Ringside with Raymundo 02.05.09: It's Showtime

Posted by Raymundo Dioses on 02.05.2009

This week, Raymundo breaks down why Darachinyan v. Arce will be as good as Mosley v. Margarito, tells us why we should be watching Friday Night Fights and breaking news of Ricardo Mayorga pulling out of Valentine's day fight with Alfredo Angulo.


Photo by Laura De La Torre / 411mania.com

There is much to be said of the upcoming title bout for 115 pound domination between WBA, WBC and IBF champion Vic Darchinyan and Jorge Arce, taking place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Many questions are raised when speaking of possible outcomes, and believe me, there are many. When comparing the two fighters in size and skill factors, it is a variable ‘pick'em' fight, a common boxing terminology to describe that you could pick either fighter to win and have strong reasons as to why either will win.

So will Darchinyan use the some bullying, knockout seeking tactic he implored on Christian Mijares on Nov. 1 at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles that lead to a 9th round stoppage?

Has Arce been in too many wars at this juncture of his career to have anything left in the tank for a battle with Darchinyan?

Yet the biggest question, when looking at the boxing spectrum as a whole, is will this fight be just as entertaining and impacting to the sport as the dramatic Shane Mosley v. Antonio Margarito championship bout just two weeks prior?

The answer to that question is yes.

In addition to Darchinyan's belts, which combined hold the special ‘undisputed' tag, both fighters have a strong fan base aligned with their heritages, Arce with Mexican's and Darchinyan with Armenian's, both fighters have a zeal in the ring with the capability to knock each other out with one punch and both fighters are hungry for a win at all costs.

Arce, (51-4-1, 39 KO's) is the arch-type Mexican fighter whom new WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley described this past weekend on Friday Night Fights. Mosley stated throughout his whole career, he has fought tough Mexican fighters who fight with fecority and are willing to take punches in order to land some of their own.

"If Darchinyan hits me three times, I'll hit him six.", Arce was quoted as saying on a conference call to promote the bout last week.

Arce has shown tremendous concentration heading into this fight, and has reportedly been training in the mountains of Temeoya, Mexico. He no showed a press conference on the day of the Mosley/Margarito bout, so as not to hinder on his training schedule.

Although it was much to the dismay of Showtime officials, for the most part, press conferences are used to relay minor tidbits of information to the media concerning the bout, but largely press conferences thrive on getting the two boxers together to see if they will disrespect one another or get physical before their fight. Arce no-showing kept him from being subject to Darchniyan's well noted antics, therefore allowing him to keep to his training regimen, which is far more important than sitting in front of a microphone and getting verbally jabbed by Darchinyan.

"He thinks he is an intimidator. He always tells people what he will do and they get intimidated. But, I'm not that type of guy. His words won't affect me. He can say and talk about what he is going to do to me in the ring, but I'm not going to fold. I'm a bigger guy than him. He won't intimidate me."

Meanwhile, Darchinyan (31-1, 25KO's) insists the knockout he suffered at the hands of Nonito Donaire in July 2007, his first and only loss as a professional, is old news, and is even looking to move up in weight, playfully stating he'll challenge welterweight Manny Pacquaio. Since the loss to Donaire, Darchinyan has recorded three victories by way of knockout, and one draw.

Donaire just got lucky that time," claimed Darchinyan. "It happened. In his mind, he knows that he got lucky. I would love a rematch. When I have a rematch with him, if I lose any round you can give the fight to him."

Darchinyan deftly defied almost 30 boxing journalist's predictions leading up to his fight with Christian Mijares in a poll conducted by Showtime.

A vast majority of the journalists picked Mijares, and at the post fight conference held immediately after the fight, he asked the writers, "Did I do what I said I was going to do?"

Darchinyan is promising the same results in this fight with Arce.

"It's (knockouts) my style. I want people to see excitement. I believe I can knock out anyone and Saturday night you will see a big knockout. No one can stay with me 12 rounds. If I catch him, it's over."

Come Saturday night, it's Showtime.

FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB

The long running telecast of ‘Friday Night Fights' on ESPN is off to a resounding start this year, with always expert analysis from Brian Kenny in studio and Teddy Atlas with social commentary and ringside coverage.

In addition to the pair, EPSN has enlisted former "Solo Boxeo" blow by blow commentator Bernardo Usuna as co-anchor alongside Brian Kenny, who gave in depth knowledge on the "Wrapgate" controversy surrounding boxer Antonio Margarito, as Usuna was reportedly the only journalist to speak with Margarito following his devastating loss.

Add in new addition and future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins, who is yet to find his analyst niche, but brings loads of experience to the table, and you have a compact, resourceful boxing program to watch on ESPN on a weekly basis.

Tune in this Friday as Yusaf Mack battles Chris Henry for the NABF and NABA light heavyweight titles at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury, Maryland.

MAYORGA PULLS OUT OF ANGULO FIGHT

Ten days before his scheduled junior middleweight bout with contender Alfredo Angulo, veteran Ricard Mayorga has reportedly pulled out and will not fight come February 14.

Mayorga had no showed a press conference for the bout and hadn't turned in his mandatory 30 day weigh-in report to the WBC.

Angulo's promoter, Gary Shaw of Gary Shaw Productions, is steaming, but insists he will still find someone to fight Angulo, so as to keep the scheduled HBO appearance for his fighter.

"This is as unprofessional as it gets. We don't hear that he's pulled out from his promoter or manager, just everyone else in boxing. You wonder if he ever intended to fight at all."