his knockout victory over Karass in stride.

"I felt the punch in my hand and knew he was hurt," said Hovhannisyan after the fight.

Although Hovhannisyan's management knew of Karass and his record of fighting strong fighters at this weight class, they knew he was ready for this fight.

"I trained very hard for this fight," replied Hovhannisyan, when asked of his preparation in fighting someone of the caliber of Karass.

Although the result may have been a surprise to many inside the venue, Hovhannisyan's trainers and handlers expected nothing less than a victory. Hovhannisyan fought about 180 bouts as an amateur in Armenia and in Europe; therefore he was no stranger inside a ring.

Hovhannisyan is scheduled to fight next on November 2nd in Woodland Hills, located in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California.

Hovhannisyan, from Yerevan, Armenia, improves to 4-0-1, 1 KO. Karass, from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, falls to 20-13-1, 18 KO's.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE PICTURES OF THE FIGHT