Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)
August 24, 2005 Wednesday

Vic already looking beyond title fight

by Barry Michael

SYDNEY’S Raging Bull, IBF-IBO world flyweight champion Vic
Darchinyan, steps into the ring tonight at the Sydney Entertainment
Centre against Colombian Jair Jiminez for the second defence of his
titles.

Darchinyan is already looking well beyond this fight, aiming to unify
the division by winning the WBC, WBA and WBO belts.

Politics often makes these things difficult, but Vic’s mind is firmly
focused on his goal.

The Armenian Aussie has total belief in his ability to destroy any
flyweight, or even bantamweight, put in front of him.

It is easier to understand his supreme confidence when you look at
his background.

Vic was born in Armenia and started boxing at eight. He had about 320
fights as an amateur and lost only 20. More than 100 of his wins were
by KO. What a mighty apprenticeship. He came to Sydney to represent
Armenia at the 2000 Olympics.

Jeff Fenech liked what he saw, even though the little bloke didn’t
win a medal.

Jeff saw the incredible power inside this pocket rocket, and
Darchinyan joined Team Fenech and Jeff helped him settle into Sydney.

The Raging Bull has cut a swathe through some of the best flyweights
in the world since he turned professional in 2000. He has 23 wins, 18
by KO, and no losses.

He won the IBF title in December, 2004, with a TKO win over Irene
Pacheco of Colombia.

Pacheco, who had 30 wins without a loss, was a respected champion who
crumbled under Darchinyan’s punching power.

Vic’s only fight since was a title defence against Mzukisi Sikali. He
stopped the South African in the eighth round with some viscous
punching.

Tonight’s opponent, Jiminez, has won 22 of his 27 fights, 16 by KO.
He also has lost four and drawn one.

His record says he is a pretty good puncher at this weight of 52kg.
He’s been in six fights scheduled for 12 rounds for championships,
including a close 12-round majority loss in 2002 for the WBO title.

This is the biggest opportunity of his career.

Australia is just starting to realise it has a true boxing star in
our adopted Armenian.

Vic is incredibly proud to be an Aussie and talks openly of his love
for Australia.

He plans to marry a beautiful, highly intelligent Russian girl he met
on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.

He will go into the ring for tonight’s fight, shown live around
Australia on Main Event, with everything he’s achieved on the line.

Vic is a man on a mission and Jiminez, 26, is in for a pummelling. My
tip is that Darchinyan will put his opponent away at some stage and
immediately look to bigger things.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress