Combat sports entered Erik Israyelyan’s life at an early age. As a restless child searching for an outlet, he first discovered kickboxing at the age of five. But by ten, he had fully committed to boxing, with the dream of one day competing in the Olympic Games.
Without even needing to reach the Olympics, the pride of Yerevan, Armenia, triumphed in some of the most prestigious amateur boxing competitions. In April 2022, in Bulgaria, he won the European Junior Championship in the 60 kg category.
The following November, this time in Spain, he reached the pinnacle of success—Erik Israyelyan became the Junior World Champion, less than a month after celebrating his 16th birthday!
Feeling he had already accomplished a great deal in the amateur ranks and inspired by his childhood idols, Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr., the Armenian fighter chose to forgo the Olympic dream to shine in the professional ranks as soon as possible. Closely following his performances, his aggressive style, and his immense potential, Eye of the Tiger’s Director of Development, Marc Ramsay, wasted no time in offering the right- handed athlete a contract.
At just 20 years old, the Armenian prospect has now settled in Montreal to pursue his dream. This exciting new chapter will officially begin on April 10 in the Quebec metropolis, as Erik Israyelyan makes his highly anticipated professional debut in the lightweight division.
“He’s a pressure fighter, he punches with authority, and he’s explosive! Some fans might even find that his style resembles that of former world champion Leonard Dorin,” said his new coach, Samuel Décarie-Drolet.
