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The Age , Australia
March 27 2005
Darchinyan retains flyweight title
March 27, 2005 - 10:54PM
Australia's Vic Darchinyan wore his opponent down and eventually
broke his heart as he retained his International Boxing Federation
flyweight title with an eighth-round stoppage of South African
Mzukisi Fikali at the Sydney Olympic Park Sport Centre.
Armenian-born Darchinyan, who was making his first defence of the
title he won last December, was leading by one point on two of the
judges' cards and by three on the third at the time of the stoppage.
Fikali retired himself just over half a minute out from the end of
the eighth round after soaking up some vicious blows in the preceding
couple of minutes.
Darchinyan's superior power proved decisive as the 29-year-old
Sydneysider gradually sapped the resolve of his 33-year-old
challenger.
Darchinyan shaded the first couple of rounds with some eye-catching
flurries.
The challenger lifted his work rate in the third, though Darchinyan
landed some good body shots toward the end of the round.
Fikali finished the fourth round with a cut just above his left eye.
Darchinyan threw his punches selectively rather than trying to
dominate for the entirety of each round.
The South African landed with some jabs and occasionally beat the
champion to the punch, but he didn't appear to have the power of
Darchinyan.
The Australian looked more effective when he fired his right jab and
followed up, especially with some powerful body punches.
Fikali proved a slippery adversary, making the Australian miss on a
number of occasions as he lunged in an attempt to push the pace.
The challenger's corner did a good job with the cut as the flow of
blood was stemmed.
While Darchinyan appeared to land the bigger blows, Fikali enjoyed
some success in backing up the champion and opened up a cut close to
his left eyelid in the seventh round.
It was unbeaten Darchinyan's 23rd straight win and his 18th KO.
Sikali, who came into the fight holding the much more
lightly-regarded National Boxing Organisation flyweight title,
suffered his sixth loss in 38 bouts.
March 27 2005
Darchinyan retains flyweight title
March 27, 2005 - 10:54PM
Australia's Vic Darchinyan wore his opponent down and eventually
broke his heart as he retained his International Boxing Federation
flyweight title with an eighth-round stoppage of South African
Mzukisi Fikali at the Sydney Olympic Park Sport Centre.
Armenian-born Darchinyan, who was making his first defence of the
title he won last December, was leading by one point on two of the
judges' cards and by three on the third at the time of the stoppage.
Fikali retired himself just over half a minute out from the end of
the eighth round after soaking up some vicious blows in the preceding
couple of minutes.
Darchinyan's superior power proved decisive as the 29-year-old
Sydneysider gradually sapped the resolve of his 33-year-old
challenger.
Darchinyan shaded the first couple of rounds with some eye-catching
flurries.
The challenger lifted his work rate in the third, though Darchinyan
landed some good body shots toward the end of the round.
Fikali finished the fourth round with a cut just above his left eye.
Darchinyan threw his punches selectively rather than trying to
dominate for the entirety of each round.
The South African landed with some jabs and occasionally beat the
champion to the punch, but he didn't appear to have the power of
Darchinyan.
The Australian looked more effective when he fired his right jab and
followed up, especially with some powerful body punches.
Fikali proved a slippery adversary, making the Australian miss on a
number of occasions as he lunged in an attempt to push the pace.
The challenger's corner did a good job with the cut as the flow of
blood was stemmed.
While Darchinyan appeared to land the bigger blows, Fikali enjoyed
some success in backing up the champion and opened up a cut close to
his left eyelid in the seventh round.
It was unbeaten Darchinyan's 23rd straight win and his 18th KO.
Sikali, who came into the fight holding the much more
lightly-regarded National Boxing Organisation flyweight title,
suffered his sixth loss in 38 bouts.