USA Olympian Vanes Martirosyan (26-0, 17 KOs) scored an impressive third round KO over Willie Lee (17-6, 10 KOs) to claim the NABF/NABO super welterweight belts. Martirosyan dropped Lee twice before it was stopped at the 2:13 mark. "I rushed myself during the first round, sort of took off in second and Freddie (Roach) told me to get more busy – to crank it up. That’s what I did,” said Vanes afterward. Trainer Freddie Roach added, "Vanes is ready for a world title shot. He’s 26-0, done his homework, he is ready for the big fight.”

At the Beeghly Center in Youngstown, Ohio, junior middleweight prospect Vanes Martirosyan (26-0, 17KOs) stopped Willie Lee (17-6, 11KOs) in three rounds to win the NABF 154-pound title.

Vanes came out fast in the first round. He was winging left hooks and stayed behind the jab. A big right hand had Lee in very serious trouble. Lee tried fighting fire with fire by staying toe to toe with Vanes. Vanes continued to batter him combinations but couldn't put him away. Vanes came out with big right at the start of the second.

Lee cleared his head and fired back with combinations. Lee was coming forward with a jab in the third. Vanes was giving him angles and landing in spurts. As Lee lunged in, he was decked with a massive hook that sent him down until the count of eight. Time was called as Lee's mouthpiece was knocked out.

After the mouthpiece was placed back in, Vanes jumped on him with combinations to send him down again and the fight was stopped.