Vic Darchinyan, 24-0, 19 KO’s, defends his IBO and IBF Flyweight Titles against Diosdado Gabi, 26-2-1, 18 KO’s, Friday night at Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, CA in a 12-round featured bout to air on Showtime’s ShoBox series at 11 p.m. EST.
Darchinyan, an Australian by way of Armenia, dominated the flyweight scene in Australia before invading America with an eleventh-round stoppage of previously unbeaten and then IBF titleholder Irene Pacheco in December 2004 in Florida. He has since added the IBF strap to his collection primarily because of his power. Darchinyan’s opponent, Gabi, is also a powerful flyweight with eight of his last 13 victories coming by stoppage. This will be Gabi’s first world championship fight, but the Filipino is trained by Freddie Roach (who trains several of boxing’s biggest stars, including Manny Pacquiao, James Toney and Brian Viloria), so he will certainly be prepared for the magnitude of the fight.
At 26, Gabi is four years younger than the champion, but he gives up over three inches in height to Darchinyan. Both are southpaws and both are expected to go right after each other from the opening bell.
Though unknown in the US, Darchinyan has developed an impressive resume Down Under, and has a lengthy and successful amateur background. He went 152-18 as an amateur, won back-to-back European Cup Titles and made the Armenian Olympic team in 2000, losing in the quarterfinals to Bulat Jumadilov of Kazakhstan.
His pro career has been highlighted by his TKO victory over Pacheco, a respected champion who had held the IBF title for over five years before Darchinyan knocked him down twice before Pacheco’s corner called off the fight at 44 seconds of the eleventh round. For good measure, Darchinyan was significantly ahead on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage. The fight was his first in America.
Gabi made his US debut last September, scoring a fourth-round technical decision victory over Jose Alfredo Tirado in Stockton, CA to extend his winning streak to 13. Gabi made a major sacrifice to fight in the US, leaving his family in the Philippines last summer to train and fight in America. He is a committed fighter, and could make things very difficult for Darchinyan.
Undefeated Anthony Mora, 15-0, 10 KO’s, takes on Russian Rustam Nugaev, 15-4 7 KO’s, in a 10-round, junior welterweight co-featured bout. Mora, a one-time National Golden Gloves runner-up, is a talented fighter from Colorado, but has suffered some injuries over the last two years that have slowed his progress. Now 29, it’s time for him to move his career forward any way that he can.
Nugaev will be fighting at junior welterweight for the first time in his career, while Mora is experienced at the weight. Nugaev is looking to win his third straight match. He knocked out Martin Sanchez in round nine of a 10-rounder last July and two months later stopped Luis Antonio Arceo in round six.
