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Vic Darchinyan
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Pint-sized powerhouse Vic Darchinyan retained his IBF and IBO world flyweight titles with an impressive 5th round stoppage of Columbian Jair Jimenez at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Wednesday night on a d-Rush promoted card.
"I want to keep defending my title in Australia,” said Darchinyan, 24-0 (19), after the fight. “I do not want to fight overseas. Australia is now my country and I need boxing fans to support me. We picked Jimenez as a challenger because he is strong. I will defend my title against top IBF challenger Damien Kelly in three months."
Southpaw Darchinyan applied the pressure from the opening bell, stalking Jimenez around the ring and throwing powerful shots to the body and head. As the fight progressed it became more and more one-sided, with the 29-year-old Armenian-born Australian punching holes in Jimenez’s defence.
The beginning of the end came at the start of the 4th round when a fusillade of Darchinyan punches punctuated by a left cross sent Jimenez to the canvas. The 26-year-old challenger, who was making his second attempt at a world crown after losing a majority decision to Adonis Rivas for the WBO interim championship in 2002, never seemed to fully recover but managed to survive the round.
The two-fisted assault continued in the 5th as Darchinyan set about finishing off his foe. When Jimenez turned his back on Darchinyan late in the round it was obvious that he didn’t want to continue, prompting referee John Wright to wisely call a halt to the action at 2:23 of the round.
At the time of the stoppage Darchinyan was leading by five points on two of the judges’ scorecards and six points on the other.
With the loss Jimenez falls to 22-5-1- (16).
This was Darchinyan’s second successful defence of his IBF title, which he won by 11th round TKO of formerly undefeated Columbian Irene Pacheco in December last year. In March Darchinyan annexed the IBO title with an 8th round stoppage of South African Mzukisi Sikali.
Darchinyan’s next fight will be a mandatory defence of his IBF title against Ireland’s Damaen Kelly. Providing he is successful, Darchinyan plans on unifying against Venezuelan WBA champion Lorenzo Parra early next year.
In the main support bout Billy Dib made short work of Ugandan Michael Kizza, dropping him for the count at 2:29 of the 2nd round with a solid right cross. Dib raises his record to 7-0 (5) and retains his IBO Asia Pacific junior lightweight title, while Kizza falls to 19-6 (14).
Ahmed Elomar, 9-0 (3), dispatched Thailand’s Denchai Sor Tiebkoon, 1-1 (0), in the 2nd round at the official time of 2:17 to win the vacant IBO Asia Pacific featherweight title.
Talented heavyweight Lawrence Tauasa, 21-4-1 (9), barely had a chance to showcase his skills as he knocked out Fijian Fatu Tuimanono, 5-2 (4), at 1:24 of the 1st round.
Cruiserweight Adam Lovelock, 2-1 (0), outclassed Jarrad Treloar, 0-2 (0), to win a clear cut decision over four rounds by scores of 40-36 twice and 40-37. |
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2005
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By Anthony Cocks, Site Editor (August 25, 2005) 
