DONAIRE-DARCHINYAN REMATCH HEATS UP
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 19 Sep 2013
The rematch that has taken six years to happen between 2012 ?Fighter of the Year? and four division world champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire and three division champion Vic ?Raging Bull? Darchinyan has started to heat up with the first testy exchange at the official press conference announcing the November 10 Top Rank triple-header in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Ever since Darchinyan lost by a stunning 5th round knockout to Donaire in an IBF/IBO flyweight title fight on July 7, 2007 he has lobbied for a rematch claiming that Donaire?s win was a fluke.
In the buildup to their ten round clash at the American Bank Center on November 10, Manila Time, in a fight to be telecast in the Philippines by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN, Darchinyan started the verbal exchange when he said ?Six years ago I lost to Nonito Donaire. Nobody knew about him then. I made him, I?m gonna break him.?
Donaire, the former WBO/Ring Magazine super bantamweight champion who is returning to the ring after a shocking decision loss to former Cuban two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux last April 13 at New York?s Radio City Music Hall retorted ?I make him, I break him,? I expect as much from Darchinyan. I thought age would subside a little bit of hatred, but apparently not. For that 6 years, I?ve taken everything away from him, everything he has worked for all his life, so that?s why I look forward to this fight.?
Darchinyan butted in, ?I will destroy you? to which Donaire replied ?If you say you will destroy me, I say likewise. I will destroy you ten-fold.?
2012 ?Trainer of the Year? Robert Garcia who met with Donaire in Las Vegas last Friday said they had discussed plans on Donaire?s preparation for the fight and that the popular Filipino would travel to Gacia?s gym in Oxnard, California to begin training next week.
Donaire has been jogging and doing some light workouts in Las Vegas while Darchinyan has been running in the mountains of Armenia, according to his manager Frank Espinoza who told the Manila Standard recently "This is a good fight for Vic and he's been waiting for many years"
Darchinyan who initially balked at fighting Donaire at 126 pounds and wanted a catch-weight of 123-124 eventually gave in to Donaire who insisted he couldn?t make the 122 pound limit and at one point after the Rigondeaux fight was walking around at 140 pounds.
Espinoza didn't seem bothered by the weight and told us Darchinyan "won't have a problem" pointing out that both Donaire and Darchinyan "have never fought at 126 before" and that he expects the fight to be "a fair contest "among two worthy opponents.
The card will feature former WBO featherweight champion Mikey Garcia who has also moved up in weight to face junior lightweight champion Roman ?Rocky? Martinez leaving former champion Orlando Salido to face off against Orlando Cruz for the vacant title while Donaire hopes to win impressively against Darchinyan and earn a crack at the title against the winner of the Salido-Cruz battle.
Garcia who has been training hard according to his brother and trainer Robert, sparred six rounds the other day and looked good in his first sparring session. He said ?I really do feel I?ll become world champion once again.?
Martinez conceded it will be a tough fight but said ?as champion I know I?ll beat him and leave the ring with my title. I?m the only champion in my country and I?m going to keep it like that.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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