Vic Darchinyan Conference Call Quotes

A must-see matchup that fans, media and the fighters themselves have been clamoring for will take place when two of boxing’s biggest little men and hardest punchers, Vic Darchinyan and Jorge Arce, clash on Saturday, Feb. 7, live on (SHOWTIME, 9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). Darchinyan’s 115-pound International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) world titles will be on the line..

Darchinyan (31-1-1, 25 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, by way of Armenia, will be making his first defense since unifying the 115-pound division with a devastating ninth-round knockout over Mexico’s Cristian Mijares Nov. 1, 2008, on SHOWTIME. Darchinyan, who entered the ring as the IBF champion, walked out with Mijares’ WBC and WBA belts.

The popular, crowd-pleasing Arce (51-4-1, 39 KOs), of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, is the current WBA interim super flyweight champion and is a former WBC 115-pound and World Boxing Organization (WBO) 108-pound titleholder.

In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature, No. 5 ranked WBC lightweight contender Antonio DeMarco (19-1-1, 13 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico, will take on “Kid Diamond” Almazbek Raiymkulov (27-1-1, 15 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight bout for the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) title.

The main event fighters and their promoters spoke on a national media conference call Wednesday. The following are highlights from the call:

Comments from Darchinyan’s promoter, Gary Shaw:

“Besides Vic talking a good game, he backs up a good game. I thank SHOWTIME for coming down and televising fights at these weight classes.

“Ken Hershman deserves credit for believing in Vic and showing his great fights. It will pay off like Vazquez-Marquez has paid off. They (SHOWTIME) come down to these weights that others may not want to broadcast but these are the real fights, not the heavyweight garbage out there today.

“I want to make this perfectly clear this has nothing to do with the Mexican people. Vic does not hate Mexicans nor does anybody in Vic’s camp nor does anybody in GSP. The Mexicans I represent will tell you there is sheer love there.

“Vic just happens to be the Mexican Assassin and knocks them off in the ring. We don’t talk about Mexicans when we are having dinner or having fun.

“Arce happens to be special because Vic chased him around the world in order to fight him and every time we made the fight they ran away. Arce continues to run. He’s got a big mouth on the phone but he didn’t show up to the press conference.

“Vic Darchinyan is not getting the credit he should be in the pound-for-pound list(s) but he should be at the top. He’s knocked out almost all of his opponents and he deserves that.

“Vic is still young in his career and maybe we’ll move up. The book on Vic Darchinyan is still open and we’re not even halfway through it yet.”

Darchinyan (on his style and upcoming title defense):

“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.

“I’m going to be 100 percent ready. You’re going to see big punches from me, fast and strong. He’s dumb. I’m going to make him look dumb and stupid.

“From the first round, I don’t care. I am going to slow him down and punish him every round. I’m going to play him like a cat and mouse and show how dumb he is. He is going to be covering himself after the first 20 seconds.

“He’s just going for a big punch. He’s not a big puncher. I’m going to punish him. I want to thank his management because they don’t want him anymore. They just want to write him off after this loss.

“All my opponents are Mexicans. They are very popular and very strong. It doesn’t matter (whether my opponents are) Mexican or Filipino. I am going to knock out and punish whoever it is. Don’t put nationalities in there. They are fighters.

“I don’t underestimate my opponent. But with any opponent I tell you what I will do with them. I believe any opponent who I fight I will dominate and destroy. I believe I will knock him out, but I won’t knock him out in one round. That would be too easy for him. I am going to demolish him, destroy him and knock him out. He is going to remember me all his life.

“His age does not matter. Age is not a big deal. It matters how you concentrate to fight and how you are mentally ready, how you prepare yourself.’’

Darchinyan (speaks of the 115-pound weight class):

“I think it’s a great division. The style makes for excitement. I want people to mention my name against the greatest. I tell people what I am going to do and I do it.”

Darchinyan (on respect):

“I don’t have respect for any opponents. I am getting ready for this fight. I am going to be 100 percent on Feb. 7. Even against Mijares, I had some mistakes. In this fight I will be sharper. Even more then I was for Mijares. I am going to be sharp and very strong and you will see how strong I can be and how fast I am and how good I can fight.’’

Darchinyan response to Arce’s claim that the challenger cannot be intimidated:

“I don’t care. I’m going to knock him out.’’

Darchinyan (on moving up in weight):

“I want to move up and fight Manny Pacquiao. (But) I will take my time, one by one. I’m not going to rush. I’ll do it when I’m ready to go and that will be a good fight.’’

Darchinyan (on whether this will be an easy fight):

“I know he is a good fighter, but any opponent that I fight I tell him what I am going to do with him. Even with Mijares, I told him (that I was going to) break him down and smash him and I did. I tell every opponent. I am going to knock out all my opponents one by one.’

“Every punch I am going to let (Arce) see colors, see stars. I know he is going to come up and I’m going to show all the world that I am the greatest. I am the guy who is always saying in the press conferences what I will do, and I follow through on it.

“Arce is a good puncher; he’s had good knockouts. But I am going to play him like baby. I want everyone to see that Darchinyan says what he will do. Everyone keeps bringing up (Nonito) Donaire, but who is Donaire? I want to fight him again in the future and I want to destroy him.’’

Darchinyan’s closing comment

“Watch carefully (from the) first round because I don’t want you to miss any of my artwork and my punches. It’s going to be a great fight.’’