VIC DARCHINYAN-NONITO DONAIRE CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT
EastsideBoxing.com
http://www.eastside boxing.com/news.php?p=11471&more=1
June 28 2007
Question: Vic, do you have any opening comments?
Darchinyan: It is nice to be here in America training. My training
session is very good. I am looking forward to this fight and I am
going to show a good fight..
Question: Nonito, can we have some opening comments from you?
Donaire: It is a pleasure to be here. Like he said, it is something
I am looking forward to as well.
Question: Nonito, this is a big fight for not only you, but for the
family. Since Vic already owns a victory over your brother, do you
get any added incentive from that? Any revenge on your mind?
Donaire: Well, it is not so much for revenge. Like I have been telling
everybody, it is more of living the dream to be a world champion. It
is that hunger. It is just a pleasure; it is the dream of fighting
to be at this level. It is a great feeling.
Question: Vic, in your last fight, your opponent ended up in the
hospital and for a while it was touch and go. Can you tell us what
was going through your mind right after that fight and in the days
immediately following?
Darchinyan: After my last fight, it was very hard (on me) because my
opponent was very bad. He was in a coma in the hospital. Thank God,
everything passed and now I am concentrating on my training and
concentrating on my fight. I am confident in my training and ready
for this fight.
Question: Vic, it is important for you to win all your fights by
knockout because you say the best way to draw attention to the
lighter weight classes and guys like you is to win by knockout. The
one title defense you did not get a KO came against Glenn Donaire,
Nonito’s brother. You wanted to try to get that decision reversed.
How does that play into your upcoming fight against Nonito?
Darchinyan: I think everyone will agree with me, it was a knockout.
It was not a head butt. It was not the elbow. It was a knockout. I
broke his jaw; he broke the corner and he screeched and put his hands
up. I am very upset. It is still in my mind; is my title fight going
to be settled by knockout? It is not revenge against his brother. It
is revenge for me because I knocked out his brother. Now, I am going
to knock him out twice because it still is in my mind. I did have a
knockout. He put his hands up and puked in a corner. I am going to
show how ready I am for this fight and how is will be a very good
drama if he can stand up 10 rounds.
Question: Vic, you are known as a very energetic and aggressive
fighter. Are you going to change at all and how (has his last fight
against Victor Burgos) mentally affected you? Obviously, seeing what
happened, you seemed kind of upset after the fight
Darchinyan: I was very upset. But no, I thank God he is OK. No, I am
not going to change my style. I am not going to change anything. I am
going to go again for a knockout, and I am going to knock out Nonito
that night. I feel my power is better now. I can feel it in every
training, every sparring. I can punch.
Question: Do you think Nonito is better than his brother?
Darchinyan: I think he is better than his brother, and I think he
has learned some lessons, maybe running lessons. He is going to start
running in the ring.
Question: Nonito, why do you think you will be able to defeat
Darchinyan and what did you learn from his fight with Glenn.
Donaire: All I have to say, first of all, is I am really hungry and
I am going to work hard for this fight and I will give it all I have
got. So do not underestimate the hunger of a person like myself who
lived for this dream ever since I was a little boy. So that is one
thing. But for all these fights, it is all the same thing. He fought
the same way. He did not change. He is vulnerable and that is one
thing that I need. It does not matter what style he fights. It does
not matter how he is going to come at me. But his vulnerability is
the key to beating him and I know I can beat him.
Question: Where do you see him vulnerable? Is it in defense? Any
comparison to other fighters who have been undefeated with roughly
similar styles as punchers?
Donaire: Well, everything that he does is vulnerable. I mean,
everything that he does, that is just his way or thing. He tries to
take you out. But the guys that he fought, they were very small and
those guys – they are going down the hills and they are small. And
that is why he can bully them. But that is just the way he is and he
is vulnerable.
Question: Nonito, you have been fighting recently at 115. So you
could be naturally bigger than Vic. But the question is, will making
112 pounds be easy for you?
Donaire: It is always easy when you are determined, when you know
that you are on to something. You know, your mind, your body – you
work hard for it. There should not be any doubt of me making that
weight because I work my butt off to get to here. This is the dream
right here. I am going to make it happen.
