Darchinyan may be too confident in title tilt: Fenech
By Stathi Paxinos
December 17, 2004

The Age, Australia
Dec 17 2004

Australian-based flyweight Vic Darchinyan’s tilt at the International
Boxing Federation title against world champion Irene Pacheco today
could be derailed by the challenger’s overconfidence, trainer Jeff
Fenech said yesterday.

Fenech said Darchinyan, who settled in Australia after competing
for Armenia at the Sydney Olympics, was in great physical shape,
but the former triple world champion feared his charge had ignored
the fact that the IBF world champion has stopped more than two thirds
of his opponents within the distance, including in four of his six
title defences.

“Vic thinks it’s going to be a walk in the park. I hope it is for
his sake, but I don’t believe it will be. It will be a very difficult
fight,” Fenech said.

“Vic’s a very confident guy, he thinks he will knock him out without
any problem at all. My biggest fear with Vic is his overconfidence.
I’m trying to control him mentally… it’s been my hardest job.

“I’ve been working very, very hard at trying to convince this kid that
the guy we are fighting is dangerous. He hasn’t been world champion
for over five years for nothing.”

The world title bout will be held in Hollywood, Florida, this
afternoon, Melbourne time. The two undefeated fighters, Pacheco
(30-0) and mandatory challenger Darchinyan (21-0), were scheduled
to meet in September but the bout was postponed because of Hurricane
Frances. Fenech said Darchinyan’s desire had only intensified since
the postponement.

Fenech said the fight, with both boxers known as power hitters, would
not go the distance but he was confident Darchinyan, who has recorded
16 knockouts, could successfully combine his usual head-hunting style
with more effective body punching.

“I’m trying to make sure that Vic’s unpredictable. I want the guy to be
guessing rather than just knowing where the punches are going to come
from. If we just head hunt, the guy will be ready for it,” Fenech said.

“When he feels Vic’s power I’m very sure that this guy will try and
outbox Vic, but if Vic does the right thing and cuts the ring off,
I’m very confident he will win by knockout.”

Darchinyan yesterday insisted his time had come and he had nothing
to fear from Pacheco. “He’s a good southpaw but he’s not dangerous,”
Darchinyan said.

“Who says he is dangerous? Maybe for some other boxers but not for me.”

In other news, Mike Tyson has closed the book on one of his many
run-ins with the law: his brawl last year with two men outside a
Brooklyn hotel.

The former heavyweight champion had completed the 100 hours of
community service imposed when he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct
under an agreement with prosecutors, lawyer Mel Sachs told the judge.

Tyson, 38, did more than 100 hours of work with children at gyms
in Brooklyn and Phoenix, Arizona, where he has been training, Sachs
said. “He’s had a remarkable effect on the children of the community,”
Sachs said.

Tyson has also completed six months of counselling.

With prosecutors’ consent, the judge dismissed the charge against
Tyson and ordered the record sealed. Sachs called the decision “a
victory for Mike Tyson”.

Tyson told police the brawl began after the men asked him for an
autograph. He said that when he declined they warned him they were
armed, with one saying: “You’ve got fists, we’ve got guns.”

A security videotape showed Tyson pushing one of the men and punching
the other.