By Jake Donovan - A tripleheader of super welterweight title fights topped by Jermall Charlo's defense versus former champ Austin Trout remains on course for May 21, with Showtime likely to televise. However, the official announcement remains on hold due to an inability to secure a venue, which could ultimately prompt a change in location.
A pair of super welterweight title fights that have been attached to a number of dates appears to finally have a firm timeframe and location. Training stablemates Jermall Charlo and Erislandy Lara can both look forward to hometown title defenses. Multiple sources have informed BoxingScene.com that plans are in place for the pair of Houston-based champs to defend in separate bouts on May 21 in Houston, Texas
The WBC hereby confirms that it has removed Vanes Martirosyan from participating in the final elimination fight versus Erislandy Lara due to Mr. Martirosyan’s failure to agree to a bout date compliant with the WBC Rules & Regulations. The WBC will designate an alternative opponent to Mr. Lara in for the final elimination bout to determine the mandatory contender of the super welterweight division.
According to sources, the WBC purse bid for the rematch between Erislandy Lara and Vanes Martirosyan was won by Golden Boy on Friday for $410,000. The rematch was mandated to decide the No. 1 contender to the 154-pound belt held by Saul "Canelo"Alvarez after their original WBC eliminator in Nov. ended in a technical draw.
The Nov. 10 card featuring a main event of Erislandy Lara vs. Vanes Martirosyan had a total attendance of 2,243, with 1,826 tickets sold and 417 tickets given away for free, according to figures provided by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. A total of 889 tickets went unsold. The nine-fight card, held at Wynn Las Vegas and broadcast on HBO, brought in a total gate of $129,850.
The World Boxing Council is positioning to order a rematch of last Saturday's junior middleweight final eliminator between Vanes Martirosyan (32-0-1, 20 KOs) and Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 KOs). The fight ended early after a clash of heads in the ninth round. Vanes sustained a severe cut above his left eye and was unable to continue. The judges scored a technical draw verdict, which left the WBC without a mandatory challenger to champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
Ryan Burton catches up with junior middleweight Erislandy Lara to discuss his eight round technical draw with Vanes Martirosyan.
Junior middleweight contender Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11KOs) was frustrated with last night's technical decision draw against Vanes Martirosyan. The fight was stopped by the ringside doctor after a deep gash was opened up above Martirosyan's left eye after both fighter's heads collided early in the 9th round. Lara said that the clash of heads was accidental.
Erislandy Lara had a 13-punch edge in power shots landed vs. Vanes Martirosyan, who came forward enough to impress two judges.
Last night, inside of the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, junior middleweight contenders Vanes Martirosyan and Erislandy Lara fought to a technical-draw verdict that left much to be desired. After a little more than nine rounds of action, an accidental head butt resulted in a nasty gash above Martirosyan’s left eye that saw the fight go to the scorecards. Judge Richard Ocasio favored Lara 87-84, while Jerry Roth saw the bout in Martirosyan’s favor 86-85, with Dave Moretti’s 86-86 tally leaving no room for a winner.