DoghouseBoxing Speaks with Vic Darchinyan
Darchinyan's title defence against Jimenez rescheduled for August
 Interview by Anthony Cocks, Site Editor (July 30, 2005)
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IBF flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan has had his title defence against Jair Jimenez postponed after the rugged 26-year-old Columbian encountered visa problems that would have prevented him from arriving in Australia until three days before the bout.
Originally scheduled to take place on July 27th, the d-Rush promoted card will now go ahead on August 24th at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in Darchinyan’s adopted hometown of Sydney, Australia.
Speaking exclusively to Doghouse Boxing shortly before the postponement was announced, Darchinyan said he was looking forward to the fight and revealed his plans to unify the division if he succeeds in defeating Jimenez.
“What I can say about him is he’s a very good strong fighter,” said Darchinyan, 23-0 (18), of Jimenez. “I saw his tapes, a very good power puncher, a busy fighter and he can punch and punch for twelve rounds. He’s a good hard fighter.”
IBF #9 Jimenez, who lost back to back fights to Gerson Guerrero in his last two outings while fighting at super flyweight, returns to his natural weight class to face the power punching Armenian-born Australian. Billy Hussein, who co-trains Darchinyan with former three division champion Jeff Fenech, believes that Jimenez’s two recent losses are deceptive.
“He’s a well balanced, good walk up fighter, but he’s going to be shorter than Vic,” explained Hussein. “In his two fights against Gerson Guerrero he was beaten both times, but he fought at super flyweight. It’s going to be a hard fight for Vic. This guy is a good puncher, he’s a good style of fighter and he comes to fight.
“They would’ve watched Vic fight Pacheco as they’re both from Columbia. They wouldn’t have taken this fight if they unless they believed they could beat Vic. This guy is a good up and coming fighter and Vic’s got to be on his game to win.”
Despite his two recent losses, Jimenez, 22-4-1 (16), is a world class fighter who will be determined to wrest the title from Darchinyan. In 2002 Jimenez lost a razor thin majority decision for the WBO interim flyweight championship to Adonis Rivas, who subsequently lost his title to reigning champion Omar Narvaez.
“In the ring we will show who is the stronger, better puncher, who is better,” said Darchinyan. “But what I can say about him it will be an exciting fight because he loves to fight and there will be support for this fight and support for me.”
The postponement of the fight is an obvious setback for Darchinyan, who added the IBO title to his IBF strap with an 8th round TKO of South African Mzukisi Sikali in his last fight. According to Hussein, this had been Darchinyan’s best preparation since his first attempt at a world title challenge to then-champion Irene Pacheco, a fight that ironically was also postponed due to Hurricane Frances.
“He’s had a real good preparation,” said Hussein, who also co-trains his world ranked brothers Nedal ‘Skinny’ Hussein and Hussein Hussein. “He has boxed guys like Lovemore Ndou, Hussy, Ahmed Elomar and Billy ‘The Kid’ Dib. He’s done a lot of sparring for this fight and he’s in great shape. It’s different to the last defence when he fought against Sakali. This is probably the best preparation he’s had since the first Pacheco fight, which was postponed. He’s got his head screwed on and he wants to defend his title on home soil.”
While Hussein has been working hard on developing Darchinyan into a more well rounded boxer, the 2000 Olympian’s strong suit will always be his bone crunching power.
“Vic hits so hard for a flyweight,” admitted Hussein. “His power punching intimidates a lot of fighters. They actually fight differently when they fight Vic. Jair Jimenez is good at cutting off the ring, but he’s not so great when he gets hit to the body and that’s one thing we’re going to attack, his body.
“Vic’s a good power puncher. Let’s see how he responds when Vic does hit him with a good shot or two. And with Vic being a southpaw it is going to make things even harder for Jimenez.”
Darchinyan agrees with Hussein’s assessment and says that once he starts landing with his heavy hands on the challenger the course of the fight is bound to change.
“I know I’m very strong for anyone in my weight and when I start punching I think he is going to really understand my power and he can’t do things that he could do with all these other guys,” said Darchinyan.
Since winning the IBF title with an impressive 11th round stoppage of formerly unbeaten Columbian Irene Pacheco last year, Hussein says that the 29-year-old southpaw has improved in leaps and bounds.
“Without doubt,” agreed Hussein. “The biggest difference is his confidence. He knows that he can blow any flyweight, super flyweight or bantamweight out. He believes in his power so much that we’ve been trying to ease him back on that and keep teaching him the technique and skills and reminding him that these are the little things you’ve got to do right. As a person he’s a great person and as a fighter I think he’s going to be a great fighter. I think he can unify the flyweight division, not a problem.”
As far as Darchinyan’s future plans go, it looks like a mandatory defence against Ireland’s Damaen Kelly is next in line before a potentially explosive bout with WBA flyweight champion Lorenzo Parra, 25-0 (17), in 2006.
“I think we’ve got to make a mandatory defence against Damaen Kelly of Ireland next,” said Hussein. “Hopefully once we get through this we will fight Damaen Kelly towards the end of the year. Lorenzo Parra is going to fight Brahim Asloum from France and I think the winners will eventually meet each other by March next year. Our aim is to fight Parra or whoever wins that next fight.”
The 26-year-old Venezuelan is regarded by some pundits as the best in the division, but Darchinyan is convinced that he has the tools to defeat the unbeaten power puncher and stake his claim as the best in the world in the 112 pound weight class.
“I would like to fight for the WBA title against Lorenzo Parra because he’s recognized as a big power puncher in America,” said Darchinyan of his future plans.
“That’s why I want to fight him. I want to show that I am the best mover, the best fighter and that I can beat him. I want to prove I’m the best in any division. The best mover, the best puncher and the best fighter.”
The d-Rush promoted card will be shown live in Australia on Sky Channel and Main Event pay-per-view on August 24th from 7:30pm and will also feature rising star Billy Dib defending his IBO Asia Pacific super featherweight title against American southpaw Shamir Reyes, unbeaten Ahmed Elomar squaring off against Matt Powell for the vacant IBO Asia Pacific featherweight title, cruiserweight Adam Lovelock doing battle with Jarrad Treloar and heavyweight Mark de Mori against an opponent to be named. |
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