RUSSIA KNOCKED OUT TO LOSE LAST TITLE
Kommersant
Aug 4 2008
Russia
Russia lost the last title in professional boxing yesterday. IBF
bantamweight defending champion Dmitry Kirillov lost to Vic Darchinyan,
the Armenian famous boxer standing for Australia. Darchinyan knocked
out Kirillov in the fifth round to claim the title.
The bout of Dmitry Kirillov in Tacoma, Washington, continued the
losing series of Russia’s boxers in 2008. We had had three belts early
this year, but WBO heavyweight Sultan Ibragimov lost to Ukrainian
Wladimir Klitschko February 23 and WBC king Oleg Maskaev was defeated
by Nigerian Samuel Peter March 8.
In the interval between those two fights, bantamweight Dmitry Kirillov
defended the title in the draw bout vs Cecilio Santos, but only to be
dethroned in half a year by the famous puncher. And the yesterday’s
loss of the Russian wasn’t questionable.
Landing one bone-crunching left hand after another, Darchinyan won
the first round and was better at the second one. He accelerated in
the third round, producing the series of dozen of blows, half of them
reaching the aim. The left-handed challenger was faster than the champ,
always taking the most advantageous position.
The fourth round created an illusion that Kirillov would finally
recover, but it was just a break for Darchinyan. In the fifth round,
the referee recorded the first knockout in Kirillov’s career. At the
same time, he recorded the loss of Russia’s last title in professional
boxing.
From: Baghdasarian