To be a world champion isn’t quite what it used to be there are multiple belts on offer these days. In the lower weights the best don’t often fight. One fighter who never rests on his laurels is Vic Darchinyan. He actually seeks out the toughest opponents and heads straight to them. Darchinyan maybe 33, but he shows no signs of slowing down last year he won the IBF Super Flyweight title when he demolished Dmitri Kirilov in five rounds, he followed that as a near 3-1 underdog against Cristian Mijares for his WBC & WBA titles. What followed was jaw dropping, everyone knew “The Raging Bull” had the power to upset anyone but his complete dominance from the first bell until the ninth when the action was stopped, would of surprised even his most ardent supporter. Then back in February this year he clashed with veteran Jorge Arce. Again Darchinyan had little trouble disposing Arce though it took until the eleventh when the fight was stopped. The performance was still dominant & Arce had taken a resounding beating. While lesser men may then look for a softer next fight not Darchinyan who On 11 July in Florida he will attempt to become only the second nationalised Australian to win world championships in three weight classes the other was the legendary Jeff Fenech. Never short for word we caught up with Vic after training in Las Vegas.
Hello Vic, welcome to 15rounds.com
Anson Wainwright – You will be fighting Joseph Agbeko on 11 July in Florida. What do you think of him as a fighter?
Vic Darchinyan – I’ve saw a couple of his last fights. He’s a busy fighter, but i know for 3 or 4 rounds it’s going to be a hard. But after 3 or 4 rounds i’m going to start landing some big punches and i know i’m going to be successful. I’m going to go hard and it’s going to be an exciting fight and i’m going to knock him out.
Anson Wainwright – The fight will be up at Bantamweight. What would it mean to you to become a three weight world champion?
Vic Darchinyan – I move to Super Flyweight only less than one year ago, now I’m moving to Bantamweight. But i’m strong and people think my power won’t be at Bantamweight. I’m going to be more of a power puncher. I’m not going to stop at Bantamweight i’m going to Super Bantamweight, Featherweight as much as I can. I want to become world champion more division’s and I’m going to show my power is enough.
Anson Wainwright – Where in Australia did you train & where now that your in America are you training?
Vic Darchinyan – In Australia i train in my gym in Sydney at the Raging Bull gym. It’s a private gym. In America i have been here two weeks already, i am training at Johnny Tocco’s gym in Las Vegas. I train here for one month then early next month i am going to Florida to Miami and concentrate on my fight. I have sparring partners who can feel my power. All of them are 15/20 heavier than me, they can feel how hard I can punch.
Anson Wainwright – How much higher in weight do you think you can successfully go whilst continuing to win world title’s?
Vic Darchinyan – I don’t know how much higher I can go. Every time I fight I want to fight for a title. I spar with guys who are 30/40 heavier and they can feel my punch. I will go up higher, I don’t feel I’m going to stay in one division.
Anson Wainwright – What is your actual walk around weight between fights?
Vic Darchinyan – From 125/130 depending on training with weights my body is becoming bigger at the moment i’m 125/126.
Anson Wainwright – Who has been your toughest opponent?
Vic Darchinyan – All my professional fights were tough by my toughest was Irene Pacheco. I can feel he was a good puncher, he was experienced. Joseph Agbeko I think has a similar style to Pacheco but not as good as him. I’m not taking him easy. I have my coach from Armenia, my amateur coach my fitness coach. Boxing skills and fitnss all in one. I’m going to be in best shape on 11 July. I’m going to be ready for this fight 100%.
Anson Wainwright – Which of your wins did you enjoy the most?
Vic Darchinyan – I can say all my fights by knock out. I love playing with my opponents. I enjoyed my fight with Cristian Mijares I think everybody was thinking he was a top fight fighter, pound for pound fighter. That he was going to beat me very easy. I told them from the start at the press conference that I’m going to knock him out. I always keep my promise. 3 or 4 fights ago I was fighting Nonito Donaire. I told him i was going to knock him out, he caught me because i was trying to knock him out. In the future I think a rematch is going to happen. I told the world it was a fluke and i’m going to prove it. I hope it does happen because I’m going to knock him out badly and send him into retirement.
Anson Wainwright – I think what people respect about you is that you always look for the toughest guy out there is that how you see Boxing?
Vic Darchinyan – That’s what I want I’m happy to keep going up in weight but if I wanted to fight at Flyweight I could. I can jump 2/3/4 weights and fight the best. I feel luck I’m 33 years old but I have a good body. I keep my mind very young. I want to show them how successful I can be.
Anson Wainwright – What of your KO wins do you think was the best?
Vic Darchinyan – I have some good Knock outs before my world title fights. I like my knock out of Gabi, I broke his jaw. I like my punch I knocked Cristian Mijares down in the first round. It doesn’t matter how tough you are. It doesn’t matter if I am losing for the first 4 or 6 rounds if I land a few big punches to the head I know very quickly they are going to slow down and with my fitness i will win.
Anson Wainwright – How did you get into Boxing back in Armenia growing up?
Vic Darchinyan – I was fighting and my coach saw me when I was 6/7 years old. I believe I was going to do sport and be very successful. I went to gymnasium when I was 8 years olds old. When I have been there one year I am champion of my City in two years I am champion of a couple Cities. I was very successful by 15 years old it already have 150 amateur fights. All together from 8 years old to 2000 I have 320 fights. Everytime I fight I get a medal first, second or third. I always believe I am going to be very successful.
Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?
Vic Darchinyan – I am going to show them in the Agbeko fight. For Agbeko your going to feel my power and everything is going to change for you. You just going to look for a corner to survive and I’m going to follow and knock you out. For my fans your going to see a very exciting fight.
Thanks for your time Vic and good luck against Agbeko.
Anson Wainwright
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