The Boxing Bulletin Pound-For-Pound Top 15

By Lee Payton

Photo © Justin McKie

It's time for another update to The Boxing Bulletin's list of the best fighters in the world.

With none of the top 5 in action since our last vote, there are no changes to the upper third of our list, but Vic Darchinyan who was number 6 last time has slipped all the way down to 15 after his unanimous decision loss to Joseph Agbeko.

There are also a couple names appearing for the first time as Timothy Bradley (pictured) and Carl Froch have cracked our top 15.

Bradley got a boost from his abbreviated and controversial victory over Nate Campbell this past weekend, while Froch benefited from my instruction to our writers to go with their gut this time out. I think it usually takes most P4P lists a little bit of time to catch up with the current reality, as past accomplishments are given too much weight relative to present ability.

Also effected by those instructions have been Ivan Calderon who slipped from 8 down to 11, and Juan Manuel Lopez who jumped from 10 up to 7.

1. Manny Pacquiao (vs Miguel Cotto - November 14) He's used to this spot by now. Negotiations for a fight with Miguel Cotto are currently ongoing, although it seems certain that the fight will get done. Pacquiao is the fastest fighter on this list. Thinking about it, I'm struggling to come up with someone who ever had faster fists. 2. Juan Manuel Marquez (vs Floyd Mayweather - September 19) Boxing's Maestro is set to show off his stuff against slippery former P4Per, Floyd Mayweather. Don't be surprised if he adds Money's '0' to his trophy case. 3. Bernard Hopkins Hard 'Nard can do it all, even well into his 40's. Apparently, he's ready to square off with the winner of the Dawson-Johnson rematch next time he steps into the ring. A true master in all things fistic, including picking his big money (and glory) spots. 4. Shane Mosley Perhaps the hardest hitter on this list. Shane is nothing more than a tank these days. He's got brutal power, a titanium chin and a willingness to war. That seems to be enough to scare the big names away. 5. Paul Williams(vs Kelly Pavlik - October 3) Many feel Paul Williams is the most dangerous guy on the block. They may be right. The details haven't been finalized, but word is he'll be doing battle with Kelly Pavlik in October, and in my opinion he should probably be the favourite. 6. Chad Dawson (up 1, vs Glen Johnson - November 7) Bad Chad is in for another gut check against a guy who gives you no choice but to fight. Will it be the same thing we saw last year, or has the young man learned a thing or two along the way? If he can convincingly beat Glen Johnson, he could very well find himself in the top 5. 7. Juan Manuel Lopez (up 3, vs Rogers Mtagawa - October 10) The big punching Puerto Rican is here more on style and potential than anything else. One of the very best things about this fighter is how often he fights compared to the others on the list. When the next big fight comes, he'll be ready. 8. Nonito Donaire (up 1, vs Rafael Concepcion - August 15) Finally seems to be getting his career back on track. This is a guy who has all the physical tools, he just needs the opportunity to prove his worth. We haven't forgotten what he did to Darchinyan, but the memory is getting a little fuzzy. 9. Miguel Cotto (up 3, vs Manny Pacquiao - November 14) Some would argue that he is the most vulnerable fighter on the list right now based on how he looked vs. Clottey last time out. The opponent deserves a lot of credit for that, but there might be something to the Margarito theory. He has a massive opportunity in front of him in Pacquiao... 10. Fernando Montiel (up 1) Another guy who can do plenty in the ring, but whose career has been rather frustrating. He's got a lot of miles out of the win over Martin Castillo, but you wonder how long that will last. It seems further away with each list we do. 11. Ivan Calderon (down 3, vs Rodel Mayol - September 12) Had a tough one last time out. He can clean that up with a rematch that is on the table. Probably the best pure boxer on here. He hits and doesn't get hit as well as anyone in the sport. 12. Mikkel Kessler (up 1, vs Gusmyl Perdomo - September 12) We rejoiced when his participation in the Super Six tournament became official. It's recently come out that some old promotional issues have resurfaced, but let's all hope he remains a part of the awesome event. 13. Timothy Bradley (NEW, TKO3 over Nate Campbell - August 1) The Campbell fight was far too short to get a real handle on, but it's possible that we were too late in adding him to the top 15. What he lacks in power he makes up for in conditioning, quickness, a solid jab and a good head on his shoulders. Those attributes combined mean more than the ability to end things quickly. 14. Carl Froch (NEW, vs Andre Dirrell - October 17) The Cobra is going to make you earn it. There is no easy way out against him. He'll be there for 12 and he swinging to take your head off. He takes on young, undefeated Andre Dirrell in the first round of the 168 lb tourney. If he's a true P4P player, he'll introduce the newcomer to a whole new realm of pain. 15. Vic Darchinyan (Down 9, Lost UD to Joseph Agbeko - July 11) Vic manages to stay on the list after his failed attempt to add a title at 118 lbs. However, that doesn't erase his quality work to this point. He can still be a beast at 115, and could also probably beat some other top bantamweights not named Agbeko. Just missing the cut... Celestino Caballero, Lucian Bute, Rafael Marquez, Wladimir Klitschko & Kelly Pavlik Also receiving votes... Hozumi Hasagawa, Glen Johnson, Jean Pascal, David Haye, Ricky Hatton, Tomasz Adamek, Chris John, Joshua Clottey, Arthur Abraham & Juan Diaz Not ranked due to inactivity... Israel Vasquez & Floyd Mayweather To make our top 15, a fighter must have had at least 1 bout during the previous 12 months.

