By Mark Vester
IBF/WBC/WBA super flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan has returned to Australia after shocking the world last Saturday in California with a dominating knockout of Cristian Mijares to unify the division.
When he came off the plane, Darchinyan, 32-years-old, had flashbacks of the man many say put Australian boxing on the map in the new era - Kostya Tszyu. Darchinyan remembers when Tszyu, at 32, knocked out Zab Judah in 2001 to unify the welterweight division and the WBC/WBA/IBF titles. Darchinyan was at the airport to greet Tszyu when he returned to a victory celebration. This time is was Darchinyan, same age, who unified his division and returned home to a hero's welcome.
Darchinyan has struggled for recognition due to his Armenian roots. Like Darchinyan, Tszyu is not a native Aussie. He was born in Russia and faced similiar stuggles to gain acceptance in the country. He eventually won them over and became the biggest boxing name in the country. Darchinyan hopes to do the same.
"Six, seven years ago when Kostya beat Zab Judah, I was here, in airport with him," Darchinyan told Radio Australia . "Again it's same [like what] happened with him, a lot of media come. He become undisputed world champion too. He was 32 years old, I remember all this stuff and I know my time is going to come."
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