By Cliff Rold (photo by Tom Casino/Showtime)

For the second time in his last four fights, 27-year old Cristian Mijares (36-3-2, 15 KO) of Mexico will seek unification in the currently sensational 115 lb. division.  For the third time in a row this year, 32-year old Australian-based Armenian Vic Darchinyan (30-1-1, 24 KO) will tangle with one of the ten best in the world at the weight.  Mijares will carry the WBC and WBA belts with him to the ring; Darchinyan the IBF strap.  The victor will leave with all of the above.

It’s hard to believe, but in the history of a Jr. Bantamweight class, which begun its modern conception in 1980 with a battle for a vacant WBC belt between a 10-0 Rafael Orono and an 11-2-1 Seung Hoon Lee (Odorno won), only three unification fights have taken place.  Before Mijares, there was only IBF titlist Danny Romero and WBO titlist Johnny Tapia locking horns in 1997.  There was almost another in 1984 when then-WBA titlist Jiro Watanabe was slated to unify with WBC titlist Payao Poontarat, but Watanabe was stripped prior to the bout and left only with a new WBA belt and lineal recognition to his name.

In other words, we’re seeing new things in little places.  Considering how wide the geography of the Jr. Bantamweight class can be, with strong regional bases in Asia and Latin America often more profitable without unification, it is remarkable stuff.

Mijares might just be a remarkable fighter.  His combination of speed, technical class, and quality opposition has vaulted him from largely unknown to pound-for-pound pageant contestant in just two years.  Darchinyan presents him a puzzle that could give clues about whether what fans have seen from Mijares has been a hot hand or the beginning of a lasting run.

It’s boxer versus puncher in the best sense of the word and, for real Boxing fans, as anticipated as any fight left on the 2008 calendar.

Let’s go to the report card.

Speed:   For each man, this will be their second bout this year with a world class southpaw; to the fortune of viewers, second time is a charm against each other.  Given the relatively high number of southpaws at lower weights, it shouldn’t affect either man and could prevent the sort of inconclusive head-butt endings their styles could create if one was right handed.  That will be important because both have fast hands and fight at a pace to match them.  Only a ½ inch of height separates them on paper but Mijares fights at a tall 5’6 and Darchinyan crouches low enough to make the disadvantage closer to 3-4 inches.  That will give the speed advantage, already naturally Mijares’, even greater impact.  Nonito Donaire beat Darchinyan in 2007 by fighting tall and using a long jab, both of which Mijares is adept at.  His jab sets up his whole range of offense, an offense that features the full gamut of punches including a slick lead uppercut.  Darchinyan’s speed can’t be discounted though.  He has a way of lulling opponents into openings and when they arrive, he explodes through targets.  When he misses, he often is already following with another bomb from unfathomable angles.  Pre-Fight Grades: Mijares A; Darchinyan B+

Power:   His record doesn’t indicate it, but Mijares can get world class fighters out of there.  His stoppage of the sturdy chinned Katsushige Kawashima in 2007 seemed to arrive suddenly but resulted largely from accumulated punishment.  He hits hard enough to wear men out without dropping them right away.  In May, the durable Alexander Munoz was hurt often in the late frames under such circumstances.  It doesn’t equal the advantage in power in this bout.  For pure power, Darchinyan stands alongside anyone in the game regardless of weight.  When he toppled Dimitri Kirilov in five for his latest belt, the domination was shocking.  Kirilov, while no titan of the ring, has never been someone who gets run out of the ring.  It’s an asset that can bail him out on nights when his A-game isn’t there and, to the intimidating dismay of foes, he also has power late.  Including his first title win for the IBF Flyweight belt in 2004, six of his last eight knockouts have come after the seventh round.  The only downside is that he often is so committed he finds himself out of position and open for counters.  Mijares can exploit those openings so Darchinyan will need to be more disciplined than he’s been in most of his fights.  Pre-Fight Grades: Darchinyan A; Mijares B

Defense:   The heavy favor given Mijares’ chances might be the most described in terms of his defense.  On his A-game, and that’s the only game he’s had lately, Mijares is butter at mid-ring.  He uses his jab to manage range and then, with eyes wide open, employs subtle head and upper body movement to pick and roll off of shots.  Lots of guys with basic skills can make guys miss single shots, or even miss a shot by a wide margin, but few can make men miss narrowly in combination along with those other features.  Mijares can…and yet he still gets hit.  Sometimes, he can get too locked into defense, emboldening foes.  He might make them miss the first three but get tagged with a fourth.  That’s where the aggressive Darchinyan can be dangerous, especially early and the Armenian isn’t a simple target.  Because he launches from unorthodox angles, he’s not in orthodox positions for counters.  Darchinyan is hittable as a fight wears on if his timing can be figured out.  Mijares may take a couple rounds to really establish his jab; if he does, Darchinyan’s gaping defensive holes could get him in trouble.  Pre-Fight Grades: Mijares A-; Darchinyan B

Intangibles:   Darchinyan was fun throughout his Flyweight title reign and clearly a very good fighter.  In 2008, he’s impressed with another dimension.  Lots of fighters come off devastating knockout losses with a lost step or at least tentativeness.  Darchinyan has shown neither.  Regardless of how his personality might rub some fans or opponents, he’s shown a fighter’s character this year.  He took only one sort-of tune-up between the Donaire loss and the brawls with Gorres and Kirilov.  Some might wonder about his chin, but Donaire caught him so perfect that it can easily be chalked up more as super punch rather than subpar beard.  Further, Darchinyan’s stamina may be improved just slightly with the extra three-pound cushion at Jr. Bantamweight.  Mijares also has several ‘intangible’ qualities to admire.  He’s cool under fire, rarely ruffled by aggression or the moment.  It’s mentally taxing to fight on another man’s turf, or to face a fellow Mexican superstar like Jorge Arce in one’s first big U.S. fight.  Mijares has responded to the spotlight by performing above expectations.  Throw in endurance, intelligence, and a proven chin and Mijares looks like a fighter well worth the hardcore following he’s building.  Pre-Fight Grades: Mijares A; Darchinyan B+

The Pick:   Darchinyan might be getting undersold heading into this one with almost none of the press giving him the nod as their ‘winner’ pick.  The Donaire loss remains a sole blemish and he’s got serious wins to offset it before and after.  That said, we go with the flow here in picking Mijares to win a unanimous decision, perhaps even score a late stoppage, at night’s end in his biggest fight yet.  It’s not a knock on Darchinyan.  It’s a belief that Mijares is even better than he’s looked so far; that he’s growing into a special fighter and hitting his prime at a time when so few of Boxing’s best can say that.  He’s a fresh young face, something Boxing needs, and needs to succeed, no matter the size.  Darchinyan will have his chances and no one should be surprised if he turns expectation on its ear.  His power is good enough to change the complexion of any fight or pre-conceived notion.  It’s just not the most likely scenario.

For More of BoxingScene’s In-Depth Coverage of Mijares-Darchinyan, follow the links below:

Final Presser Coverage: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=16687

Undisputed?  Not Quite: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=16678

Boxing is Treated to a Super Fly(weight) Weekend: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=16658

Darchinyan: “The Mexican Fans Will Support Me”: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=16657

Showtime Championship Boxing begins Saturday night at 9 PM EST.

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com