WBC silver junior middleweight title holder Vanes Martirosyan was impressed with Saul Alvarez’s dominating performance over Ryan Rhodes on Saturday night. Alvarez (37-0-1, 27 KOs) closed the show by stopping Rhodes in the 12thg round.
“Canelo looked great. He really put his punches together and made Rhodes fight tentatively,” Martirosyan said.
The Glendale, California, based Martirosyan (30-0-19KOs) earned a title shot versus Alvarez when he knocked out Saul Roman in seven rounds on June 4th at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Martirosyan wants to face Alvarez on September 17th for Mexican Independence Day weekend.
“I hear Canelo wants to fight in September. I say let’s do it. We can sell out STAPLES,” he said. “He has his Mexican fans and along with all my Armenian fans I also have many Mexican fans. I would be honored to fight on that date.”
Martirosyan’s hometown of Glendale is close in proximity to Staples Center and the 2004 US Olympian who holds wins over Tim Bradley and Andre Berto in the amateurs knows a fight with Alvarez would be huge in Southern California, “How often do you get two undefeated fighters in the ring together? My style and Canelo’s style guarantees a great fight for the fans. One thing I know is that it won’t go the distance.”
Even though he holds the mandatory position to face Alvarez, Martirosyan doesn’t think he would have to force his mandatory position to face the red headed Mexican fighter.
“I think Canelo will face me next. Why wouldn’t he? He has never ducked anyone. I’m sure he will do the honorable thing and fight me next,” Martirosyan stated confidently.
