Vic Darchinyan will have the best possible sparring for his world title eliminator with Z Gorres when he crosses gloves with former IBF junior-lightweight champ Gairy St Clair, pictured.
Darchinyan says St Clair is the perfect training partner to face in the lead up to the February 2 battle with the slick Filipino in Cebu City. And he says St Clair would be a tough fight for the Philippines’ greatest fighter, Manny Pacquiao. The winner of Darchinyan-Gorres earns a crack at IBF super-flyweight champ Dmitri Kirilov of Russia.
St Clair, who held the IBF 130lb briefly last year, recently dropped a close 12-round decision in a rematch with Cassius Baloyi, the man he beat for the world title in 2006.
But St Clair?s switch-hitting style and experience against some of the best fighters in the world will prime Darchinyan for the best performance of his life according to St Clair?s trainer – the legendary Johnny Lewis.
“Gairy is a brilliant boxer from either the orthodox or southpaw stances,?? Lewis said, “and he will help Vic immeasurably for this fight with Gorres.
“Gairy didn?t have a great night in the rematch against Baloyi but we have been promised a return fight with Malcolm Klassen, the guy who beat Gairy for the world title and we believe Gairy can be a world champ again in 2008.
“He has already done a lot of sparring with Vic and rates Vic as the heaviest puncher he?s faced, even heavier than the late, great Diego Corrales.??
Darchinyan said sparring St Clair was a tremendous education. “Gairy is great to work with, very fast, very clever,?? Darchinyan said.
“Gorres is a great fighter and I must be at my best to win.?? The Guyana-born St Clair came to Australia six years ago when he heard Kostya Tszyu needed a southpaw sparring partner. St Clair worked with the world champ for several weeks before admitting that he wasn?t really a southpaw but could fight that way when he had too.
He has a record of 38-5-2, with his only defeats on points to world champs ? Baloyi, Klassen, Corrales, Leonard Dorin and Vivian Harris.
