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[twankydawg]

Is Parisyan Afraid to Fight Fitch?

November 30, 2007 By: Paul Balsom Category: Jon Fitch, Karo Parisyan

A recent interview with PunchDrunkGamer.com gives an interesting look into the mind of Karo Parisyan.

PDG: You’re in one of the most clustered divisions in the world right now. Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes are in the picture to challenge Matt Serra, and then you and Jon Fitch are right there. Do you think you could be facing Jon anytime soon while those other three sort things out?
Karo: People are talking about that, I don’t know. The deal is I think I already have a title shot if I want to wait. If I wait I can get my title shot I guess in six or seven months from now, which is a long time away, and I don’t want to mess up my plans of getting my title shot. Now I would love to fight Jon Fitch, but if I fight him and god forbid something goes wrong and I lose that fight it puts me all the way back down again and I have to work back up for a title fight. So if I am guaranteed a title fight now, I’ll take the title fight or if I don’t want to wait such a long time I’ll take another opponent who I have a more “guaranteed” win over. I still think I can beat Jon Fitch – Jon’s a very tough guy, but I think that if I am in shape that I can beat him eight out of ten times. But at this point I don’t want to jeopardize anything leading up to my title fight, so we’ll see what the UFC will offer and what I will take.

Parisyan has been talking for a long time about being “snubbed” by the UFC when he lost his chance at the UFC welterweight title due to injury. Now that he has the fight (that being with Jon Fitch to all but guarantee the winner a title shot, he doesn’t “want to jeopardize anything leading up to the title fight?” He seems to go back and forth on this idea in just this paragraph alone. I can’t help but believe, based on this interview, that Karo is threatened and possibly afraid by the thought of facing Fitch before he gets a shot at the title.
So far, there has been no confirmed news on whether anyone from the UFC has offered such a title shot to Parisyan. There is still a lot to sort out before we see anybody but Matt Serra, Hughes, or GSP in a UFC welterweight title fight.

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/11/...o-fight-fitch/

Haha! That makes no sense, if he can't beat Fitch, does he think he deserves a title shot? NO! I would love to see him get manhandled by Fitch and lose his title shot!

[Pythonfighter14]

I don't blame Karo Fitch is a beast. Then gain if he wants the title belt should'nt he be fighting the best? I really hope Parisyan proves he;s not scared of Fitch just beacasue I admire how well he transitioned Judo to MMA.

[2mcgrath]

sounds like he isnt so sure he can get the job done against fitch,and doesnt want to do anything to jeopardize his title shot.cant blame him there,the guy has been trying awhile to get a shot.

but i think if him and fitch fight karo would lose.

[MONSONBYCHOKE]

I do not think that he thinks he will loose. I think he is comfortable in the position he is in for title shot and does not want to compromise that. I think he is being rather humble in saying what he did. Shows that he knows anything is possible and he could loose. At this point I think he just wants that shot a title and doesnt want to do anything to fuck it up. I bet after win or loose for the title he fights him no questions.

[AngryJohnny]

I don't believe he's scared of Fitch at all, he's scared of losing his current rank (which apparently is next in line for a shot after GSP/Hughes?) - which doesn't necessarily make it any better, but given what he's been through I can't say it's not understandable.

Personally, I think Karo SHOULD be fighting Fitch to officially establish who's next in line.

[Bullock]

Karo had a title shot back when the division had very little contenders.

Since then, the WW division as become ridiculously stacked, and losing to Diego didn't help his case for a title shot any better.

Karo is in line, but IMO he is behind Fitch. They are both in a perfect position to fight for the #1 contender slot after the Serra/Hughes/GSP mess is sorted out.

Karo isn't afraid necessarily, be he doesn't want to fight Fitch b/c he knows that it will be a tough fight.

Like I said, I think they should fight. And at UFC 82 since I will be there...

[spinach]

It really seems like some guys just want the easy road.

[pimpslappd]

I hope they put him in there with a "gaurenteed win" and theres an upset.

[Legend]

It seems Karo is paranoid about facing someone he knows can beat him. Kinda messed up but understandable considering what he has been through.

[gogoplata]

i think if any one of us were in his shoes that we would probably feel the same way. i mean with a title he gets more money and this is his job guys... now iam not defending him avoiding fitch, but i dont really get the argument hes running from fitch because even if he does wait>gets the title, he will inevitable have to fight fitch in a future title matchup. considering their histories in the UFC i think joe silva will make this happen no matter what IMO,,, when he does iam calling fitch because karo seemed a bit gassy last time i saw him fight. if he comes in 100 percent theres no stopping karo, but we rarely see him in tip top shape...