Sydney Morning Herald , Australia
Dec 17 2004

Fenech backing Darchinyan
December 17, 2004

Vic Darchinyan intends to “destroy” International Boxing Federation
flyweight champion Irene Pacheco in their world-title bout today.

Darchinyan enters the ring at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
in Tampa, Florida, this afternoon (Sydney time) a few hours before
Shannan Taylor fights Thai Sakda Sorpakdi for the lightly-rated World
Boxing Foundation super-middleweight title.

Darchinyan, 28, who relocated to Australia after representing Armenia
at the 2000 Olympics, has won all 21 of his professional bouts, 16 by
knockout. Colombian Pacheco, 33, is unbeaten in 30 fights, with 23
KOs. He has held the title for over five years but has not fought for
15 months.

“I’m confident, I know I will win this fight, my time has come,”
Darchinyan said from Florida. “I know I must destroy him.”

Trainer Jeff Fenech believes the hard-punching Darchinyan charge
could score an early KO.

“I think if Vic gets in the right position to end it, the fight could
be over pretty early because of his power,” Fenech said. “[But] if it
was the worst day he ever had, Vic would still be throwing punches at
the end, he’s that kind of fighter. I know Vic will die just to win
the fight, he’s prepared to be carried out of there.”

Meanwhile, Taylor hopes to use tonight’s bout at the Royal Pines
Resort on the Gold Coast as a “battery charge” for his mooted
challenge to IBF junior-middleweight champion Kassim Ouma.

The 32-year-old will start a strong favourite to defeat Sorpakdi, who
is more accustomed to fighting in a far lighter division, with Taylor
saying he was keen to win a world title of any type before the end of
this year.