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Live Blog: Vic Darchinyan vs Joseph Agbeko

Welcome to The Boxing Bulletin's live blog coverage of Vic Darchinyan vs Joseph Agbeko. With two hard hitting tough offensive minded fighters going at it, we should be in for a good one.

Coverage will start at 9 PM with the main supporting bout of the evening featuring lightweights Antonio DeMarco and Anges Adjaho.

Thanks for joining us for tonight's Boxing Bulletin live blog coverage. If you've been with us before for a live blog, welcome back. If this is your first time, thanks for checking us out. Feel free to participate by giving your scores and comments.

Coverage starts at 9 PM EST Antonio DeMarco 134.5 lbs (21-1-1) vs Anges Adjajo 135 lbs (25-1) - 12 rounds Vic Darchinyan 117.5 lbs (32-1-1) vs Joseph Agbeko 116.5 lbs (26-1) - 12 rounds If you are here early, check out The Boxing Bulletin's preview for tonight's main event, as well as our preview for next week's Khan vs Kotelnik show: Vic Darchinyan vs Joseph Agbeko Preview: It's All The New Raging Bull Amir Khan vs Andriy Kotelnik Preview

Refresh this page often as updates will be frequent 8:30 PM... Check back with us in 30 minutes for the start of tonight's round by round coverage. Before we get started, The Boxing Bulletin wishes to extend our condolences to the family and friends of Arturo Gatti. RIP Champ. 9:03... Showtime boxing is on the air. If you're watching at home along with us, feel free to use the comment form to share your scores and any other opinions you might want to add. 9:06... Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein will be calling the action. 9:09... First up is Antonio DeMarco vs Anges Adjaho. The fighters are in the ring, waiting for the introductions. 9:10... Tale of the tape is almost identical. Both fighters are 5'9, with an almost identical reach. Al mentions that DeMarco's used to being the taller man, so this will be something he's not used to. I'd imagine the same is true for Adjaho. 9:11... Jimmy Lennon Jr. with the intros. 9:14... Intros are complete. Final instructions are being given. 9:15... We're underway. 9:18... DeMarco fighting out of the southpaw stance, while Adjaho is a righty. Action is tentative to start. 1 minute in, and all we've had is some probing jabs from a distance. DeMarco just jabbed to the body, and Adjaho countered with a jab. As DeMarco came forward, he nearly stepped on Adjaho's foot. I have a feeling that might be an issue, as it often is with righty/lefty match-ups. DeMarco just landed a straight left. Johnson mentions that DeMarco is a natural righty and was converted to a southpaw. 30 seconds left in what has been mostly a feeling out first round. Adjaho just threw a jab, and DeMarco countered with a hard straight left on the money that backed Adjaho off and looked like it may have hurt a bit. 9:22... Round 2 is underway. Both fighters with their guard up, flicking jabs out and looking for openings. Adjaho just pressed forward and landed a right hand. Again he comes forward with a flurry. Both fighters very similar in their approach so far - except one is looking to land his straight right and the other his straight left. Al comments that Adjaho is using the jab and straight right, and having success with it. Other than that sharp left hand at the end of the first round, he's looked very comfortable. He's sticking the jab home nicely. Al comments that DeMarco is a little unsure of how to attack so far. Johnson comments that not a whole lot is going on early, and Al mentions that what is going on is coming from Adjaho. Some scattered boos from the crowd as the round comes to an end. 9:26... Johnson mentions that DeMarco also started off very slowly against Kid Diamond. Nice combo from Adjaho. He landed a good right hand to finish that up. He's jabbing, and throwing the right hand to the chest and upstairs. DeMarco looking very cautious. He's occasionally coming forward behind his jab and throwing a straight left. Al comments that DeMarco can't get into position to land his right hook. He just tried to counter a jab with a hook, and Adjaho ducked right underneath it. Adjaho doing nice work with his jab. He just followed it up with a right hand. DeMarco tried to respond but was a little late with his counter. Adjaho with a right hand to the body. Al comments on how passive DeMarco has been so far. Round 3 comes to an end with some more scattered boos from the crowd who wants to see more action. 