THE Cebuano boxing scene will witness ?The Raging Bull? in person as reigning IBO super flyweight king Vic Darchinyan is slotted to hold a public workout at the ALA Boxing Gym in the Banilad Town Center tomorrow.
Darchinyan is a dominant figure in the IBF flyweight division as his kingship spanned four straight years from 2004 through 2007, annexing the IBO title with his 8-round knockout of Mzukisi Sikali of Japan on Mar 27, 2005. He rampaged both divisions with 28 wins and zero defeats until Filipino firepower Nonito Donaire Jr. snatched both crowns in a 5th round stoppage in July last year. The taste of defeat so hit him badly he went back into his game with a conquest of the vacant IBO super flyweight title three months later.
Darchinyan (29-1-0, KOs 23) began boxing at age eight in Vanadzor, the third largest city in Armenia where boxing was very popular. He was Age Champion in the Armenia Junior Amateur Boxing circuit in the 108 lbs class for five straight years. He left Armenia in 1994 to pursue an amateur boxing career and started training in Sochi, a sprawling city just north of the southern Russian border. He represented Russia in over 10 tournaments before he joined the Ukraine team in 1996.
In 1997, he was invited back by Armenia to represent it in amateur world boxing tournaments, defeating reigning warriors from Hungary and Australia. He was honored by the Armenian government as the top three sports hero, and was honored as one of Armenia?s ?Sporting Masters in Boxing.?
He debuted as a boxing pro in 2000 by outpointing Sande Kizito of Uganda.
His second professional fight was also a point game. But his heavy fists started to take control in his third pro tournament where he stopped Filipino pugilist Selvio Glinoco in the second round in 2001, a feat that ignited a long string of knockouts in his boxing career.
In the same year, Darchinyan took over the vacant Australian flyweight title with a stoppage in the 7th round. He rose to take the IBF Pan Pacific flyweight crown in August 2002, and defended the turf three times before he conquered the IBF flyweight division. He unified the IBO and IBF super flyweight titles in 2005. correspondent Salven Lagumbay
