A warrior who never gives up lies in the heart of a fighter. Boxing champion Vanes Martirosyan, who has fought alongside some of the best in the business, has a new opponent to contend with. This time, the adversary is cancer, which strikes just as hard without throwing blows as Jermell Charlo or Gennadiy Golovkin did.
Martirosyan had a reputation for competing among the best for more than ten years. He never back down from a challenge and battled against undefeated champions. He described fighting as “fun” and declared that he would fight “GGG” again without thinking. However, at 38, the ring has evolved into a different kind of combat zone with fewer safeguards.
A Heartbreaking Squamous Cell Carcinoma Diagnosis
Martirosyan was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a dangerous kind of cancer that was advancing towards his lymph nodes, following six arduous months of suffering and therapy. Experts gave him a dismal prognosis, leaving him with two stark choices: have surgery right once or risk his condition getting worse. The news stunned Martirosyan, but it did not demoralise him. It was like a knockout blow.
“I broke down in tears. I considered my family, my children, and my funeral. He said, “It was terrifying,” speaking with unfiltered passion. With no referee to break up the strikes, this was more than just a normal battle. It was his life on the line.
After more than two decades of marriage to Gaby Tsao, Martirosyan is the father of Andrew and Arianna. His children’s October birthdays were approaching, and the prospect of missing them was unbearable.
Using Alternative Therapies: A Round-by-Round Battle
Even though surgery was strongly advised, Martirosyan chose a different course of action. In their quest for alternative therapies, his spouse Gaby discovered “Hope 4 Cancer,” a clinic located in Tijuana, Mexico. Martirosyan started a tough 10-week chemotherapy treatment here, and he had already completed cycle one.
“They would remove all they could see if I underwent surgery. Here, however, the treatments come first. “My body is capable of eliminating the cancer that it created,” he clarified, drawing a parallel between his struggle and a 12-round boxing match. This statement’s optimism reflects the fighter’s unwavering conviction that, one round at a time, he can outlast everything.
Resilience is something he learnt during his boxing career, and he believes that the strength he gained there will see him through. He had little discomfort during his first chemotherapy session, which was a tiny victory in a cruel struggle.
A Boxer’s Heart: An Unwavering Spirit, Family, and Legacy
Martirosyan, who lost to Golovkin via second-round knockout in 2018, is retired and has experienced difficult circumstances in the past. However, nothing has put him to the test like this cancer battle. He once said he was sorry to the audience for his last performance, blaming the short notice for not being at his best. Currently, though, he is putting everything on the line for his family, his future, and not just his followers.
In order to impart his skills to the next generation—particularly to his son Andrew, who is training in both boxing and jiu-jitsu like his father did—Martosyan aspires to create a boxing academy. “That will happen once I’m healed,” he added, clinging to hope.
Martirosyan doesn’t worry about money. He has enough money to pay for his therapy since he made wise investments during his time in the ring. The World Boxing Council (WBC) has also intervened; its president, Mauricio Sulaiman, has offered financial support to cover his medical costs out of a WBC fund.
For Vanes Martirosyan, though, time rather than money is the problem. He says, “I’m attempting to buy time.” Time to win this struggle, time to be with his family, and time to witness his aspirations come true.
Boxer’s Prayer for a Miracle: Chasing Time
Martirosyan is having more and more trouble falling asleep as the evenings become longer. The conflict within of him is echoed by the sound of the waves breaking outside his window in Tijuana. I simply ask God to heal me. He says, “I pray for a miracle,” his voice half-hopeful, half-desperate.
Martirosyan thought back to his brother, who died of a heart attack at the age of forty, during a very touching time. Martirosyan is unable to face the idea of being the next in line for the burial grounds that the family has already booked. He remarked, “I told them I don’t want to be the next one in there.”
Martirosyan is not alone, even in this dire situation. Supporting him with expressions of solidarity has been the boxing community’s response. Billy Dib, a boxer who was also battling stomach cancer, responded with words of support. As soon as WBC’s Sulaiman shared a picture of Martirosyan in the middle of treatment, supporters showered social media with well wishes.
These messages give him the willpower to continue this unrelenting battle. He said, “It’s nice to know people are concerned.” “I send my best wishes to everyone, especially to those who are ill.”