DARCHINYAN GIVES UP IBF TITLE/Ronnie Nathanielsz

Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan (32-2-1, 26 KO’s) has given up his IBF junior bantamweight/super flyweight title as his promoter Gary Shaw indicated last week and confirmed today by IBF Championship Committee chairman Lindsey Tucker. However, he still owns the WBC and WBA titles.

In an overseas telephone conversation with BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports, promoter Gary Shaw told us Wednesday that Darchinyan would “most likely” defend his WBC title but that he would “have to talk to Vic himself and Showtime” which is the US TV network that carries Darchinyan’s fights.

Shaw revealed that the opponent would be 29 year old Mexican southpaw Tomas Rojas who has a record of 31-11-1 with 22 knockouts won the interim title with a 9th round TKO over Evarado Morales on July 18, 2009.

In the WBC ratings Rojas is No. 3 behind mandatory challenger Evans Mabamba who is handled by well-known South African promoter Branco Milenkovic while Jorge “Travieso” A rce is No.2.

Rojas is the same lanky fighter who dropped a ten round decision to former two division world champion Gerry Penalosa on July 2, 2006 at the Araneta Coliseum, home of the famous “Thrilla in Manila” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in a fight card headlined by the Manny Pacquiao-Oscar Larios title fight and staged by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN.

Rojas has won his last six fights following a 6th round TKO at the hands of Jorge Arce on September 16, 2007.