Darchinyan plots revenge twice over
Peter Kogoy
The Australian
December 14, 2009 12:00AM
A PATCHED-UP Vic Darchinyan was thinking about revenge only moments
after his emphatic knockout win over Mexican Tomas Rojas in Rancho
Mirage, California yesterday.
A PATCHED-UP Vic Darchinyan was thinking about revenge only moments
after his emphatic knockout win over Mexican Tomas Rojas in Rancho
Mirage, California yesterday.
It took Darchinyan just a tick under three minutes of the second round
to flatten Rojas to defend his WBC and WBA super-flyweight belts.
`I want rematches," said Darchinyan, who was supported by a large
contingent of Australians, including IBO world cruiserweight champion
Danny Green.
First up on Darchinyan’s revenge list is The Filipino Flash, Nonito
Donaire, who scored a fifth-round technical knockout over him in 2007.
Then Darchinyan wants a rematch with Ghana’s Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko.
Agbeko surprised Darchinyan when he stepped up a weight division to
fight the African for the IBF bantamweight world title in July.
"Every night when I sleep I am thinking about when I’ll fight those
guys," Darchinyan said.
"It is in my dreams."
His trainer Angelo Hyder said it was touch and go whether Darchinyan
would have lasted the scheduled 12 rounds yesterday.
"A lot of the credit to this win by Vic belongs to our medical staff,"
Hyder said.
"Kevin Ibins, a Sydney chiropractor, worked overtime to get his right
hand and shoulder right, while team medico Steve McNamara uncovered a
problem Vic’s had with his breathing all his professional career.
"A scan six weeks ago in Sydney revealed his ribs were pressing on his
lungs, which made breathing difficult.
"I deliberately didn’t let on about Vic’s physical problems. I didn’t
want to give the Mexican’s camp any edge."
Urged on by Green in his corner, Darchinyan extended his record to
33-2 with one draw.
It was also the Armenian-born fighter’s 27th win inside the distance
in a match-up of southpaws.
Rojas, the taller of the pair, saw his record fall to 32-11 after his
first loss in more than two years.
Rojas troubled Darchinyan with his right jab in the opening round. "He
landed a few good punches early," Darchinyan said. "Rojas hit me a
good few times, but unlike the last time, I didn’t panic, I was not
going to rush him.
"The plan Angelo worked out for me was to take it easy.
"In the back of my mind I knew I would beat him. I’m not arrogant when
I say that, I just had that special feeling fighters get before they
step into the ring.
"The first time I looked into his eyes I saw he was scared. The first
time I hit him with an uppercut I knew I was better than him."
Darchinyan’s moment came with just six seconds left on the clock in
the second round when a straight left to the head set up another
straight left to the chest that Rojas tried to avoid.
Instead, Rojas ducked his head into the path of Darchinyan’s left and
was caught flush on the chin before being put on his backside.
"I just knew he was going to crouch down. I just sensed it," Darchinyan said.
" I didn’t aim for his head. I was aiming for his chest and he put his
head in the way of the punch."
Darchinyan’s win makes up for the loss to Agbeko six months before
when he moved up a division to fight at 53.52kg for the IBF
bantamweight crown.
Darchinyan’s next target is Donaire, also a Mexican, and ranked two in
the world.
lVitali Klitschko retained his WBC heavyweight title with a unanimous
points decision over the previously undefeated American Kevin Johnson
in Bern, Switzerland.
It was Klitschko’s third defence of the belt he reclaimed in October
last year after a four-year break.
The win took the champion’s record to 39-2, including 37by knockout.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING: AGENCIES