Question: Vic, the fact that you are fighting a guy that has been
fighting at 115 play into the thinking and into making this fight
for you because you have been saying you want to move up to 115 or
118 or 122?
Darchinyan: In my career, I have fought guys at 120-125. But I have
fought guys who are 120-125 and I beat them by knockout. I have
fought guys bigger than Nonito and all of my opponents are bigger
than me. I like bigger guys. I like it because I keep getting more
powerful. Make sure you do not do like your brother. Be like a man,
no hands up and go to corner.
Question: Vic, what is the difference between fighting in the United
States in an event like this compared to fighting in another country?
Darchinyan: I have fought most of my professional fights in
Australia. But before that, I was an amateur. I did more than 300
amateur fights and 170 were international fights. I have been all
over the world. I have fought everywhere and in every city, every
country in Europe and in America.
Question: What is it like fighting in America at an event like this?
Darchinyan: I fought in America in the amateurs too. I fought in the
Olympic Games, I fought for a world title. I love this crowd. I like
people – they like power here in America. They do not like people who
run. They like people who come and destroy. America is my style. I
love it and I love fighting in America.
Question: Vic, you had a great amateur career, but it seems like in
recent fights, you have been so determined to win by knockout, you
do not always utilize all the boxing ability that people know you have.
Is that because you are looking for a knockout, or is it because you
do not have to utilize boxing? What is your mindset there?
Darchinyan: My mindset is all about a knockout. When I am punching
a person, I can feel it. If I am punching a human, I can knock him out.
Also, where it is coming from? My power, I know it is not enough. I
know when I am punching, I become much stronger and stronger. When
I knock out someone, I know it is not the end and that I can punch
harder. It is all part of my mentality. I am ready for it. Of course,
I would love to be a heavyweight. I know I am going to destroy
everyone. All my power, everything, all my knockouts are because I
believe it. I believe I can punch harder and I can knock out everyone.
Question: Nonito, I have seen you and your brother fight. How would
you describe the difference between you and your brother’s style?
Donaire: My brother is a lot smaller than I am and he is a brawler.
For me, I am a smart fighter and that is the difference between us.
We are completely opposite in fighting styles.
Question: How do you think that plays into a fight with Darchinyan?
What do you feel is going to be effective for you?
Donaire: It is a classic brawlers-boxer style for this fight, I
think. The best fighter wins. I think I have the speed and power
to do it, and he believes he has the power to do it. But I have the
speed advantage.
Question: Where are you sparring right now or where are you training?
Donaire: I am training at Wild Card (North Hollywood, Calif.) right
now. I have been sparring with a lot of left-handed fighters, so I
am well prepared for this fight.
Question: Vic, you have been fighting at the flyweight level. Does
that weight hurt you? Is it time to move up now? Is that why you are
fighting Nonito?
Darchinyan: My point is not to stay in one weight division and defend
and defend. I would like to do something in boxing. I want to make
my name bigger. Everyone is going to remember me. First of all,
I have stayed as a flyweight because I wanted to unify. I waited a
long time. We tried to unify it and have talked to WBC, any champion
for unification. Now I believe it is not going to happen. So I want
to move up to super flyweight and maybe see if I can unify at super
flyweight. I have two belts and everyone who thinks they are stronger
than me or can beat me, come on. I have a belt for you. Come and pick
it up. I do not want to keep my belt if someone is stronger than me.
I do not want to just hide and just defend (against) small opponents
(who are ranked) No. 15, No. 20, – like the WBC champion, who has
18-20 defenses. Anyone who thinks he is better than I am, well, I am
ready for him. So that’s why I want to move up now to super flyweight.
Question: Nonito, is your plan to utilize your boxing ability and
speed and be more of a boxer/puncher in this fight?
