By the end of 2018, Gor Yeritsyan had followed up a stellar amateur career with nine pro fights that left him with nine wins and eight knockouts. He had also secured the WBO youth welterweight belt with a second-round stoppage of Alvin Lagumbay to close out the year.
On paper, life was good. In reality, he knew that to keep the momentum going, he needed to not just fight in the United States, but train there, as well. So the native of Yerevan, Armenia packed his bags for Los Angeles.
“I know if I stayed at home, I can’t go forward in my career, not in professional boxing,” said Yeritsyan. “I worked every day, I trained every day there, but I can’t fight. And after I came here and I understand why, I think if I don’t go to the USA, maybe my career is done.”
It was a harsh truth for Yeritsyan, who posted a 151-30 amateur record that includes six national championships back home. But with no pro structure resembling that of the United States, he was basically winging it early on in the punch for pay ranks, competing in Russia and Spain and back to Russia in search of fights. There were solid wins over former world title challenger Ali Funeka and Jose Luis Prieto, but nothing consistent enough to get him the right fights at the right time.
He would visit the States for a training camp in 2018, come back for more camps in 2019 and 2020, but after clearing up “a little bit of paperwork” and getting surgery on his elbow, he has made Los Angeles home as he trains full-time with Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym.
And now, at 15-0 with 13 stops, he has a new promoter in Tom Loeffler’s 360 Boxing Promotions.
“This is a very good thing and I like it,” said Yeritsyan. “I wanted to sign with Tom because all my friends and all my coaches tell me he’s a very good person and a really good promoter. He can push me for a world title, and I am ready for any fight. And I think since I’m with Tom, we’ll go for the best shows and best fights together.”
Loeffler’s track record with the Klitschko brothers and Gennadiy Golovkin is firmly established, and as he focuses on pushing unbeaten Irish prospect Callum Walsh, he has the platform on UFC Fight Pass to not just keep Walsh busy and in the public eye, but do the same for his newest signing, something that will happen for the second straight time when the pair co-headline at the Commerce Casino on August 26.
For Yeritsyan, who faces Filipino southpaw Rogelio Jun Doliguez, it’s an opportunity to stay busy while still building his Stateside fan base, something that got started in earnest in June when he halted Gustavo David Vittori in two rounds underneath Walsh’s stoppage of Carson Jones. It wasn’t Yeritsyan’s United States debut, as he fought in California three times previously, but it was his first bout since a punishing sixth-round stoppage of Mahonri Montes.
That fight, promoted by Ring City USA and nationally televised, garnered plenty of attention for not being stopped sooner, but put that aside and it was the type of performance that should have gotten the buzz going on Yeritsyan. Unfortunately, he would not see the inside of a boxing ring for a fight for two-and-a-half years, a frustrating time for the rising star, who, as he puts it, had to “start my career again.”
On the bright side, he did get to strengthen his bonds with Roach and his teammates – including Walsh – in Hollywood, where the renowned trainer is getting a new generation ready to assault the top of their respective divisions.
“We have a lot of good boxers now, a lot of prospects, and I think very soon Freddie is going to have more world champions,” said Yeritsyan. “All the guys are going for championships, and we work very hard Training’s very hard, but I really like it. I like my team, I like my gym, and every day I work here, I enjoy it.”
And with the Armenian-rich city of Glendale just a 20-minute drive away, adjusting to life in the States also got a little easier during his time away from the ring.
“It’s very nice because they love sports, and every fight I win, more people know me and more people want to come to my fight.”
And spoiler alert, Armenians love their fighting, whether it’s boxing or mixed martial arts.
“All Armenians love boxing, and Armenian people are a little bit, not aggressive, but they like fights,” he laughs. “All the people like it.”
Yeritsyan’s style gives them something to like, that’s for sure. And he wants to keep giving the people what they want and as much as they want.
“I lost two-and-a-half years and now I want to stay busy,” Yeritsyan said. “I have a fight in August 26 and in November after this. Every two, three months, I have a fight.”
With that schedule, he’ll be where he wants to be sooner rather than later. So is Yeritsyan going to be Roach’s next world champion?
“Yeah,” said Yeritsyan. “Hopefully.”