Amid a controversy surrounding the assignment of ring officials, Z Gorres and Vic Darchinyan slug it out in a scheduled 12-round IBF superflyweight title eliminator at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino ballroom in Lahug, Cebu City, tonight.
IBF president Marian Muhammad threatened to withdraw sanction of the bout when representatives of both protagonists repeatedly complained about the officials she assigned. Muhammad, who is based in New Jersey, made several switches until the parties finally concurred.
Gorres? manager Michael Aldeguer was first to protest the designation of Australian John Wright as referee since Darchinyan, who is of Armenian descent, took out Australian citizenship in 2004 and lives in Sydney with Russian fianc?e Olga Stovboun. Games and Amusements Board (GAB) boxing chief Dr. Nasser Cruz then recommended Bruce McTavish to take Wright?s place but Muhammad refused, citing the New Zealander?s failure to renew his IBF membership.
Lance Revill of New Zealand was eventually assigned.
There was also grumbling about the assignment of judges. Mohamed Rois of Indonesia was in the original list but IBF vice president Ray Wheatley gave up trying to make contact after two days. Cruz, however, lobbied for Rois? assignment but to no avail.
Cruz also tried to convince Muhammad to appoint GAB commissioner Angel Bautista as IBF fight supervisor in place of Wheatley who is Australian. Muhammad, putting her foot down, insisted on Wheatley.
With Rois unavailable, Muhammad assigned Cec Perkins of Australia, Montol Suriyachand of Thailand and Salven Lagumbay of the Philippines as judges. Darchinyan?s camp protested Lagumbay?s inclusion less than two weeks ago for being a sportswriter from Cebu. Muhammad then tapped Roel Densing of Cagayan de Oro to replace Lagumbay. Aldeguer raised a howl, pointing out that Darchinyan was using ?psy-war? tactics to disconcert Gorres.
Muhammad gave in to Darchinyan?s request and named Jonathan Davis of Manila as Lagumbay?s replacement.
With the assignment of officials finally settled, Gorres and Darchinyan enter the ring tonight for the right to challenge IBF 115-pound champion Dimitri Kirilov of Russia.
Promoter Tony Aldeguer said yesterday he expects a full house for the fight, billed ?Now or Never? and backed by a six-fight, 44-round undercard. The excitement stirred by the fight is unprecedented in Cebu boxing history.
Gorres, 25, failed in a bid to win a world crown last year, losing a controversial split decision to WBO superflyweight titlist Fernando Montiel of Mexico in Cebu City, and promised not to disappoint his fans again.
Darchinyan, 32, has been mouthing off since arriving from Sydney with a party of six last Saturday. He predicted a win by knockout. Included in his entourage are trainer Billy Hussein and fighter Hussein Hussein who challenges IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire in Dubai on April 4. Donaire dealt Darchinyan his only loss last July and will be at ringside to provide TV commentary for Solar Sports.
Gorres said he?s not intimidated by Darchinyan?s braggadocio, declaring he?d rather let his fists do the talking in the ring. He is dedicating the fight to his wife Datchess and their three children Dheybert, 5, Shailadhey, 3, and Zhey, 1.
Gorres is one of five children born to Celestino, a jeepney driver, and Zeta, a housewife, in Mandaue. His registered Christian name ZC is a combination of the first letters of his parents? names. He later dropped the letter C in his ring name. His only brother Jun was a fighter who was stabbed and killed in a bar brawl some years back.
Darchinyan?s first name is Vakhtang. His father Rubik is a gas station owner and former wrestler who introduced the southpaw to boxing when he was six. Mother Rena is a Russian language teacher. Darchinyan compiled a 297-23 amateur record, including 152 wins and 105 KOs in international competition. He represented Armenia in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Two years ago, Darchinyan signed up with New Jersey promoter Gary Shaw, who is in Cebu City. Also in town is matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz.
Australian trainer Justin Fortune, who used to work with Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, said Darchinyan is an explosive puncher who can take out an opponent with a single blow. Last year, Darchinyan sent former world champion Victor Burgos to the hospital and straight into the ICU after scoring a devastating 12th round stoppage. Burgos was taken out of the ring on a stretcher.
