Nonito Donaire Jr. FILE PHOTO
The first time they fought on July 7, 2007, Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. brutally stopped Armenian Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan in the fifth round to grab the IBF flyweight crown.
On Nov. 9, more than six years and an additional 14 pounds later, the multi-division world champions will tangle again in a 10-round grudge rematch as featherweights in Corpus Christi, Texas.
And Darchinyan, now 37 years old, believes it’s going to be payback time.
“I am still looking for the knockout,” Darchinyan told Armenpress. “This time I won’t be silly with one punch. This time I will use my skill.”
The then unbeaten Darchinyan was plodding in, going for the knockout when Donaire caught him with a monster left hook that sent him down. Though the Armenian staggered to beat the count, he fell again and the fight was waived off.
That one-punch wonder eventually earned for Donaire the Knockout of the Year and Upset of the Year honors.
Rather than be concerned for his health, however, Darchinyan downgraded Donaire’s triumph.
“I know he is a scared chicken. I am coming to prove it. I have been in with him, I know how scared he is of my punches. I will come to demolish him. I am coming to destroy him. I made him, I am coming to beat him,” added Darchinyan, who totes a 39-5-1 record with 28 knockouts.
The 30-year-old Donaire (31-2, 20 KOs), adjudged 2012 Fighter of the Year is bent on repeating the feat by setting the come-forward Darchinyan up.
Reunited with his father-trainer Nonito Sr. and inspired by infant son Jaren, Donaire wants to bounce back after losing his super bantamweight crown to Guillermo Rigondeaux last April 13.
He also wants to keep Darchinyan’s loud mouth shut. Roy A. Luarca