9:27... DeMarco's corner just told him he's losing. "You got to fight, you got to fight, let's go!" 9:30... Adjaho is sticking the jab in there. Johnson comments that he's showing good head movement as well. He's slipping DeMarco's shots effectively so far, although DeMarco has been reluctant to open up. Adjaho also mixing in the occasional left hook. Good exchange there, with both men landing hard shots. Al again comments that DeMarco just can't find a way to get his right hook going. He lands a decent left hand though and pressed Adjaho up against the ropes. Adjaho fires back. Action moves back into the center of the ring. DeMarco trying to edge forward a little. He's letting his hands go more this round, and just landed a little upper-cut. He comes forward just before the bell with a jab/left combo. Better stuff that round from DeMarco. 9:31... Demarco's corner tells him he needs to keep putting the pressure on - "when you put pressure, he doesn't know whta to do." There was a clash of heads in the round, but no damage. 9:34... Adjaho starts off round 5 sticking his jab in. DeMarco tries to counter with a left, and Adjaho backs off. DeMarco is just short with another straight left. He does land a jab though. Adjaho misses with a hook. Al comments that never in DeMarco's dreams did he anticipate such a tactical fight. DeMarco with a jab and a left hand. He now fires a left tot he body as Adjaho backs into the ropes. He also lands a right hook. Adjaho comes firing back off the ropes though with his right hand. Action heating up here with about a minute to go in the round. Adjaho with a right hand, and then throws another to the body with his short. He just got a nice one through, and DeMarco comes back with his left, and then eats a right from Adjaho in return. Good action there. There's the bell. Good round. 9:35... Adjaho's corner telling him not to wait in there and to stay off the ropes. 9:35... Johnson comments that the two fighters have a lot of respect for each other and were friendly at the weigh-in. Adjaho had to weigh-in twice to make weight. 9:38... Adjaho is just landed a decent left hook about a minute into the round. Best punch of the round so far. He just landed a nice couple of right hands. DeMarco responds with an uppercut. DeMarco tries to follow up with some pressure, and lands a nice straight left. That was on the money. He just missed with a big upper-cut. DeMarco showing some initiative here, and he just landed a big right left hand, which had Adjaho holding on. Adjaho backing off here. DeMarco going after him. Adjaho holds on for a sec, and then fires back and quickly gets on the move. DeMarco just attempted a big left, and Adjaho stumbled as he alluded it - the punch didn't land though - and then as DeMarco went after him, he stumbled and went down. Good last minute of the round for DeMarco. 9:39... A replay showed that their feet got tangled right before DeMarco landed his big left. That's a concern with these two, as their front feet are right up against each other all the time. 9:39... Press row all have Adjaho up. 2 points on 2 cards and 1 point on the other. 9:42... DeMarco is slowly looking like he's taking control here. He's steadily moving forward and commanding his space effectively, while Adjaho is looking to move and then counter. Not too much happening in round 7. DeMarco stalking, but not really having the same kind of success he had in the last couple of rounds. Adjaho flicking out his jab. He just landed a decent left hook. One of the best shots of the round. DeMarco landed a couple good left hands that backed Adjaho up. There's the bell. 9:43... Al mentions that Vic weighed in 6 pounds heavier than Agbeko for the second weigh-in earlier today. 