Vic Darchinyan and Yonnhy Perez move into headline status tomorrow night at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, California, when they face off in the consolation bout of the Showtime bantamweight mini-tournament. With Joseph Agbeko forced to withdraw from the finals against Abner Mares due to injury, the spotlight turns on Darchinyan and Perez in what promises to be a humdinger.
Both fighters are coming off of tough losses suffered last December. Darchinyan dropped a split decision to Abner Mares in a fight where the ?Raging Bull? looked more like a ?Whining Calf? at times. After opening an early lead?scoring a knockdown and sweeping the first three or four rounds?Darchinyan wilted when Mares turned up the heat. Mares, smart enough to know not to let a junkball artist set up in a comfort zone, simply bulldogged Darchinyan around the ring and outworked him over the final two thirds of the fight. Darchinyan, Sydney, Australia by way of Armenia, spent a lot of time complaining to the referee and did not look particularly enthused to be roughed up by the baby-faced Mares.
For his part, Perez, Santa Fe Springs, California via Colombia, was simply flummoxed by Joseph Agbeko in a rematch of a shootout Perez won in 2009. This time Agbeko stepped through the ropes determined to be cute, and he succeeded, using angles, head movement, feints, and potshots to leave Perez looking flat and frustrated throughout.
Neither fighter can afford another defeat at this point, and questions concerning their recent form will be answered definitively tomorrow night. With a once or twice a year schedule, an off-night for a boxer is devastating. Years ago, a fighter would be back in the ring within a few weeks of a loss and determining his physical form was easier to do. Now, however, months go by before a fighter returns to the ring, leaving doubts hanging in the air before his next big fight. Is Perez, 32, as stale as he looked against Mares and Agbeko? Does Darchinyan, at 35, have another big fight left in him? Or were both fighters merely sub par against capable opponents?
Either way, this fight?between an awkward southpaw, Darchinyan, and a steady boxer-puncher, Perez?offers in interesting contrast in styles, one that might be heightened by the fact that the loser may hear the clock ticking on his career.
On the outside, Perez, 20-1-1 (14), must remain busy and avoid a ?Men Who Stare at Goats? contest, which is exactly what Darchinyan wants?to slow down the action in the ring long enough for him to work some of his awkward voodoo?lead uppercuts, decoy rights, charging ahead with his gloves pressed together, and, most distressing of all, leaning in with his left arm extended at a right angle. Some of his antics resemble horseplay, a very painful form of horseplay, of course, but too often his opponents fall for this klutzy razzmatazz. Why so many so-called professional prizefighters have allowed Darchinyan to snakecharm them with so many bizarre moves is a mystery. But Perez needs to concentrate and stay busy, working behind his jab, throwing combinations, and, occasionally, pushing Darchinyan onto his back foot. Darchinyan, 35-3-1 (27), is a pretty fair counterpuncher, but looks a little tentative being pushed back consistently.
Now and then Darchinyan takes a running start to throw punches?like a man about to hurl a javelin?with his chin jutting out and his arms akimbo. Wide open shots, a Darchinyan specialty, ought to make things easier for Perez, and if Darchinyan comes out brawling?as he promised in pre-fight trash talk?then Perez will have plenty of opportunities to score. On the inside, Darchinyan likes to maul but is not particularly effective; Perez ought to be able to double up his hook in close quarters and work the body, where Mares had success late.
Despite an impressive career knockout percentage, Darchinyan does not appear to be the baby wrecking-ball he was at flyweight or junior bantamweight. Indeed, he has gone the distance in four of his last five fights and has not stopped a credible opponent since waylaying Cristian Mijares one of those ?Who?? entrants so common on bogus P-4-P lists in 2008.
In the end, Darchinyan has yet to beat a decent bantamweight, and this black mark may ultimately decide the fight. Still, Perez faded badly against Mares and looked stale against Agbeko, who played Harlem Globetrotter around him from time to time. If Perez continues his mediocre form, Darchinyan may be able to keep him off-balance often enough to earn a close decision. But Perez is still younger, bigger, and theoretically fresher. He has also throws straighter punches and has shown the kind of work rate in the past that might stymie Darchinyan in his kooky tracks. Perez should be able to eke out a close decision in a bruising fight that will decide two futures simultaneously.
