Gurgen Hovhannisyan has dreams of becoming Armenia’s first heavyweight champion, but he knows many hurdles still await – starting with Friday’s.

The unbeaten Hovhannisyan will take on Dajuan Calloway in an eight-round heavyweight bout Friday at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

Hovhannisyan, 7-0 (6 KOs), who was born in Yerevan, Armenia, now resides in Los Angeles and trains with Joe Goossen. His ultimate goal, like that of many, is to earn a world title.

“I do believe if I become a world champion, I’ll be the first Armenian to be crowned,” Hovhannisyan told BoxingScene. “It definitely gives me motivation, as I am proud to represent my people of Armenia. I have a long way to go, but that is my ultimate dream.”

Next up is Calloway, 11-3 (9 KOs), who is coming off a big win over Thomas Carty. It is worth noting that Carty got injured during the fight. Calloway, 33 of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, has won four straight, with his past two victories coming against undefeated opponents.

“Calloway has put together some nice wins of late and he’s a very dangerous opponent right now,” Hovhannisyan said.

Hovhannisyan, 27, was last seen in action in December winning a majority decision over Patrick Mailata. The bout was competitive and marked the first time Hovhannisyan went to the scorecards in his seven professional fights. Hovhannisyan considers it an off night.

“Unfortunately, I woke up with pinkeye on the day of the fight, but we went ahead with the bout, even though I was at 50 percent,” Hovhannisyan said. “I have a lot to improve on, but I feel in this fight you’ll see a better version of me. I learned a lot from the Mailata fight, but most importantly I learned to get in better shape.”

Hovhannisyan has already set a timeline for when he can finally see his vision of a title fulfilled.

“I believe in 2026 I’ll be ready for the upper echelon of heavyweights,” Hovhannisyan said. “I’m still growing as a fighter and soon I’ll be ready for the top contenders.”

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.