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Darchinyan gets no respect
By Peter Kogoy
24aug05
ARMENIAN-born Australian world champion Vic Darchinyan has vowed "to
bash" Colombian flyweight contender Jair Jiminez into early
retirement at the Sydney Entertainment Centre tonight.
Jiminez will aim to score an upset in the IBF contest, but faces a
formidable task.
"I will bash him badly," said Darchinyan, before spending yesterday
afternoon in a sauna to shed more than 1kg to meet the 50.8kg weight
limit.
"Jiminez has shown me no respect. I am undefeated and the world
champion. He should show me more respect than to mouth off about me
to the media."
Darchinyan's battle with the bulge came after the title defence had
to be postponed for four weeks when Jiminez had trouble securing a
visa.
"I did plenty of running, but the weight still kept going up. But
time in the sauna will see my bodyweight come in right on the limit."
Darchinyan, who boasts a 23-0 record, is a hot favourite against the
ninth-ranked Jiminez (24-4-1).
"I have the IBF and the IBO flyweight titles and my next goal after I
beat Jiminez is to unify the division," Darchinyan said.
However, Thailand's formidable Pongsaklek Wonjongkam stands in his
way.
Jiminez has the services of veteran trainer Roberto Quesada of Cuba.
Darchinyan won the title from another Colombian, Irene Pacheco, in
December.
Quesada said Jiminez, 26, had sparred 120 rounds over three months in
preparation for tonight's fight.
He claimed Jiminez would put Darchinyan under more pressure than the
champion received in his last fight.
"Darchinyan has a (unbeaten) professional record, but he's still an
amateur," Quesada said.
"It's no secret that Jiminez will put too much pressure on
Darchinyan. Jiminez moves his head and Darchinyan doesn't."
Jiminez boasts 16 knockouts in his 24 wins, but has lost his past two
fights, to Gerson Guerrero. Quesada said both were at the
super-flyweight, or 52.16kg, limit.
"When Jiminez is fighting at flyweight he's good, at super-flyweight
he's not so good."
The undercard for tonight's promotion features three unbeaten boxers:
super-featherweight (58.97kg) Billy Dib; featherweight Ahmed Elomar
(57.15kg) and super-middleweight (76.20kg) Victor Oganov.
By Peter Kogoy
24aug05
ARMENIAN-born Australian world champion Vic Darchinyan has vowed "to
bash" Colombian flyweight contender Jair Jiminez into early
retirement at the Sydney Entertainment Centre tonight.
Jiminez will aim to score an upset in the IBF contest, but faces a
formidable task.
"I will bash him badly," said Darchinyan, before spending yesterday
afternoon in a sauna to shed more than 1kg to meet the 50.8kg weight
limit.
"Jiminez has shown me no respect. I am undefeated and the world
champion. He should show me more respect than to mouth off about me
to the media."
Darchinyan's battle with the bulge came after the title defence had
to be postponed for four weeks when Jiminez had trouble securing a
visa.
"I did plenty of running, but the weight still kept going up. But
time in the sauna will see my bodyweight come in right on the limit."
Darchinyan, who boasts a 23-0 record, is a hot favourite against the
ninth-ranked Jiminez (24-4-1).
"I have the IBF and the IBO flyweight titles and my next goal after I
beat Jiminez is to unify the division," Darchinyan said.
However, Thailand's formidable Pongsaklek Wonjongkam stands in his
way.
Jiminez has the services of veteran trainer Roberto Quesada of Cuba.
Darchinyan won the title from another Colombian, Irene Pacheco, in
December.
Quesada said Jiminez, 26, had sparred 120 rounds over three months in
preparation for tonight's fight.
He claimed Jiminez would put Darchinyan under more pressure than the
champion received in his last fight.
"Darchinyan has a (unbeaten) professional record, but he's still an
amateur," Quesada said.
"It's no secret that Jiminez will put too much pressure on
Darchinyan. Jiminez moves his head and Darchinyan doesn't."
Jiminez boasts 16 knockouts in his 24 wins, but has lost his past two
fights, to Gerson Guerrero. Quesada said both were at the
super-flyweight, or 52.16kg, limit.
"When Jiminez is fighting at flyweight he's good, at super-flyweight
he's not so good."
The undercard for tonight's promotion features three unbeaten boxers:
super-featherweight (58.97kg) Billy Dib; featherweight Ahmed Elomar
(57.15kg) and super-middleweight (76.20kg) Victor Oganov.