Saturday night at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage California, Super Flyweight WBC/WBA titlist Vic Darchinyan (33-2-1, 26 KO’s) was getting out boxed by his opponent, Tomas Rojas (32-12-1, 22 KO’s), who used his long frame and jab to set the tone as the action developed. This was a match up between two southpaws, so there was no stepping on each others feet. Darchinyan fought patiently, though he was the aggressor and was having a bit of a tough time catching the rangy Rojas, who used his long jab and left hooks with success and was able to force Darchinyan backwards for most of the first round.
It was more of the same in the second round until Darchinyan caught Rojas along the ropes and unleashed a series of left hooks that would find the jaw of Rojas and send him to the canvas, from which he didn’t get up. With 11 loses on his record, I didn’t have any other initial expectations for this one. But for one round, Rojas continued to show Darchinyan’s vulnerabilities to good boxer/punchers.
Darchinyan was fairly gracious during the post fight interview, where he talked about being more disciplined and patient. He said he didn’t rush his offense and was able to catch his opponent and finish him early. Darchinyan was asked about the two fights that to away and have to haunt him in Nonito Donaire (who knocked Darchinyan out in five back in 2007) and Joseph Agbeko, who recently beat him by Unanimous Decision last summer.
Darchinyan said he thinks about these two every night before he goes to sleep and wants to fight rematches with them and that his promoter is working to make it happen. But as I recall, his promoter, Gary Shaw, wasn’t the least bit interested in a rematch with Donaire but last night, he made gestures suggesting he’d like to make it happen.
Darchinyan is an interesting study in that he has big power to match his ego but at times, lacks the discipline to control his emotions and execute a fight plan that requires conviction. But that’s not always the case. Though Darchinyan is known as a slugger, he’s actually a very accomplished “boxer,” though he tends to rely too often on outbursts of offensive power to subdue his opponents.
In past fights, like against Christian Mijares, Darchinyan employed a more patient, box and bang approach and was very successful in utterly destroying Mijares, an excellent boxer with an ego nearly as big as his own. Afterwards, he had a similar performance against Jorge Arce, who elected to bang with Darchinyan and force a brawl but smartly, Darchinyan used his jab to cut up Arce’s face, particularly by his eyes, which forced the doc to step in and stop it in the eleventh round.
Can Vic Darchinyan win against Donaire in a rematch? Since their fight back in July of 2007, Donaire has fought four times, winning all four, three by TKO and one by decision. Darchinyan’s fought seven times since then and has won six of seven, five by stoppage and the one Unanimous Decision loss to Bantamweight, Joseph Agbeko, who lost his last fight, along with his title to Yonnhy Perez. Maybe Darchinyan can arrange to fight Perez, who like Donaire, is tall, rangy and primarily a boxer. Win or lose, that would give Vic the kind of preparatory experience necessary to approach a rematch with Donaire, if it ever even happens.
