By Ryan Burton
2004 U.S. Olympian Vanes "Nightmare" Martirosyan (27-0) spoke to BoxingScene.com about his upcoming fight with fellow undefeated up and comer Joe Greene (22-0) on the undercard to the Miguel Cotto-Yuri Foreman headliner. The Armenian's fight will be the televised HBO co-feature to the Cotto bout. Martirosyan touches on a variety of subjects from the keys to victory for him on his fights to thoughts on a potential Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, to his predicition on Khan-Malignaggi and more in this exclusive interview.
BoxingScene.com: Tell us about your June 5th fight with Joe Greene?
Vanes Martirosyan: It is going to be a good fight. We are in good shape. For camp I moved in with (conditioning coach) Alex Ariza for the last two weeks now to get ready for this fight. I can't wait. We are in good shape already. We were training before...we knew we were fighting on June 5th, we just didn't know who against. We were already preparing. They told me Joe Greene and I know Joe from the amateurs. He is a good exciting fighter and I think it will be a good fight for both of us.
BoxingScene.com: Have you had a chance to check out his most recent fight versus Chris Gray?
Vanes Martirosyan: No I actually haven't seen any tape on him. I have seen him before on ESPN and stuff but I haven't really seen his last fight to be honest with you.
BoxingScene.com: Do you watch a lot of film or do you let Freddie (Roach) and your team handle that?
Vanes Martirosyan: Yeah Freddie and Alex and my dad watch the films. I just do the training and listen to what they have to tell me.
BoxingScene.com: Based on what you have seen on tv and what your team has told you what do you think the key to the fight is going to be?
Vanes Martirosyan: The key to the fight is just Vanes showing up in the ring and doing what he does best. I think that is going to be the key. From what people have told me he (Joe Greene) didn't look good in his last fight but that doesn't mean anything. I know he is going to come in shape and be ready for this fight. So am I so I know it will be a good fight.
BoxingScene.com: In your last fight you stepped up your level of competition and won a hard fought decision with Kassim Ouma. What did you learn from that fight that can help you prepare for this one?
Vanes Martirosyan: I got a lot of experience in that fight. I think I fought Ouma the wrong way. I should have fought him a totally different way. Just like you asked about watching Joe Greene's last fight we watched tape of Ouma according to his last fights and the Ouman that showed up wasn't the Ouma we were preparing for. Even after the fight Ouma told me he was in the best shape of his life and he was really ready for the fight. We spoke a little bit and he said I deserve a lot of credit. He said he was really prepared for that fight. It was a good experience for me.
BoxingScene.com: How does it feel to be fighting on HBO in the co-feature slot to Cotto-Foreman?
Vanes Martirosyan: It is an honor to fight on HBO. It is a dream come true. It is something you dream about when you are younger.
BoxingScene.com: I am sure you are interested in the outcome of the Cotto-Foreman fight being that it is in your weight class. Have there been any rumblings of you maybe fighting the winner down the road?
Vanes Martirosyan: Well I hope so. This is just another step for me to get to bigger and better things. I don't care who they put in front of me. I want to fight the big names and the big guys. If Joe (Greene) is going to stand in my way of reaching my dreams and my goal then I have to take him out.
BoxingScene.com: Who do you think wins the Cotto-Foreman fight?
Vanes Martirosyan: That is a tough fight because Yuri is very good on his feet. I think if maybe Cotto cuts the ring off and starts to sit down and throw punches and he catches Foreman...I don't know because I don't think I have ever seen Yuri get hit flush with punches because he is always moving. I think it is going to be a close fight. I don't know I think whoever shows up and prepares the best is going to win.
BoxingScene.com: I am sure you watched the Mayweather-Mosley fight. How do you see a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao fight playing out after seeing Floyd's performance?
Vanes Martirosyan: After seeing that fight I think Pacquiao will knock him out. You can't fight Pacquiao the way he fought Mosley. I think Mosley stopped trying after two rounds. I don't know what happened or what was in his head. I think he could have made the fight more competitive if he let his hands go and fought like he did in rounds one and two. If he (Mayweather) fought Pacquiao like that I think he would get knocked out.
BoxingScene.com: Do you have a prediction for your friend Amir Khan versus Paulie Malignaggi?
Vanes Martirosyan: I think Amir is going to knock him out. He has been looking really good and strong in the gym. I think he is going to stop Malignaggi.
BoxingScene.com: Assuming you get the win versus Greene like you plan, when are you looking to have your next fight?
Vanes Martirosyan: I am not sure but I think I get on the next Donaire card at the end of the summer. I have to talk to my manager. I just resigned with Top Rank and my manager Shelly Finkel and they are the best at what they do and they put me in these great opportunities. They have done their jobs and I need to do mine. I want to fight again as soon as possible.
BoxingScene.com: Do you have a message for the fans?
Vanes Martirosyan: I want to thank the fans and I want to thank you Ryan for this interview. I know that people that I am no good because of the Ouma fight and this or that. This time around it is going to be different. I learned a lot. I want to thank everybody for their support and I want to tell everybody to keep supporting me and I promise I won't let you guys down.
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