Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
The Age, Australia
July 13 2006
Anxious wait for flyweight Darchinyan
July 13, 2006 – 8:14AM
Australia’s world flyweight boxing champion Vic Darchinyan is
unlikely to make his next title defence until October.
After stopping previously undefeated Mexican Luis Maldonado in Las
Vegas last month, it was reported Darchinyan could be back in action
on another big US card as early as next month.
One of Darchinyan’s trainers, Billy Hussein, said on Wednesday a
unification fight with Argentina’s World Boxing Organisation champion
Omar Narvaez was still a possibility.
But he added Darchinyan’s next bout was likely to be on the undercard
of the next Diego Corrales fight, which wasn’t expected until
October.
Hussein said Darchinyan had yet to resume training after returning
last week from a holiday in Armenia, where he was born.
"Until we find out what’s going on, then we won’t go training again.
He’ll have at least 10 weeks to prepare," Hussein said.
Darchinyan has made four defences of the International Boxing
Federation title and three of the less established and recognised
International Boxing Organisation championship in the same division.
Long time friend and stablemate Hussein Hussein, who is the fifth
ranked contender for Darchinyan’s IBF title, is looking to fight
Mexico’s former light IBF flyweight world champion Victor Burgos.
If the fight with Burgos doesn’t come off, another option is for
Hussein to challenge Japan’s new Oriental and Pacific Boxing
Federation flyweight champion Daisuke Nailo, who at number six, is
ranked two places higher in the World Boxing Council rankings.
The other Hussein brother, WBC seventh ranked featherweight Nedal, is
poised to challenge Japan’s OPBF champion Hiroyuki Enoki on September
16 in Tokyo.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Leonardo Zappavigna, who has won
his first two pro bouts in quick time, will fight on a Billy Hussein
promotion at Sydney’s Ninevah club on Friday week.
On the same night in Wollongong, multiple world title contender
Shannan Taylor will fight Canadian Ian MacKillop for the IBF and IBO
regional middleweight titles.
Former rugby league star John Hopoate will have his second
professional fight on August 4 against New Zealander Alex Mene at the
Gold Coast Turf Club in Bundall.
Hopoate took less than a minute to win his first paid bout on the
undercard of the Anthony Mundine-Danny Green bout.
Mundine is again being chased for a rematch by Sam Soliman, who lost
a contentious points decision to The Man in 2001.