Los Angeles Times, CA
Feb 7 2009
The dislike is real for Vic Darchinyan, Jorge Arce
Their super-flyweight title bout Saturday at the Honda Center is a
grudge match in the true sense of the word.
Bill Dwyre
February 7, 2009
Two boxers who really don’t like each other — as opposed to two who
fake it while trying to promote a fight — make up the main event of a
Showtime card tonight at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
They are Vic Darchinyan and Jorge Arce, who will fight for
Darchinyan’s three titles at the super flyweight designation of 115
pounds.
Darchinyan, from Australia but originally from Armenia, holds the
International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Assn. and World Boxing
Council belts. His record is 31-1-1 with 25 knockouts, and his recent
reputation is built on his virtual destruction of then-champion
Cristian Mijares of Mexico on Nov. 1 at the Home Depot Center. Before
that fight, Mijares had defeated Arce.
Arce (51-4-1, 39 knockouts) has been around long enough to hold
several titles. He is among Mexico’s most popular boxers, especially
since his appearance several years ago on a Mexican reality TV show
called "Big Brothers," in which 14 people shared a house, all the time
on live TV, until the ranks were thinned as people were voted
out. Arce lasted until the final three.
"I may not be the best boxer in Mexico," Arce says, "but I’m the most
popular."
Darchinyan claims to have chased Arce "all over the world" to get him
to agree to a fight. Arce says he didn’t fight Darchinyan because he
had "better handlers and promoters who were smarter on my behalf and
got me better fights."
That, of course, further fanned the flames for Darchinyan and his
promoter, Gary Shaw, and the boxers, during a week of appearances and
promotions, have been yapping at each other and about each other like
a pair of Chihuahuas.
Darchinyan has a huge left hand that he used to destroy Mijares and
says he will use it for the same purpose against Arce.
"I’m going to make him look dumb and stupid," Darchinyan says.
Arce feigns indifference and slight annoyance.
"I will win, for sure," he says. "One hundred percent."
The match will be live on Showtime but delayed until 9 p.m. in the
Pacific time zone.