VERONA, N.Y. -- There are many notable fights on May 12, one of which will on HBO. That fight, which will be the co-feature on that card, will be a bout between Rey Vargas (31-0, 22 KOs) and Art Hovhannisyan (18-4-3, 10 KOs). On the line will be Vargas' WBC junior featherweight title and he will be making his third title defense.
Vargas and his lanky frame pack a mean punch. He fights out of the orthodox stance and works behind a busy jab, but it isn't his jab that makes him special, it's his power punching. Vargas has fast hands and loves to put his punches together both upstairs and to the body. He throws a mean left hook to the body and he also has a heavy right hand and he often overwhelms opponents. Vargas is the type of fighter whose offensive is his defense, he's there to be hit, but to hit him opponents have to make it through a barrage of punches.
2017 was a great year for Vargas. He went 3-0 and although he didn't score any knockouts all three of the wins came against good opponents in Gavin McDonnell, Ronny Rios, and Oscar Negrete. A win for Vargas on Saturday could set up some big fights considering the top of the junior featherweight division has names like Guillermo Rigondeaux, Isaac Dogboe, and Jessie Magdaleno. However, before Vargas sets his sights on other top 122 pound fighters he'll first need to handle business against Hovhannisyan.
Somehow Hovhannisyan has found himself getting the first title shot of his 12-year career. He is currently ranked ninth in the junior featherweight division by the WBC but he hasn't fared very well as of late. In his last 10 fights the best thing that can be said about Hovhannisyan is that he's been consistent, putting together a record of 4-4-2. In that stretch he lost to his best competition, Diego Magdaleno and Jamel Herring who stopped him in the third round.
Hovhannisyan is also an orthodox fighter and he also happens to be 11 years older than Vargas. The Armenian fighter loves to move his lead hand but doesn't jab much with it. His best punch is probably his right hand but when he throws it he will often fall in and really square up. Hovhannisyan will also throw a looping left hook but that doesn't have as much on it as his right hand. One issue for Hovhannisyan in this fight will be getting inside. He doesn't jab his way in and he will have to walk through Vargas' onslaught.
The aging Hovhannisyan is going to have a very difficult time against Vargas. Not only is he older but he also has a shorter reach, doesn't jab his way inside, and squares up too much. All of those ingredients add up to a recipe for disaster for Hovhannisyan against Vargas. Vargas really likes to let the punches fly and Hovhannisyan isn't a hard target to hit. Look for Vargas to be able to consistently catch Hovhannisyan on his way in and really limit what he's able to do offensively.
PREDICTION: Art Hovhannisyan is not going to have a good night against Rey Vargas. Vargas is coming off a great 2017, has good power, and really lets his hands go. Hovhannisyan might try to rough things up on the inside but he won't find much, if any success. Vargas will look great in this one and stop Hovhannisyan in the 10th round.
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| Vargas attacking to the body |
2017 was a great year for Vargas. He went 3-0 and although he didn't score any knockouts all three of the wins came against good opponents in Gavin McDonnell, Ronny Rios, and Oscar Negrete. A win for Vargas on Saturday could set up some big fights considering the top of the junior featherweight division has names like Guillermo Rigondeaux, Isaac Dogboe, and Jessie Magdaleno. However, before Vargas sets his sights on other top 122 pound fighters he'll first need to handle business against Hovhannisyan.
Somehow Hovhannisyan has found himself getting the first title shot of his 12-year career. He is currently ranked ninth in the junior featherweight division by the WBC but he hasn't fared very well as of late. In his last 10 fights the best thing that can be said about Hovhannisyan is that he's been consistent, putting together a record of 4-4-2. In that stretch he lost to his best competition, Diego Magdaleno and Jamel Herring who stopped him in the third round.
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| Hovhannisyan landing a strong right hand |
The aging Hovhannisyan is going to have a very difficult time against Vargas. Not only is he older but he also has a shorter reach, doesn't jab his way inside, and squares up too much. All of those ingredients add up to a recipe for disaster for Hovhannisyan against Vargas. Vargas really likes to let the punches fly and Hovhannisyan isn't a hard target to hit. Look for Vargas to be able to consistently catch Hovhannisyan on his way in and really limit what he's able to do offensively.
PREDICTION: Art Hovhannisyan is not going to have a good night against Rey Vargas. Vargas is coming off a great 2017, has good power, and really lets his hands go. Hovhannisyan might try to rough things up on the inside but he won't find much, if any success. Vargas will look great in this one and stop Hovhannisyan in the 10th round.
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