GORRES MAY HAVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER ELIMINATOR
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 01 Aug 2008
Z ?The Dream? Gorres may have to fight another IBF super flyweight eliminator in order to earn a mandatory shot at the winner of the title fight between champion Dimitri ?The Baby? Kirilov (29-3-1, 9 KO?s) and former world flyweight champion Vic ?Raging Bull? Darchinyan (29-1-1, 23 KO?s).
The Kirilov-Darchinyan title fight takes place on Sunday (Manila Time) at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.
IBF Championship Committee chairman Lindsey Tucker told www.insidesports.ph, Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that Darchinyan ?got lucky? when he fought to a draw with Gorres last February 2 and the IBF ended up with nobody at No. 1 or 2 and since Darchinyan was ranked No. 3 at that time and Gorres No. 4, the Australian was given the title shot.
Tucker said that since the rules require the IBF to notify the champion 60 days before the mandatory is due, Darchinyan effectively became the mandatory ?by default?.
The IBF executive said that while some organizations ?may allow a guy who fought to a draw to become the next mandatory, the IBF does not.?
Tucker said ?we are committed to the eliminator because we feel that the challenger should earn the shot at the title.?
The Championship Committee chairman said that after the Kirilov-Darchinyan title fight, he will start with the fighters ranked No. 3 and 4 and ?go down the line until I get two fighters who are willing to fight for No. 1.?
Tucker also said that ?unfortunately the loser will probably not been involved in the eliminator? even as he noted that AJ ?Bazooka? Banal was the No. 1 and in line for a mandatory title shot against the winner of the Kirilov-Darchinyan fight but lost the chance since he ?gave up his position to fight for another organization.?
Kirilov who is trained by Freddie Roach had to settle for a majority draw in his last fight against Cecilio Santos (22-8-3, 12 KO?s) as two judges scored the fight even 114-114 while the third judge had Kirilov ahead 116-112.
Darchinyan on the other hand lost his IBF flyweight title when Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire stopped him in a spectacular one-punch knockout on July 7 last year after the Aussie successful defended his 112 pound title six times, five of them by the short route.
Out-boxed by Gorres in the first half of their eliminator at the Waterfront Hotel, Darchinyan turned the tide with a mixture of rough and dirty tactics and some power shots which incurred the ire of fight fans.
The title fight against Kirilov is a match-up of different styles. The Russian champion has speed and the ability to out-box his opponents anchored on a stinging left jab.
The southpaw Darchinyan likes to wade in and throw punches from all angles often leaving himself wide open but the tactic appears to have worked for him judging by his record of 23 knockout victories.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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