VIC Darchinyan will fight Mexican Christian Mijares in a bid to become the undisputed world super-flyweight champion after winning the IBF crown with a devastating fifth-round knockout of champion Dimitri Kirilov in Washington.
The bout against Mijares in Las Vegas, set down for October at the 52.16kg limit, was confirmed just hours after the Sydney-based, Armenian-born southpaw defeated Kirilov in Tacoma yesterday.
Kirilov was sent crashing to the canvas early in the fifth round with a left hook that opened up a deep gash to the mouth and had him nursing a bloodied nose.
A second vicious straight left that landed flush on the Russian’s jaw followed up by a smashing round-house right sent Kirilov to the canvas for the count.
It was all referee Earl Brown needed to step in and stop the bout 1min05sec into the round.
Darchinyan was in front 40-36 on all three official scorecards after the end of the fourth round.
Two lefts from Darchinyan, the former IBF-IBO flyweight champion, early in the opening round established the tempo of the fight.
“I am very happy,” Darchinyan told The Australian. “I promised my fans back in Australia that I would win by knockout and I delivered on the promise.
“I never go back on my word.”
About 160 rounds of sparring helped Darchinyan get into top shape for the bout, his first in the Pacific northwest of the US.
It took his record to 30 wins, 24 by knockout, one loss and one draw.
Kirilov, 29, came into the bout with a record of 29 wins, nine by knockout, three losses and a draw.
“My next goal is to go after Mijares,” Darchinyan said.
“I don’t want to just become undisputed champion, I don’t want to stay too long in this weight division, I want to fight for (other) belts.
“I’m 32, I want to move because I can feel big power.
“I can fight any opponent taller than me and I feel powerful and every day the power is getting more and more.
“I was very focused for the fight. What the fans saw today was a stronger, smarter and very focused fighter.”
Darchinyan said in his amateur days he had a very good record against Russian boxers.
“I sparred and trained with Russians, I knew their style,” he said.
Manager Elias Nasser said Darchinyan had stuck to his pre-fight game plan to perfection.
“There were no wild punches thrown,” Nasser said.
“His performance today reminded me very much of how Kostya Tszyu stopped Zab Judah inside two rounds in Las Vegas seven years ago.
“If I was one of the fight judges I would have rated Vic’s performance as a perfect 10.”
Darchinyan is a former IBF flyweight champion who defended that division’s crown six times before losing the title to Filipino Nonito Donaire.
Donaire stopped Darchinyan in the fifth round in July last year.
Kirilov had held the IBF crown for less than a year.
