ALTADENA, CA – The Tekeyan Cultural Association Metro Los Angeles Chapter will host a program titled Vladimir Yengibaryan: Gold Medal Winning Armenian Boxing Legend on Friday, January 25, 2019 at 7 p.m. at the Glendale Public Library, Glendale, CA. Avetis Bairamian, sports editor of Nor Or, and author of the Armenian language publications Famous Armenians in the World of Sports and Armenian Sports Encyclopedia will serve as the keynote speaker and present the fascinating life of Yengibaryan.
Also participating in the program are renowned Armenian boxers, Khoren Injeyan and Nshan Munchyan, who will offer their remarks on Yengibaryan.
Vladimir Yengibaryan was born in Yerevan, Armenia on April 24, 1932. He retired with a record of 255 wins and 12 losses. Yengibaryan was a three-time European champion (1953, 1957 and 1959) and three-time Soviet champion (1955, 1956 and 1958). He won a gold medal representing the U.S.S.R. at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia as a light welterweight (-63.5 kg). Yengibaryan is considered the most prominent Soviet boxer of the 1950’s period. He was the first Soviet boxer to become European champion. After his retirement, he served as an international boxing referee and international boxing judge. Yengibaryan was a noted boxing coach who trained and developed generations of Armenian youth in the sport of boxing. Yengibaryan passed away on February 1, 2013 in Los Angeles. He is buried at Tokhmakh cemetery in Yerevan.
Carl Bardakian, chairman of the Tekeyan Cultural Association Metro Los Angeles Chapter, stated “Vladimir Yengibaryan is not only a beloved boxing figure, but also a great patriot and national hero of the Armenian people. His impact and influence on Armenian boxing is still felt to this day. Our goal is for Vladimir Yengibaryan to become a candidate on the ballot for the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York when they finally establish an amateur section.”
