DARCHINYAN CLAIMS NEW BOXING WORLD TITLE

Sydney Morning Herald
Aug 3 2008
Australia

Vic Darchinyan has joined the ranks of Australia’s greatest boxers by
demolishing Russian Dimitri Kirilov to win a world title in a second
weight division.

The Sydney-based power puncher dominated the fight with his harder
shots and knocked the champion down twice in the fifth round.

The Armenian-born fighter, who relocated to Sydney in 2000 after the
Olympics, improved his professional record to 30-1-1 with 24 KOs.

Darchinyan said he was always confident he would win at least one
professional world title after joining the paid ranks.

Kirilov, 29, couldn’t continue after the second knockdown and suffered
his fourth defeat in 34 professional fights, dropping to 29-4-1.

He simply could not match the power of the 32-year-old Australian who
added the IBF super flyweight crown to that organisation’s flyweight
title which he won in 2004.

A delighted Darchinyan became only the second Australian citizen
to win a world title in more than one weight class, following Jeff
Fenech who captured championships in three different divisions.

A modest Darchinyan said he didn’t consider himself to be on the same
level as Fenech or Australia’s former undisputed junior welterweight
world champion Kostya Tszyu, but hoped to be ranked alongside them
by ultimately unifying the super flyweight division.

The ambitious Australian reiterated he also wanted to eventually move
up in weight and win a title in a third weight class.

He said his main target now was WBA and WBC super flyweight champion
Cristian Mijares.

Mexican Mijares, 26, is scheduled to defend his titles against
Thailand’s Chatchai Saskul in Monterrey, Mexico on August 30.

Fighting under his very first trainer from Armenia, Darchinyan said his
plan had been to work the jab early before throwing in some uppercuts
in the fifth round.

Darchinyan said he thought he was always in control of the fight.

"Everyone is saying it is one of my best performances," Darchinyan
told AAP.

"Showtime (USA cable television network) is very happy with me and
so is my American promoter Gary Shaw.

"I think it is one of my best performances."

He will travel to Armenia for a break before returning to Australia
in September.

Following a fight with Mijares, Darchinyan wanted to unify the division
by dethroning Mexico’s WBO titleholder Fernando Montiel and then look
at moving up in weight.