AAP NEWSFEED, Australia
July 20, 2005, Wednesday 8:55 AM Eastern Time

Box: Darchinyan could be one of the greatest, Fenech

Eds: Corrects spelling of promoters name in last par to read: d-rush
NOT de-rush as previously sent.

By Adrian Warren

SYDNEY, July 20 AAP – Jeff Fenech today predicted his IBF world
champion Vic Darchinyan could become one of the greatest flyweight
boxers in history, but warned him against overconfidence and the
right hand of Columbian challenger Jair Jiminez.

Darchinyan makes the second defence of his IBF title at the Sydney
Entertainment Centre next Wednesday.

Already boasting an imposing professional record of 23 straight wins
(18 by KO), 29-year-old Darchinyan will start a warm favourite
against his ninth ranked opponent.

Fenech, who persuaded Darchinyan to relocate to Australia after
representing Armenia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics was lavish in his
praise of his charge following his most recent training form.

“I watched him spar yesterday and the maturity he showed me was
something that I’d been looking for for a long time,” Fenech said.

“He was patient and I watched him spar the same guy five times and it
was unbelievable, he was just dictating so well.

“My biggest problem with Vic is that its great to be arrogant and
great to be confident but this kid is sometimes a little over
(confident).

“I just want him to realise the guy he is fighting is going to be a
very, very tough fighter.

“If Vic doesn’t go out there and listen and do the right thing, it’s
as easy to lose the title as it is to gain it, I just hope he
realises that.

“If he does what he did yesterday, this kid has got the potential to
go down as one of the greatest flyweights ever.”

“This kid has got uncanny ability, strength and self belief, if he
can put it all together properly, its going to be something that will
keep him undefeated for a long long time.”

Jiminez, 26, has a record of 22 wins (16 by KO), four losses and one
draw.

“His punch rate is so busy and that’s one thing I’ve got to get Vic
ready for, because I think this guy is really to stick with Vic and
if Vic is not ready, its going to be very difficult.

“This kids right hand is a good right hand.”

Darchinyan noted another significant weapon in the Columbian boxers
armory.

“He’s a dangerous puncher and he’s got very good uppercuts, I saw one
fight where he knocked a guy out from an uppercut,” Darchinyan said.

Jiminez will arrive in Sydney on Sunday.

The undercard features three of Australia’s most promising unbeaten
young fighters, junior lightweights Billy Dib and Ahmed Elomar and
junior middleweight Anton Solopov.

It is the first world title card for Sydney promotion company
(d-rush) and also Darchinyan’s first under his new management team,
Duet.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress