30-year-old super lightweight prospect (up to 63.5 kg) from Armenia, two-time European champion, winner of the Olympic Games and three world championships among amateurs Armenian Hovhannes Bachkov (4-0, 3 KOs) managed to impress hardened coaches in California (USA), where he polishes his skills after switching to professionals.
On December 2, in Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Bachkov fought the fourth fight in profiring, having dealt with the Mexican in two rounds
Marcos Gonzalez Barrasa.
Meanwhile, the well-known coach Manny Robles, under whose guidance the boxer trains in the States, spoke about the details of his acquaintance with Hovhannes.
“We sparred a lot in LA, the plan was to spar with 10 different guys and he took them out one by one! Robles says admiringly. – I’m like: “Yolki, I’ll have to find you stronger opponents,” because he knocked out those whom I put against him. So we came to the point that I started to put him against him with fighters from 66.7 kg and even 69.9 kg. And then he told me: “Why are you doing this to me?” And I told him: “Because in your weight you will knock everyone out!” He just went right through them.”
“So I started going to different halls in Southern California,” Manny continues. – So we looked into the Wild Card to Freddie Roach, and he was able to see Bachkov in action. Freddie and I have a great relationship and he said to me, “Where did you find this guy? He is good!””
According to Robles, first of all, he wants to teach Hovhannes how to better cut the corners of the ring, work with the body and on counterattacks. “He’s very physically strong and doesn’t know what it’s like to back off. Very aggressive, he hunts you down, systematically breaks you down until you can’t go on.”
The coach did not hesitate to draw a parallel between Bachkov and the legendary Roberto Duran: “If I had to compare him with someone stylistically, I would name Duran. Of course, this is loudly said, especially when we talk about Roberto with his outstanding achievements. But if we talk about style, that’s the way it is.