Brick City Boxing

Aremenian champ shows some skills en route to 11th round TKO
By: Adam Ramirez
FightNetBoxing.com

ANAHEIM - Vic Darchinyan strutted into the ring Saturday night with a Cheshire Cat-like smirk. He exuded confidence and had a look on his face that said: "I own this guy, just watch."

Then the Armenian champion proceeded to follow up his braggadocio with a strong, 11-round TKO of Mexican Jorge Arce to defend his 115-pound IBF, WBC and WBA world titles.

The partisan crowd in the Honda Center made the arena feel like a World Cup match. Darchinyan fans waved red, orange and blue Aremenian flags while Arce's Mexican supporters changed "Mexico, Mexico!" The Mexican fans loudly jeered Darchinyan as he entered the ring, which only seemed to make him smirk that much more.

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Make no mistake, Darchinyan backed up his brashness with a dominating performance. He won every round on most observers cards, although one could argue Arce won a hotly contested third round. Regardless, Darchinyan delivered in every respect in this skillful performance.

"I did punish him tonight, and I could have done the same if we had fought 2 or 3 years ago," Darchinyan said after taking a victory ride on a handler's shoulders. "I am more than a left-handed fighter, I can take people apart with both hands."

Darchinyan's powerful left hand set the tone for the night. He landed straight lefts and left counterpunches early and often. The 33-year-old champ showed versatility, strength and ring savvy.

Darchinyan had kind words for Arce after his victory:

"[Arce] surprised me, I didn't expect this kind of fight," Darchinyan said. "He's a tough, and a good fighter.

"I hit him with some good shots, but he kept fighting back. I would have liked to have knocked him out cold, but I'm happy."

Darchinyan earned all his accolades on this night with a punishing performance.

Arce, for his part, left everything in the ring. A true warrior, Arce refused to go down and insisted to keep taking shots from Darchinyan.

At the end of the 11th round, he looked frustrated and out of sorts. Both his eyes were badly swollen at that point. A deep cut had developed over his right eye that was bleeding badly. Arce kept pawing at the eye and he seemed out of sorts each time Darchinyan pressed him.

Arce was badly swollen after the fight, but insisted that they should have let him come out for the final round.

"I came to fight, I still don't know why they stopped it," Arce said. "I'm a puncher, and I had a puncher's chance in there, I would have liked to have tried to win it in the last round.

"But I make no excuses. Darchinyan is a good strong, fighter. But I know I hurt him a few times with body shots and, of course, I'd like a rematch. I don't like it when fights end like that."