FIRED-UP DARCHINYAN WANTS TO BE PART OF FOLKLORE
Adrian Warren
Sydney Morning Herald
June 4 2009
Australia
INCREASED power in his right arm to go with his lethal left has Vic
Darchinyan feeling confident as he resumes his quest for all-time
boxing greatness.
Undisputed super-flyweight champion Darchinyan flew out of Sydney
yesterday in preparation for his title challenge against Ghana’s IBF
bantamweight world champion Joseph Agbeko in Florida on July 11.
A victory would bring him his fifth major world title belt, exceeding
the Australian record he shares with fellow overseas-born fighter
Kostya Tszyu.
It would also make him a three-division world champion, equalling
the Australian record of Jeff Fenech, his former trainer.
Darchinyan, who will not vacate any of his three flyweight titles
until after the Agbeko fight, emphasised he wasn’t specifically
trying to beat the records of Fenech and Tszyu, but was striving for
a permanent place in boxing history.
"Maybe I will stay for a year at bantamweight and unify the titles,
but I want to move up and to win more world championships at different
weights," Darchinyan said. "I want to go down in the history of boxing.
"I want people to remember me, not only at the time while I’m boxing,
but after I retire, I want to be one of the best of all time."
Darchinyan’s manager, Elias Nassar, revealed his charge was poised
to participate in a number of "multimillion-dollar" bouts provided
he beats Agbeko, who has a record of 26-1 (22 by knockout).
Renowned for his sledgehammer left hand, which is responsible for most
of the 26 KOs in his 32-1-1 record, 33-year-old southpaw Darchinyan
said he had been focusing on his right hand for his coming fight.
"People are talking because I am moving up to bantamweight that my
power isn’t going to be enough, but that’s why I want to go to America
and be more focused on my training and show the world my power is
more than enough for bantamweight," Darchinyan said. "Everyone knows
I’ve got a lot of power in my left, now with all my sparring I’m more
focused on my right and I can feel my right hand is very powerful now,
too, and my sparring partners are saying that I am punching harder
with my right."
Darchinyan is leaving nothing to chance as he chases another world
title.
He is leaving for America 10 days earlier than usual and hopes to
spar with a number of top-class fighters in there, including current
WBA featherweight world champion Chris John, who has a title rematch
with Rocky Juarez in Los Angeles on June 27. "My preparation has been
very good, I feel like I’m at the top and ready, but there’s still
five-and-a-half weeks to go," Darchinyan said.
"I am going to take it a little bit easy and not push too much,
I don’t want to be overtrained.
"I’ve never spent so long in America. I normally go one month before
but I want to focus on my fight."
Nassar said Darchinyan had never prepared as well for any fight,
heading into his fourth consecutive headline bout on American cable
television network Showtime.
"He looks incredible with his speed and power and extra weight,
I’m actually very scared for Agbeko," Nassar said.