Doghouse Boxing, Canada
July 30 2005
DoghouseBoxing Speaks with Vic Darchinyan
Darchinyan’s title defence against Jimenez rescheduled for August
Interview by Anthony Cocks, Site Editor (July 30, 2005)
IBF flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan has had his title defence
against Jair Jimenez postponed after the rugged 26-year-old Columbian
encountered visa problems that would have prevented him from arriving
in Australia until three days before the bout.
Originally scheduled to take place on July 27th, the d-Rush promoted
card will now go ahead on August 24th at the Sydney Entertainment
Centre in Darchinyan’s adopted hometown of Sydney, Australia.
Speaking exclusively to Doghouse Boxing shortly before the
postponement was announced, Darchinyan said he was looking forward to
the fight and revealed his plans to unify the division if he succeeds
in defeating Jimenez.
`What I can say about him is he’s a very good strong fighter,’ said
Darchinyan, 23-0 (18), of Jimenez. `I saw his tapes, a very good
power puncher, a busy fighter and he can punch and punch for twelve
rounds. He’s a good hard fighter.’
IBF #9 Jimenez, who lost back to back fights to Gerson Guerrero in
his last two outings while fighting at super flyweight, returns to
his natural weight class to face the power punching Armenian-born
Australian. Billy Hussein, who co-trains Darchinyan with former three
division champion Jeff Fenech, believes that Jimenez’s two recent
losses are deceptive.
`He’s a well balanced, good walk up fighter, but he’s going to be
shorter than Vic,’ explained Hussein. `In his two fights against
Gerson Guerrero he was beaten both times, but he fought at super
flyweight. It’s going to be a hard fight for Vic. This guy is a good
puncher, he’s a good style of fighter and he comes to fight.
`They would’ve watched Vic fight Pacheco as they’re both from
Columbia. They wouldn’t have taken this fight if they unless they
believed they could beat Vic. This guy is a good up and coming
fighter and Vic’s got to be on his game to win.’
Despite his two recent losses, Jimenez, 22-4-1 (16), is a world class
fighter who will be determined to wrest the title from Darchinyan. In
2002 Jimenez lost a razor thin majority decision for the WBO interim
flyweight championship to Adonis Rivas, who subsequently lost his
title to reigning champion Omar Narvaez.
`In the ring we will show who is the stronger, better puncher, who is
better,’ said Darchinyan. `But what I can say about him it will be an
exciting fight because he loves to fight and there will be support
for this fight and support for me.’
The postponement of the fight is an obvious setback for Darchinyan,
who added the IBO title to his IBF strap with an 8th round TKO of
South African Mzukisi Sikali in his last fight. According to Hussein,
this had been Darchinyan’s best preparation since his first attempt
at a world title challenge to then-champion Irene Pacheco, a fight
that ironically was also postponed due to Hurricane Frances.
`He’s had a real good preparation,’ said Hussein, who also co-trains
his world ranked brothers Nedal `Skinny’ Hussein and Hussein Hussein.
`He has boxed guys like Lovemore Ndou, Hussy, Ahmed Elomar and Billy
`The Kid’ Dib. He’s done a lot of sparring for this fight and he’s in
great shape. It’s different to the last defence when he fought
against Sakali. This is probably the best preparation he’s had since
the first Pacheco fight, which was postponed. He’s got his head
screwed on and he wants to defend his title on home soil.’
While Hussein has been working hard on developing Darchinyan into a
more well rounded boxer, the 2000 Olympian’s strong suit will always
be his bone crunching power.
`Vic hits so hard for a flyweight,’ admitted Hussein. `His power
punching intimidates a lot of fighters. They actually fight
differently when they fight Vic. Jair Jimenez is good at cutting off
the ring, but he’s not so great when he gets hit to the body and
that’s one thing we’re going to attack, his body.
`Vic’s a good power puncher. Let’s see how he responds when Vic does
hit him with a good shot or two. And with Vic being a southpaw it is
going to make things even harder for Jimenez.’
Darchinyan agrees with Hussein’s assessment and says that once he
starts landing with his heavy hands on the challenger the course of
the fight is bound to change.
`I know I’m very strong for anyone in my weight and when I start
punching I think he is going to really understand my power and he
can’t do things that he could do with all these other guys,’ said
Darchinyan.
Since winning the IBF title with an impressive 11th round stoppage of
formerly unbeaten Columbian Irene Pacheco last year, Hussein says
that the 29-year-old southpaw has improved in leaps and bounds.
`Without doubt,’ agreed Hussein. `The biggest difference is his
confidence. He knows that he can blow any flyweight, super flyweight
or bantamweight out. He believes in his power so much that we’ve been
trying to ease him back on that and keep teaching him the technique
and skills and reminding him that these are the little things you’ve
got to do right. As a person he’s a great person and as a fighter I
think he’s going to be a great fighter. I think he can unify the
flyweight division, not a problem.’
As far as Darchinyan’s future plans go, it looks like a mandatory
defence against Ireland’s Damaen Kelly is next in line before a
potentially explosive bout with WBA flyweight champion Lorenzo Parra,
25-0 (17), in 2006.
`I think we’ve got to make a mandatory defence against Damaen Kelly
of Ireland next,’ said Hussein. `Hopefully once we get through this
we will fight Damaen Kelly towards the end of the year. Lorenzo Parra
is going to fight Brahim Asloum from France and I think the winners
will eventually meet each other by March next year. Our aim is to
fight Parra or whoever wins that next fight.’
The 26-year-old Venezuelan is regarded by some pundits as the best in
the division, but Darchinyan is convinced that he has the tools to
defeat the unbeaten power puncher and stake his claim as the best in
the world in the 112 pound weight class.
`I would like to fight for the WBA title against Lorenzo Parra
because he’s recognized as a big power puncher in America,’ said
Darchinyan of his future plans.
`That’s why I want to fight him. I want to show that I am the best
mover, the best fighter and that I can beat him. I want to prove I’m
the best in any division. The best mover, the best puncher and the
best fighter.’
The d-Rush promoted card will be shown live in Australia on Sky
Channel and Main Event pay-per-view on August 24th from 7:30pm and
will also feature rising star Billy Dib defending his IBO Asia
Pacific super featherweight title against American southpaw Shamir
Reyes, unbeaten Ahmed Elomar squaring off against Matt Powell for the
vacant IBO Asia Pacific featherweight title, cruiserweight Adam
Lovelock doing battle with Jarrad Treloar and heavyweight Mark de
Mori against an opponent to be named.