9:46... DeMarco just landed a decent right hook early in the round, but Adjaho responded with a nice right hand. He just landed another nice one. Now he lands a hard combo that shook DeMarco. Adjaho with another combo that backed DeMarco up and he goes after him. Only for DeMarco to rock Adjaho with a counter shot... and now it's Adjaho backing up. DeMarco goes after him. Adjaho doesn't look to steady. Now Adjaho is backing up and circling as DeMarco stalks. Adjaho missed with a hook, and then sticks home a jab. Adjaho looks like he's got his legs back... but he's still on the move. Now DeMarco with a hard left hand. Adjaho tries to counter. DeMarco pressing forward. DeMarco just missed over the top with a left and Adjaho ties him up. Adjaho using his jab to try and keep distance now. There's the bell. Best action of the fight in that one. 9:47... It was a good straight left hand from DeMarco that turned the tide in the 8th. Press row has Adjaho up 78-74, 78-75 and 78-74. 9:48... I have a feeling that it's a little closer than that. Adjaho was up 3-0, but I think DeMarco's won at least 3 of the next 5. Al also seems to think it's a bit closer. 9:50... DeMarco is moving forward, while Adjaho is backing up and circling. He's using his jab well to keep DeMarco at a distance. He's also firing off the occasional straight right, but not as many as he was throwing early in the fight. DeMarco needs to let his hands go a little more. He's been very economical so far in this round. Stalking, but not really opening up. Now he landed a decent left hand. Adjaho responds with a right hand, and a little flurry before moving. Al comments that the round is very close. 30 seconds left. Adjaho sticking some jabs home, and follows with a right hand. DeMarco with a ncie left hand that hurt Adjaho. He's down. He's not getting up. Adjaho says he got hit late. He's not happy. The ref has counted him out. 9:51... Let's see that again. Some confusion here. 9:52... Adjaho was hit by a left hand. He took a knee. DeMarco then hit threw a shot to the back of Adjaho's head - although it didn't really look like it connected with any force. Adjaho then went down face first. He took the count and then he jumped up. "Clearly he was looking for the call." - Al. It looks that way, and it's cost him the fight. 9:53... Adjaho screwed up big time. He should have got to his feet and then complained. The ref was counting over him. If the ref is counting, and you're okay... you get up. You don't wait until the ref's counted to 10 and then start to complain. 9:54... All Adjaho had to do was get to his feet. The round was almost over. He could have said what he had to then. Instead he mind bogglingly chose to stay on the canvas until after the count was done. Crazy. 9:55... Gus Johnson... "The man to blame is Adjaho himself." 9:57... According to the ref, Adjaho backed off and took a knee because he was hit in the eye. That explains why Adjaho backed off so quickly. Nothing though can explain what he did afterward. Even if he was hit while he was down, which is debatable on the replay (his knee may have been touching when the shot grazed the back of his head)... he still should have got up. 10:00... After a bit of a slow start, that was turning into a decent fight. Oh well. The judges had it 85-85, 86-84 Adjaho and 86-84 DeMarco after 9. 10:04... We're waiting for the main-event fighters to enter. 10:09... Still waiting. 10:13... Nate Campbell is in attendance, and being interviewed on his upcoming fight with Timothy Bradley. He's confident of being strong at 140. 10:14... That's coming up on August 1st. Devon Alexander and Junior Witter also on the card. 10:21... The main event should hopefully be coming up soon. 10:22... Vic is ready make his entrance. He's dedicating this fight tonight to the memory of Alexis Arguello. 