DARCHINYAN WANTS TO PROVE A POINT TO ARCE’S FANS
Paul Upham
Contributing Editor
Seconds Out
May 25 2006
Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan
By Paul Upham: When he fights in the main support bout to Jose Luis
Castillo-Diego Corrales III on June 3 in Las Vegas, IBF/IBO flyweight
boxing world champion Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan knows there will
be many Mexican fans in the Thomas and Mack Center. In fact, he is
counting on it. He will be facing undefeated Mexican Luis Maldonado
and he intends on winning. But more importantly, Darchinyan plans on
proving a point to the fans of popular Mexican flyweight Jorge Arce.
“I went all the way to Mexico earlier this year to watch Arce fight,”
explained Darchinyan. “I challenged him. I told him I wanted to fight
him. If you think you are great and tell people you are the best at
flyweight, come and fight me. We will see who the best is. He told me,
‘yes’, he would come and fight me and challenge me.”
But since that night on January 28 in Cancun, Darchinyan 25-0 (20)
has not heard 26 year-old Arce 44-3-1 (34) mention his name once in
the media. After his last win over Rosendo Alvarez on April 8 on the
Mayweather-Judah card, Arce told the television viewers he was moving
up in weight.
“He said he was moving up to the super flyweight division,” said
Darchinyan. “I think he is scared of me. If he doesn’t want to fight,
just tell me he doesn’t want to fight and that he is moving up. If
it is because he can’t make the weight anymore, let me know and I
will move up too and fight him.”
In his last fight on March 3, Darchinyan knocked out Diosdado Gabi
of the Philippines in eight rounds at the Chumash Casino Resort
in Santa Ynez, California in the USA. American television network
Showtime televised the fight across the USA as the main event of
their “SHOBOX: The New Generation” series and the explosive one punch
knockout impressed Showtime executives enough for him to be invited
onto the Castillo-Corrales III card.
“It is a very good opportunity for me,” said Darchinyan, who is
promoted by Gary Shaw. “I have won all of my fights since winning
the title by knockout. It is very important for me to win by knockout.”
A native of Armenia who represented at the 2000 Olympic Games,
Darchinyan fights out of Sydney under trainer Jeff Fenech and is now
an Australian citizen. His performances in the ring have become more
and more dominant over the last two years and there is no doubt now
he is one of the hardest punchers in the lighter weight classes.
When asked, 30 year-old Darchinyan gives two sources for his power.
“I think by God and by my training,” he explained. “I just love my
training. I love to show people my power and I am not very old, but
I feel like I am becoming much more powerful and my punch is coming
much harder.”
28 year-old Maldonado 33-0-1 (25) from Mexicali is undefeated so far
and a protege of current Mexican great Erik Morales.
“He is a very good fighter,” said Darchinyan. “I am very ready for
him. I spent only three weeks getting ready for my last fight. For
this fight, I have been training more than eight weeks now. I am in
very good shape. I can show my power.”
Which may well give Maldonado more than a few headaches.
Photo:
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