PhilBoxing.com, The Philippines
Jan 27 2008
DARCHINYAN PUBLIC WORKOUT ON JAN 30
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 27 Jan 2008
CEBU CITY — Cebuano boxing fans will finally witness `The Raging
Bull’ in person as the reigning IBO super flyweight king Vic
Darchinyan is slated to hold a public workout at the ALA Boxing Gym
in the Banilad Town Center on Jan 28, Wednesday.
Darchinyan is a dominant figure in the IBF flyweight division as his
kingship spanned four straight years from 2004 through 2007, annexing
the IBO title with his 8-round knockout of Mzukisi Sikali of Japan on
Mar 27, 2005. He rampaged both divisions with 28 wins and zero
defeats until Filipino firepower Nonito Donaire Jr. snatched both
crowns in a 5th round stoppage in July last year. The taste of defeat
so hit him badly he went back into his game with a conquest of the
vacant IBO super flyweight title three months later.
Darchinyan (29-1-0, KOs 23) began boxing at age eight in Vanadzor,
the third largest city in Armenia where boxing was very popular. He
was Age Champion in the Armenia Junior Amateur Boxing circuit in the
108 lbs class for five years straight. He left Armenia in 1994 to
pursue an amateur boxing career and started training in Sochi, a
sprawling city just north of the southern Russian border. He
represented Russia in over 10 tournaments before he joined the
Ukraine team in 1996.
In 1997, he was invited back by Armenia to represent it in amateur
world boxing tournaments, defeating reigning warriors from Hungary
and Australia. He was honored by the Armenian government as the top 3
sports hero, and was honored as one of Armenia’s `Sporting Masters in
Boxing.’
He debuted as a boxing pro in 2000 by outpointing Sande Kizito of
Uganda. His second professional fight was also a point game. But his
heavy fists started to take control in his third pro tournament where
he stopped Filipino pugilist Selvio Glinoco in the 2nd round in 2001,
a feat that ignited a long string of knockouts in his boxing career.
In the same year, Darchinyan took over the vacant Australian
flyweight title with a stoppage in the 7th round. He rose to take the
IBF Pan Pacific flyweight crown in August 2002, and defended the turf
three times before he conquered the IBF flyweight division. He
unified the IBO and IBF super flyweight titles in 2005.
The resurgence of his bullish campaign hit the IBO super flyweight,
frustrating Filipino ringster Federico Catubay with a knockout in the
12th round. Darchinyan arrived in the Mactan shore on Jan 26 in order
to remove the only Filipino standing on his way to again unify the
IBO and IBF super flyweight mantles – Z `The Dream’ Gorres, a technical
craftsman who will stop at nothing to put an end to Darchinyan’s bid
for the IBF super flyweight title.
The eliminator tourney, dubbed as `Now or Never,’ will hit the ring
on Feb 2 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Lahug at
6:00 PM. This year opening battle of epic proportion is brought to
you by Solar Sports in cooperation with ALA Promotions, Gary Shaw
Promotions, and the Cebu City Government, and sponsored by Waterfront
Cebu City Hotel & Casino, Y101, and Kia Motors-Cebu.
The Darchinyan workout is expected to be more bag works and photo
sessions. No sparring has been scheduled. A private workout will
follow on Feb 29 at the ALA Gym Talamban.