Sydney Morning Herald , Australia
March 27 2005
Darchinyan adds to belt collection with victory in eight
By Brad Walter
March 28, 2005
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After stopping South African Mzukisi Sikali in the eighth round of
last night’s world flyweight unification bout at the State Sports
Centre, Vic Darchinyan immediately nominated World Boxing Association
champion Lorenzo Parra as his next target.
Darchinyan, one of just three Australian boxers to currently hold a
world title, added the World Boxing Organisation belt to the
International Boxing Federation version he won last December against
the previously undefeated Irene Pacheco when Sikali put his gloves up
to signal he had had enough.
It was another typical hard-hitting performance from the 29-year-old
Armenia-born Sydneysider, who has now won 18 of his 23 fights by
knockout since turning professional after the 2000 Olympics.
He said Sikali, who had not previously suffered a defeat since 1999,
was a tough opponent but that he had always felt in control.
“He took good shots, [and] he was giving some good shots, too,”
Darchinyan said.
“When I punch him I think he was maybe stopped or going down, so I
don’t go for repeat shots but he kept coming back.
“He was fit and he gave me a good fight.”
Having disposed of the fighter rated No.4 in the division, Darchinyan
– himself rated No.3 – said he now wanted to take on Venezuelan
Parra, considered the best of the flyweights.
“I want to unify all of the belts,” he said. “The next one I am
looking for is the WBA belt. Lorenzo Parra is rated No.1 so I want to
fight him next and win that title, too.”
Despite suffering a cut above his left eye, Darchinyan simply had too
much power for Sikali, and he said the 33-year-old had retired two
minutes and 28 seconds into the eighth round as an act of self
preservation.
While he was never knocked down, Sikali was rocked on a number of
occasions by repeated uppercuts from Darchinyan.
“He stopped because he was already going,” Darchinyan said. “He is a
very smart boxer, he is very experienced. He knew that one more punch
and he would be knocked out.”
After taking time to size up his opponent for the first minute or so,
Darchinyan then took the fight to Sikali and landed a number of heavy
body blows in the first round, including one powerful shot to the
ribs.
In the second round he managed to punch his way through the South
African’s defence, opening a small cut near his right eye.
The third round was a little better for Sikali but the relentless
Darchinyan continued to dominate and in the fourth he stepped up the
pace and intensity even further.
A cut in the corner of Sikali’s left eye bled profusely as Darchinyan
tried to finish off yet another fight quickly and in the fifth round
he rocked the visiting southpaw.
Fighting the rest of the bout with blood trickling into his left eye
provoked little mercy as Darchinyan kept pounding Sikali until he
quit.
“I felt like I had more power and strength,” he said.
“I maybe stopped one round but in the rest I picked it. I was too
fit.”
Earlier in the evening, Team Fenech stablemate Lovemore Ndou
successfully defended his IBF Pan Pacific junior-welterweight title
with a second-round knockout of Jesar Ancajas from the Philippines,
while Nedal ‘Skinny’ Hussein stopped Tanzania’s clearly outclassed
Obote Ameme after just 30 seconds of their junior-lightweight bout.