10:24... Vic is in the ring. Gary Shaw gives him a big hug upon his arrival. Agbeko is now making his way in. 10:25... Agbeko has a big smile on his face as he makes his way towards the ring. Al comments that Agbeko's exuberance reminds him of Azumah Nelson. 10:27... In tribute to Michael Jackson, Agbeko is wearing a white glove over his left boxing glove. 10:28... Both fighters are 5' 5 1/2". Agbeko has a one inch read advantage. 10:29... The ref is Tommy Kimmons. 10:32... We've had the intros and the final instructions and we're ready to get this one underway. 10:36... Vic quickly comes forward, he's probing with the jab, and looking to land his hook. Coming from the southpaw stance of course. Agbeko with his gloves up, sticking out the jab. Now he throws a right which Vic alludes. Agbeko with a right hand that lands. He tries to jump in with a combo, but misses. Vic edging forward, but it's Agbeko who lands a counter. Now Agbeko lands a hook. Vic tries to come back with a left hand, but misses. Vic misses with another left. Now Vic lands a little hook inside. Al just guaranteed that this one isn't going 12 rounds. No chance he says. 1:00 to go in round 1. Vic with a combo, I think he might have gone one through... and then he walks into a big right hand from Agbeko that momentarily staggered him. Vic looking a bit wild here. Agbeko didn't try and press after that shot landed. A good exhange, as Agbeko pressed forward throwing his right. There's the bell. Interesting round. I think there might have been a clash of heads late as Vic was pawing at his head as he walked to the corner. 10:36... It was a right hand that nailed Vic. I think he was a bit off-balance more than anything. 10:40... Vic trying to edge forward and let his hands go. Agbeko though looking comfortable when Vic presses. Vic lands a little uppercut. Then he walks into a big right, but I don't think it quite landed flush. Now Agbeko with a hard right hand. They're trading power shots now. Agbeko tries to jump in with a shot and missed. Vic with a counter that missed. A good exchange there. Agbeko's left hand got in. Action in the center of the ring. Both guys loading up, unafraid to trade big shots. Agbeko a little off balance at times when he jumps in... and of course there's the danger of a clash of heads when he lunges in. Vic landed a nice left that landed. Agbeko responded with his right. Agbeko with acouple jabs. Vic with a shot to the body and a nice uppercut. 10:40... A clip of their heads clashing at the end of the round. Hopefully that doesn't cause a premature end to this one. Vic has a cut over his left eye. 10:44... Agbeko just came inside and tripped over Vic's foot. He went down, but no knockdown. Vic just misses with an overhand left. Vic just misses with a hook to the body. Agbeko with a right right. Vic is sticking the jab out, not trying to land it, but maybe trying to get Agbeko to open up when he does. Agbeko with a left right that's a little wild. Now they clinch. Al comments that Agbeko showing good ability to slip Vic's left. Agbeko jumps in with a right. Vic tries to respond. Agbeko keeps jumping in with that right hand. We'll see if Vic an time him with a bib uppercut or hook when he does that. Vic jumps in with a hook, but misses. Vic came charging in, and got caught as he did so, and nearly tripped over Agbeko's foot, and then they both threw wildly. 10:44... There's a highlight of Agbeko landing a nice straight right. 10:48... We've seen some wild exchanges so far. Someone is going to walk into something big. It seems only a matter of time. Vic just landed a nice left after they both missed with their initial shots. Agbeko again goes down - not a knockdown - this time a forearm combined with maybe a tangle of feet. Now Agbeko lands his lead right. Good action, although it's been a little messy. We've got the southpaw/orthodox thing going on, plus agbeko likes to really jump in when he throws his right. Vic misses with a left hand. Agbeko with a right hand. Al comments that the right hand of agbeko has been the story of the fight. He just landed another one. Vic meanwhile has not been able to land much this round. Vic with a left that misses. Vic with a a left over the top that landed. There's the bell. Vic had a little flurry at the end where he scored a couple of shots. 