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Darchinyan to seek rematch
Darchinyan to seek rematch after loss
Vic Darchinyan will seek a rematch with Nonito Donaire after losing his flyweight world titles in Connecticut.
Darchinyan, (28-1 22 KOs), was a clear favourite for the fight, but Donaire (18-1, 11KOs) backed up his ****y pre-fight pronouncements by stopping the champion in the fifth round.
Dropping down from super flyweight - a division Darchinyan had talked about moving up to - Donaire restored his family's honour after his brother Glenn's technical-decision loss to the Australian in a world title bout in Las Vegas last October.
A "massive" left hook in the fifth round floored Darchinyan, who bravely staggered back to his feet halfway through referee Eddie Claudio's count.
With the Australian wobbling into the ropes, Claudio stopped the fight at the same time Darchinyan's trainer Billy Hussein entered the ring to spare his charge further punishment.
Darchinyan was checked out by medical staff inside the ring and went to a local hospital as a precaution, but his team reported no problems.
"I'm very disappointed. He caught me with a very good shot," said Darchinyan, who was making his seventh IBF and sixth IBO title defence.
"I'll be back. I definitely want a rematch."
Hussein wasn't sure whether there was a rematch clause in the contract.
However, Donaire and Darchinyan share the same promoter, Gary Shaw, and having given both Donaires a shot at the title, the Australian would appear to have a strong case for a rematch.
Unlike most of his previous defences, 31-year-old Darchinyan was unable to dominate with his famed power.
American based Filipino Donaire 24, displayed good skills and fired back when Darchinyan tagged him with power punches and did particularly well in the third round.
Darchinyan's obsession with pursuing knockouts may finally have caught up with the Australian, as he lunged forward and left himself exposed to the decisive blow.
"I was trying to load up too much," Darchinyan admitted after the fight.
After four rounds, two of the three American judges had the fight even at 38-38, while their colleague had Donaire ahead 40-36.
"The first two rounds, I thought Vic just shaded them, and the third round Vic lost, he won the fourth, but he wasn't listening at all, he wasn't focusing in the corner," Hussein said.
"He wants to prove he can knock everybody out, the same old Vic that we're used to, but he just got beat by a better person on the day."
Donaire acknowledged he entered the fight as an underdog.
"I think the key for me in tonight's fight was every time Darchinyan threw and landed, I punched back and that got him thinking, it took the bully out of him," Donaire said.
"I've fought guys who were heavier than Darchinyan, so I timed my shots.
"He has heavy hands but my brother told me he's not as tough as he thinks he is. "I shut him up and he still wouldn't admit in the ring after the fight that I beat him."
Donaire's punching power was the one element of the challenger's performance which surprised Hussein.
"We knew he was going to box smart, I didn't expect him to knock Vic out, I didn't think he had the power to knock Vic out," Hussein said.
Vic Darchinyan will seek a rematch with Nonito Donaire after losing his flyweight world titles in Connecticut.
Darchinyan, (28-1 22 KOs), was a clear favourite for the fight, but Donaire (18-1, 11KOs) backed up his ****y pre-fight pronouncements by stopping the champion in the fifth round.
Dropping down from super flyweight - a division Darchinyan had talked about moving up to - Donaire restored his family's honour after his brother Glenn's technical-decision loss to the Australian in a world title bout in Las Vegas last October.
A "massive" left hook in the fifth round floored Darchinyan, who bravely staggered back to his feet halfway through referee Eddie Claudio's count.
With the Australian wobbling into the ropes, Claudio stopped the fight at the same time Darchinyan's trainer Billy Hussein entered the ring to spare his charge further punishment.
Darchinyan was checked out by medical staff inside the ring and went to a local hospital as a precaution, but his team reported no problems.
"I'm very disappointed. He caught me with a very good shot," said Darchinyan, who was making his seventh IBF and sixth IBO title defence.
"I'll be back. I definitely want a rematch."
Hussein wasn't sure whether there was a rematch clause in the contract.
However, Donaire and Darchinyan share the same promoter, Gary Shaw, and having given both Donaires a shot at the title, the Australian would appear to have a strong case for a rematch.
Unlike most of his previous defences, 31-year-old Darchinyan was unable to dominate with his famed power.
American based Filipino Donaire 24, displayed good skills and fired back when Darchinyan tagged him with power punches and did particularly well in the third round.
Darchinyan's obsession with pursuing knockouts may finally have caught up with the Australian, as he lunged forward and left himself exposed to the decisive blow.
"I was trying to load up too much," Darchinyan admitted after the fight.
After four rounds, two of the three American judges had the fight even at 38-38, while their colleague had Donaire ahead 40-36.
"The first two rounds, I thought Vic just shaded them, and the third round Vic lost, he won the fourth, but he wasn't listening at all, he wasn't focusing in the corner," Hussein said.
"He wants to prove he can knock everybody out, the same old Vic that we're used to, but he just got beat by a better person on the day."
Donaire acknowledged he entered the fight as an underdog.
"I think the key for me in tonight's fight was every time Darchinyan threw and landed, I punched back and that got him thinking, it took the bully out of him," Donaire said.
"I've fought guys who were heavier than Darchinyan, so I timed my shots.
"He has heavy hands but my brother told me he's not as tough as he thinks he is. "I shut him up and he still wouldn't admit in the ring after the fight that I beat him."
Donaire's punching power was the one element of the challenger's performance which surprised Hussein.
"We knew he was going to box smart, I didn't expect him to knock Vic out, I didn't think he had the power to knock Vic out," Hussein said.
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