Arthur Abraham suffers defeat, doesn’t know what to do

PanARMENIAN.Net - "I don't know what I'm going to do right now. Going back to middleweight is not an option. It's not going to happen. I'll go home, sit down with my promoter and my team, and figure out what's best for my career. I'm not happy about the loss to Ward, but I felt that I did well," Abraham said.

Ward said, “It’s a tough business. I was able to pull off a victory but I have to go back and watch the tape to see what I did right and wrong.” “Abraham was very strong and very tough. My trainer says I was able to make the necessary adjustments but I wish the ref had allowed me to fight on the inside because that is what I trained for.” “Bite down and fight back is what I did. I am going to stay humble and work hard. I want to be champion for a long time and get hit as little as possible.”

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Vic Darchinyan, who captured the vacant IBO bantamweight world title on April 24 in a clash against Colombia’s Yonnhy Perez is currently in Armenia.

As the boxer told a news conference in Yerevan, the victory allowed him to increase the world’s awareness of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day. “In a fight against Perez, I won my 8th belt to become the 3rd Showtime boxer to gain that many titles,” the sportsman said.

Darchinyan will fight with Abner Mares in bantamweight tournament, who, by a disputable judge resolution was announced winner in their December 2010 clash. As Darchinyan noted, Mares’ failure to agree to a combat might end in the latter’s disqualification.

Should Darchinyan not find a suitable rival, he’ll move to the forth weight class: featherweight or light welterweight.

The IBO bantamweight champion seeks a rematch with a WBC/WBO world champion Nonito Donaire, who knocked him out in 2007. “For over 4 years, Donaire would not agree to a rematch. I want to show what I’m capable of, yet I cannot get him to agree. I even offered to let him have my fee in exchange for a match,” Darchinyan said.

Weightlifting and Sambo: Youth Olympic Games bronze winner Gor Minasyan (+94kg), 17, won gold at the World Youth Weightlifting Championships in Lima, Peru, exceeding his rivals both in the snatch and clean and jerk. Minasyan lifted 174kg in the snatch and 205kg in the clean and jerk to win the champion’s title with a combined total of 379kg. Andranik Karapetyan (62kg) and Mher Mikaelyan (85kg) won bronze and silver medals respectively.

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2010 world champion Vachik Vardanyan (68kg) won gold in combat sambo tournaments of Sofia-hosted European Championships. Besides, Armenia’s Andranik Naghdalyan (74kg) won bronze. Ruzanna Sargsyan (48kg), Tigran Kirakosyan (52kg) and Ashot Danielyan (74kg) won bronze at the tournament.

Chess:Armenia’s Elina Danielyan won bronze of the European Individual Women Chess Championship after she tied her last round game with Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria, gaining 8 points. Stefanova is the 2nd with 8.5 points. Victoria Cmilyte of Lithuania won the champion’s title.

Lilit Mkrtchyan finished 21st, Lilit Galoyan – 41st, Nelly Aghinyan – 55th, Anna Hayrapetyan – 71st, Maria Gevorgyan – 80th, Lia Martirosyan – 106th and Siranush Ghukasyan – 118th.

Elina Danielyan is the only Armenian representative to have qualified for the World Chess Championship.

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FIDE Master Karen Grigoryan won gold at Russia-hosted Young Stars of the World championship, gaining 8 points in 12 rounds. Aleksey Goganov of Russia became the championship runner-up.