Artur Grigorian vs David Armstrong

Four days’ notice was all David Armstrong received before travelling from the United States to Germany for his first recognised world-title contest. The hurried arrangement placed him against an unbeaten champion who had enjoyed a full preparation, yet the Floridian lasted the entire 12 rounds at the Stadthalle in Cottbus on 11 October 1997. Artur Grigorian retained the WBO lightweight championship by unanimous decision, winning by scores of 120-109, 119-110 and 117-111.

Grigorian was making the fourth defence of the title he had won by knocking out Antonio Rivera in the final round in April 1996. The Uzbek-born southpaw had subsequently defeated Gene Reed, Marty Jakubowski and Raul Horacio Balbi, stopping Reed in two rounds and Balbi in the eleventh. Trained by Fritz Sdunek and fighting from the Universum stable, he had developed into a steady, industrious champion whose balance and punch output were more troublesome than his comparatively restrained manner suggested. Both men were recorded at 135½ pounds, and Joe O’Neill served as referee.

Armstrong’s opportunity followed a rapid rise. He had drawn over 12 rounds with Tanveer Ahmed in Glasgow in April, flooring the British-based southpaw in the fourth, before stopping Alexis Barcelay and then Thomas Seiler. The victory over Seiler, achieved in the tenth round at Stuttgart on 23 August, brought Armstrong the WBO intercontinental title. Less than seven weeks later he was called back to Germany to face the champion. Armstrong was accustomed to difficult assignments, but he had never met a professional of Grigorian’s class and had almost no time to prepare specifically for another southpaw.

The pattern was established in the opening rounds. Grigorian boxed at a measured rate, using his right lead to occupy Armstrong and following it with straight left hands. He was not obliged to pursue a reckless attack. His advantages lay in positioning, accuracy and the regularity with which he completed his work before moving out of return range. Armstrong looked for the heavier single blows and remained competitive, but Grigorian generally landed more often and dictated where the exchanges took place. Judge Mike Glienna awarded each of the first five rounds to the champion, while Samuel Viruet and Luca Montella also had Grigorian building a commanding early lead.

Armstrong’s best period came through the middle and later stages. Glienna gave him the sixth and eighth rounds, indicating that the challenger succeeded at times in interrupting Grigorian’s rhythm and landing the more forceful punches. Viruet marked the sixth even, while Montella scored the eighth level. Grigorian nevertheless regained control whenever Armstrong threatened to reduce the deficit. His greater volume and tidier construction of attacks carried the ninth and tenth rounds on all three cards. Armstrong continued pressing and was still in sufficient condition to compete in the closing minutes, but he could not force the knockdown or sustained breakthrough required to alter the contest.

The judges differed only over how much credit Armstrong deserved for his resistance. Glienna gave the challenger the eleventh before awarding the twelfth to Grigorian, producing a score of 117-111. Montella gave Armstrong the final round and returned 119-110, having scored only the eighth even. Viruet saw every round for Grigorian apart from an even sixth and recorded the widest total, 120-109. There were no recorded knockdowns or deductions, and the decision was clear.

Armstrong had acquitted himself creditably under unfavourable circumstances, but the champion’s steadier work had settled most of the rounds. His camp later maintained that many of them had been close and that Armstrong landed the harder punches, an assessment partly reflected by Glienna’s narrower card. The breadth of the official decision, however, left no serious dispute about the winner. Grigorian advanced to 23-0 and went on to hold the WBO championship for more than seven years, making 17 successful defences. Armstrong returned to Florida and stopped Billy Wooten in three rounds two months later, but Cottbus remained his only challenge for a major recognised world title.

I’ve always thought Artur Grigorian was better than the recognition he received. He was a clever southpaw with excellent balance, a steady work rate and none of the wasted movement you often see. Against David Armstrong, he controlled matters without taking unnecessary chances.

Armstrong accepted the fight on four days’ notice and deserves credit for completing 12 rounds. He landed some solid punches, but Grigorian’s volume and positioning won the rounds clearly.

The scores of 120-109, 119-110 and 117-111 were fair. Armstrong competed honestly, but Grigorian was the better-prepared, better-schooled man and remained in command.