Hovhannisyan Beats Unbeaten Medet on Short Notice | Boxing Results

Azat Hovhannisyan took a fight on seven days’ notice Friday night and handed Aidos Medet his first professional loss, winning an eight round unanimous decision at Thunder Studios in Long Beach. The judges scored it 77-75, 78-74, and 79-73 for the 37 year old Armenian, who had been preparing as Medet’s sparring partner before the original opponent withdrew.

This was not a fight decided by one punch. Hovhannisyan stayed in Medet’s space from the start and never let the pace drop. He pressed forward, cut off the ring, and kept the exchanges tight. Medet, a slick southpaw, struggled to create separation. He spent much of the fight backing up and rarely got set.

Hovhannisyan had already seen how Medet worked in camp, and once the fight tightened up, Medet did not find another way to change it. The pressure stayed in his face and never eased.

The fight never slowed. Hovhannisyan stayed in range and made Medet work every second of every round. He accepted return shots when necessary and answered with volume rather than power. The exchanges were not clean or technical. They were physical and constant. Over eight rounds, that approach wore Medet down.

Hovhannisyan stepped in late and did not have a full camp built around this opponent. Even so, he dictated where the fight took place. He pushed the tempo and forced Medet into a type of fight he had not previously been required to handle as a professional.

For Medet, now 13-1, the loss showed a clear issue. When the fight stayed close and uncomfortable, he struggled to adjust. His style depends on space. When that space was taken away, he did not regain control. At 24, he has time to work through that.

Hovhannisyan is unlikely to receive a title opportunity at this stage of his career. That does not change his role. He remains a problem for fighters trying to move forward. Friday showed how quickly a night can turn when a fight stays tight and never opens up.