EastsideBoxing.com
Feb 8 2009
Sharkie’s Machine: Refined Darchinyan by TKO 11 over Jorge Arce
By Frank Gonzalez Jr – February 8th, 2009 – Photo by Tom Casino /
Showtime -Saturday night in Anaheim, WBA/WBC/IBF Super Flyweight
Champion Vic Darchinyan (32-1-1, 26 KO’s) displayed his newest
incarnation; Darchinyan the ambidextrous power boxer, who uses more
than just his left to make his mark. What many expected to be an all
out slugfest, was still a slugfest, but only at intervals and
initiated mostly by his opponent, former champ, Jorge Arce (51-5-1, 39
KO’s), who after losing the first couple of rounds by being out-boxed
from outside, decided to storm the castle and bring the fight inside
to where his wild winging ways would hopefully work wonders.
Since losing to Filipino, Nonito Donaire in 2007, Armenian Darchinyan
has refined his style a bit. Anyone who’s seen his last couple of
fights can tell that his loss to Donaire made him a better fighter. He
keeps his hands up higher for tighter defense, has better mobility and
rhythm when he gets into his groove.. Darchinyan has gone back to the
basics, style-wise and discovered a better way of delivering his power
punches from all angles, to better effect. Darchinyan boxed really
well Saturday night, making easy work of Arce from outside. He set
things up with jabs and then darted in and out to strike with power
punches that took their toll on Arce’s stamina and face.
The most exciting rounds of this fight were the close rounds, from
three through five. That was when Arce, after losing the first two,
discovered that if he followed his corner’s advice and took the fight
to the inside, he could score some good shots and have a better chance
to win. It worked for a while too. After Arce suffered a cut at the
end of the first round, he returned the favor in the third, when he
rallied in close and caused a cut near Darchinyan’s right eye. That
kept the fight competitive for a bit but after the fifth round, it was
all Darchinyan, who administering a beating to Jorge Arce that saw him
bloodied, battered and at times looking ready to fall. With all the
punishment Arce was absorbing, his fatigue faded considerably by the
end of the seventh, which I scored 10-8 for Darchinyan since it was
such a beat down and I don’t know how Arce stayed on his feet. There
were a few rounds that could’ve been scored 10-8 but the seventh for
sure. As Arce’s stamina faded, Darchinyan was still bouncing and with
a three quarters full gas tank. It was all Darchinyan and getting
uglier by the minute.
By the end of the eleventh round. Arce’s cut eye was cut badly, his
face was like pulp. He had nothing left and was in effect, saved by
the bell that ended the eleventh round.
The ringside doctor and Arce’s corner agreed to stop it and Jorge Arce
did not come out for round 12. Vic Darchinyan had won by TKO 11.
*
Surely Darchinyan wanted to win by KO but he didn’t seem too upset
about that during the post fight interview, where Darchinyan was
surprisingly gracious, and seemed to compliment Arce for his
toughness, saying he landed big shots but Arce took it, and
congratulated Arce for that. It looked like all his `hate’ for Arce
had morphed into respect for a guy who came to fight and showed he
could take a punch. Vic even offered that he took some shots too,
`¦just look at my face.’ Vic went on to say that he said he was
going to punish Arce and he did. As for the knockout, he said anyone
could see after the eleventh round Arce was ready to go down and he
would have made it happen in the twelfth. He also said he was happy
with his performance and he got the knockout anyway because of the
cuts.
Asked about Arce’s comments prior to the fight saying that
Darchinyan’s just a `one handed fighter’ Darchinyan reminded that he
threw a lot of right hooks. Darchinyan is a much improved fighter
these days and his liberal use of right hooks is a serious compliment
to his already dangerous offense.
Arce wasn’t as generous during his interview, where when asked what
happened, said that Darchinyan’s elbows caused a cut on the back of
his head that bled throughout the later portion of the bout and that
disrupted him. When pressed about his comment, Arce did credit
Darchinyan as a good, strong fighter. Arce did complain that
Darchinyan used his elbows often. (I didn’t notice that) Arce also
said he didn’t agree with the stoppage. He said he was still conscious
and able to continue and that he still had a punchers chance. Arce
also indicated interest in a rematch.
I can’t imagine Gary Shaw (Vic’s promoter), would give Arce a rematch,
not with so many other big fish out there to fry. Shaw even discounted
the notion of a rematch against Nonito Donaire, the only guy who beat
Darchinyan, alluding to some `lack of loyalty’ on Donaire’s part.
Though a rematch with Donaire would help cement Vic’s legacy in the
future, there really are several really exciting match ups out there
that Shaw expressed interest in creating, like moving up to 122 to
take on the likes of Israel Vazquez or Rafael Marquez. Either of those
sound like fight of the year quality fights.
I’d like to see Vic take on the slick boxer with the sneaky power,
Fernando Montiel (38-2-1, 28 KO’s), the WBO titlist in Vic’s current
division and the owner of the only other major title in the
division. The winner of that fight would be the WBC/WBA/WBO/IBF
Undisputed Champion of the division.
Congratulations to Vic Darchinyan for a great performance and for
showing good sportsmanship in the end, instead of arrogance. Kudos
also to Jorge Arce, who in the toughest fight of his life, gave his
best effort and never showed any sign of wanting to quit where other
fighters would have crumbled. Arce took a lot of big shots from Vic,
like no one I’ve seen so far and never went down. Arce’s one tough
hombre and I look forward to seeing his next fight. If he really wants
that rematch with Vic, maybe HE should go after Montiel. If he were to
beat the very good Montiel, he’d at least be bringing a title to
sweeten the deal should Shaw consider it.
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