Donaire: Whatever comes my way, whatever style he makes, I always
have something to counter whatever it is that he is trying to come up
with. If he uses his strength, I have strength in myself. I have more
first round knockouts than he does. He has more knockouts than me, but
consider who he fought. Yeah, he fought and knocked the guys out, but
I myself have a lot of strength. I have been fighting at 118 and all
those guys up there and I’ve knocked them out. I’ve dropped each and
every one of them. It is just unfortunate that I was the short notice
kind of fighter except recently. I am confident with my strength. So
whatever he brings, I am going to try to come up with something better.
Question: Nonito, it is every boxer’s dream to get a shot at a world
title. What does it mean to you, and what was your first reaction when
you heard that you were going to get a chance to fight Vic Darchinyan
for the IBF/IBO flyweight titles on SHOWTIME?
Donaire: Well, the moment they even said I had a chance for a world
championship, I did not care who it was. Just to be fighting for
a world title, I mean, as a fighter, I do not think you should be
saying no to anything. You are a fighter, you are here, you are ready
to fight and give your life because you are a fighter. That is what
I am going to come into the ring with that mentality to go all out.
Question: Vic, how did you receive the name "Raging Bull"?
Darchinyan: "Raging Bull" came out from my first fight in professional
boxing. At that time, I did not know any English. The first time
I came to Australia, I had my first pro fight. And they told me
you look like a raging bull, we are going to give you a new name,
"Raging Bull," and Armenians explained to me what Raging Bull means
because you are so like a bull coming and you want to destroy your
opponent. I loved it because I feel like it is like me. When I am
going in the ring, opponents come around from you, you are going to
find him and catch him and destroy him. It has been like my style.
Question: The IBF named you recently IBF Champion of the Year in 2006?
Darchinyan: Yes.
Question: Can you comment on being the IBF Champion of 2006 and being
Ring Magazine Fighter of the Month.
Darchinyan: I am very happy to be Fighter of the Month. I would be
happier to be Fighter of the Year in Ring Magazine. At the moment,
I would like to be in the top ten for pound for pound, and in the
future when I do more fights, when I prove I am a good fighter and
everyone believes me, I would like to be No. 1 pound for pound. It
is my dream. When I was a kid, I wanted to be world champion. I have
a dream and now I realize that more big things can happen with me. I
will become No. 1 pound for pound.
Begin Closing Comments.
Donaire: Like I said, I am looking forward to this fight. It is not
that I talk crap or anything. I never do. I am just going to bring
what I can out there and I am going to do my best and I am hoping to
come out on July 7 as a champion.
Question: (But) If you are able to dethrone Darchinyan, this would
be a very, very big and monumental deal in your career?
Donaire: Definitely. Like I said, you have to respect that he is a
world champion. He has beaten a lot of fighters and that is why I
am hyped for this fight because I know I am fighting the best at 112
and I want to be the best after this.
Question: Vic, can we get some closing comments from you?
Darchinyan: Nonito, what did you think when I fought your brother,
was he knocked out or was it a point decision? You are a boxer and
you watched the fight and you saw what happened. What did you think?
Donaire: Well, I saw the fight. It was the elbow. He could see it,
yeah. (Manager) Cameron (Dunkin) saw it all and it was the elbow.
Darchinyan: You upset me more now!
Donaire: It does not matter if you are upset! But one thing I have
got to say, Julie (last name unknown) said hi and she said she was
waiting for you yesterday and everything like that. But you can be
upset as you want, it does not matter.
Darchinyan: I am telling you, I am promising you!
Donaire: What is that?
Darchinyan: There is going to be fireworks in your head on fight night!
Donaire: You can do whatever you want, we will see what happens. Like
I said, I respect you are the champion or whatever.
Darchinyan: You know, every time I go out. I prove what I say. Thank
you very much to SHOWTIME and thank you to Americans for watching and
supporting me. I am going to show a great fight and you are going to
see. What I am saying, is what I promise and what you will see.
Donaire: And I am looking forward to that. Like I said, you can say
all you want. That is your belief. I have my own belief in myself.
Darchinyan: You just turned 24. I do not want to upset you.
Donaire: You are making me laugh. You are making me smile. I mean,
as much as you say you are angry, we will see what happens in the ring.
You can spar big guys. I spar big guys myself.
Darchinyan: Okay, you are good for it.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
