DARCHINYAN WANTS WINNER OF MARQUEZ-VAZQUEZ
BoxingScene.com, AR
Feb 20 2007
IBF/IBO flyweight world champion Vic Darchinyan is heading to the USA
for his next world title defence on March 3 with a plan. But it is
not just about beating Mexican challenger Victor Burgos in his next
fight. The 31 year-old "Raging Bull" wants to challenge the winner
of Rafael Marquez-Israel Vazquez in the junior featherweight main
event of the Showtime Championship Boxing card. It is the first step
in his grand long-term plan of knocking off Manny Pacquiao.
"I will challenge both Marquez and Vazquez," Darchinyan told
SecondsOut. "I am looking forward. I just don’t want to stay in my
weight division. I want to unify the flyweight division, but if the
other champions won’t fight me, I want to move up and fight for more
world titles. I want to become more popular. I want to become pound
for pound No.1."
Darchinyan’s confidence of moving up in weight successfully comes
from his routine of always sparring bigger world-class opponents.
"When I go to America, I love to spar world champions who are heavier
than me," he explained. "I don’t want to spar flyweights. I can’t
punch them because I don’t want to hurt them."
Over the last three years Darchinyan 27-0 (21) has sparred many
well-known bigger boxers such as Israel Vazquez, Edwin Valero,
Robert Guerrero, Lovemore Ndou, Gairy St Clair, Orlando Salido and
Mauricio Pastrana.
"Vic has done so well against them that he has no doubt he can win in
real fights," said Darchinyan’s trainer Billy Hussein. "He respects
them as good boxers, but he believes he can win. He will spar anyone.
He even offered to spar Carlos Baldomir when he was preparing for
Floyd Mayweather last year."
Three times Darchinyan has sparred 29 year-old Israel Vazquez 41-3
(30), who currently holds the WBC junior featherweight world title.
"They were good spars," recalled Darchinyan. "Exciting, lots of
punching and everyone in the gym came to watch us. They were excited
watching us. He is a good fighter, but I know my power is too much
for him."
Another memorable sparring session last year for Darchinyan was with
current WBA junior lightweight world champion Edwin Valero, who has
an undefeated record of 21 knockout wins from 21 fights.
"No one wanted to fight him," said Darchinyan. "I sparred with him
six rounds. It was a very small ring and everyone could see that I
could stay with him. That’s why I know that I can move up in weight
and win. It is not just talking. I am doing this in sparring."
The Armenia born 2000 Olympian and now Australian citizen believes
that Pacquiao will eventually become the No.1 boxer in the world
pound for pound over the next two years and wants to be the one to
knock him off from his lofty perch.
"I want to fight Pacquiao," said Darchinyan. "I know he is a strong
guy and very powerful. When I fight him and beat him, people around
the whole world will know who Vic Darchinyan is."
For those doubting his chances of moving up in weight and being
successful, Darchinyan points to Pacquiao’s own record. The Filipino
great won his first world title at flyweight in December 1998 and
then jumped straight up to junior featherweight in December 1999.
"I believe twelve rounds is a very long time," said Darchinyan. "No
one can stay with me for twelve rounds. It doesn’t matter which weight
division. I am becoming stronger and stronger in every fight."
The most obvious fight around the flyweight division for Darchinyan
is with exciting Mexican Jorge Arce 46-3-1 (35) who has moved up to
junior bantamweight. The "Raging Bull" has challenged 27 year-old
"Travieso" many times in the past, but has become frustrated that
the fight has not been made.
"My promoter Gary Shaw has tried to make fights with other champions
at flyweight, but they don’t want to fight me," he said. "Arce is
always talking that he can beat me and knock me out, but he moved
up in weight. He doesn’t really want to fight me. He still talks
big and I will fight him at any weight. But if Arce won’t fight me,
I will challenge the winner of Marquez and Vazquez."
Darchinyan is predicting a destructive win at the Home Depot Center
in Carson, California over 32 year-old Burgos 39-14-3 (23), who held
the IBF junior flyweight world title in 2003 and 2004.
"Burgos is like a warrior," said Darchinyan. "He comes forward
punching. A very busy fighter. He beat Jorge Arce in 1997. His Mexican
fans will be cheering, but I will make sure they won’t be cheering
for very long. I am going to knock him out. I am coming to destroy
him. Everyone is going to be talking about me after this fight."