DARCHINYAN KOS MEXICAN TO RETAIN TITLE
Grantlee Kieza
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
June 5 2006
VIC Darchinyan is a little man with a huge punch and yesterday
Australia’s world flyweight champion showed it on the world stage,
knocking out previously unbeaten Mexican Luis Maldonado in Las Vegas.
Australia’s best fighter stunned the crowd at the Thomas and Mack
Centre, trading heavy shots with the rugged Mexican before finally
overwhelming him in the eighth round to retain his IBF flyweight title.
When referee Joe Cortez rescued Maldonado from Darchinyan’s relentless
onslaught it was the Mexican fighter’s first loss in 35 starts.
The undefeated Darchinyan scored his 26th win and his 21st KO. All
five of his world title bouts have ended inside the distance and he
looks a good chance to emulate his friend Kostya Tszyu in unifying
all the world titles in his 51kg weight division.
Both fighters promised fireworks and both delivered, trading heavy
shots in the opening three rounds until Maldonado was cut above the
right eye in round four.
Darchinyan, a Sydney Olympian, dropped the Mexican in round six and
although Maldonado bravely fought back, he was taking a beating when
the referee intervened midway through round eight.
The bout was scheduled as the main supporting bout to the third war
between lightweight stars Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo. But
after Castillo failed to make the weight for the bout, Darchinyan’s
title defence was elevated to the main event on a huge pay per view
card throughout the world.
“It was a great chance to show the world my power,” Darchinyan said.
“I put on a good show and hopefully this win against a very good
Mexican opponent will give me more fans. I hope my supporters in
Australia liked what they saw because I have many more world titles
to win.
“I feel I can beat the champions now in three more weight classes
all the way up to super-bantamweight if I have to.”
Darchinyan’s trainer Jeff Fenech implored Australian boxing fans to
support the Armenian-born southpaw who has much more success attracting
fans overseas.
“We just saw 30,000 people turn up to see Anthony Mundine-Danny Green
in a non-title fight that no one outside Australia could care less
about,” Fenech said.
“Vic Darchinyan is an outstanding, undefeated world champion who has
crushed everyone put before him. He deserves to get recognition as
a global boxing star.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress