The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, Australia)
August 7, 2004 Saturday
Slick Vic has strong support
by Grantlee Kieza
VIC Darchinyan’s dad ran a petrol station back home in Armenia and
the little Sydney strongman is on a high-octane surge toward the
world flyweight boxing title.
Darchinyan, a fighter who can bench press nearly double his 51kg body
weight, fights for the IBF flyweight title on September 3 against
Colombia’s Irene Pacheco in a battle of left-handers.
Irene is unbeaten in 30 fights and with the most embarrassing
Christian name since A Boy Named Sue, he’s had to fight hard all his
life.
Darchinyan, 28, who represented Armenia at the Sydney Olympics and
settled in Ryde, fights Pacheco in Hollywood, Florida and says he has
the power to beat the tall southpaw.
“I like to fight against boxers who are taller than me,” Darchinyan
said. “There is more of them to hit.
“I believe I have the punching power to throw Pacheco off his plan
and worry him from the first bell.” Darchinyan is unbeaten in 21 pro
fights and has been preparing for the fight in torrid sparring
sessions against world-ranked junior-welterweight Lovemore Ndou at
Jeff Fenech’s Marrickville gym.
The man with 16 KOs will be accompanied to America by training
partner Danny Green, the WBC Interim super-middleweight champ, who
fights South African Andre Thysse in Perth on October 17.
Green will spar former world light-heavyweight champ Julio Gonzalez
and undefeated world-rated super-middleweight Librado Andrade in Los
Angeles.