10:48... Vic's corner is telling him that Agbeko's tired. "He's not strong... take your time." 10:52... We should see some press row scores this round. Vic just missed with a left hand. He's missing over the top a lot with it. Agbeko still jumping in with his right hand. He's landing it. He lands a right to the body. Vic feints with the left and tries to land his right, but misses. Agbeko just missed with a left hook. Agbeko with a right hand. agbeko misses wildy with a left hook. Vic misses wildly in return with a couple of lefts. Now he misses with his hook. He's really having a tough time landing clean. Agbeko with a nice shot downstairs. Agbeko is warned for hitting in the clinch. Vic tries to push Agbeko back into the ropes. Vic with a flurry at the end, although not sure if much landed. 10:52... Vic's corner is working on his nose and his eye. 10:55... We're now in round 6. Agbeko starts it off by landing a straight right. And another. Now Agbeko jumps in and they clinch. He lands another one. Vic's not offering much in return right now. He's lunging in with shots, but having trouble finding the mark. He's flicking out the jab, but not following up. Now he lands a straight left. Vic fires a left hand that just misses over the top. Agbeko with a jab. Follows it up with a right. Vic tries to respond but is short, and Agbeko digs to the body. Vic again misses over the top. JOhnson comments that Vic is having all sorts of problems finding his range. He does just land a nice little uppercut though. Agbeko jumps in and misses with a right. 10 seconds to go in the round. Vic with a nice hook. There's the bell. 10:57... Press row has it 57-57, 59-56 and 58-56 for Agbeko. 11:01... Agbeko with a jab, and vic with a counter left. Agbkeo tries to come forward behind his jab, but is short with a right. Johnson comments on how relaxed Agbeko looks. Action a bit slower this round so far. Both fighers keeping a bit of distance. Vic just lunged forward with a couple shots that came up way short. Agbeko is jumping in with the occasional right hand still. Not landing them with much power, but they are connecting. Vic is responding, but he's having a difficult time landing clean. Vic with a nice left. Agbeko just went down at the end of the round. He says it was a slip, but it's being ruled a knockdown. We'll have to see that again. He's up right away. Not sure what happened there. The round should be over. Not sure what Kimmons is doing here. That was right at the end of the round. At least I thought it was. Finally the round is over. 11:01... Looks like a push there. But it counts as a knockdown. 11:02... Gus Johnson comments... "A number of mistakes in that round." An incorrect call on the knockdown, and an extra minute from the timekeeper. 11:02... Al comments that was a round that Agbeko had won almost all of. That could be a 3 point swing. 11:05... Agbeko just landed a nice combo, and Vic responded with a good shot of his own. Agbeko with a right hand. Vic wildly tries to respond, but misses. Agbeko with a nice right hand. That seemed to bother Vic a little. He tries to counter, but is wild. Agbeko with a right hand and a left hook. Vic is backing up here. Agbeko with a good spurt there. 1:00 to go in the round. Vic lunges in, and gets tagged in return with a hook. Now Vic lands a left. Agbeko with a right hand. Vic misses with a counter. Now Vic drills Agbeko low... and we'll have a break here. Agbeko says he's fine and is ready to go. 18 seconds left in the round. "Keep them up." Kimmons says. Some great action over the last 15 seconds, as both guys traded wildly. Agbeko looked a little wobbly as he goes back to the corner. He may have got tagged clean with something big during that exchange. 11:06... It was a right hook that landed low from Vic. Their heads were banging away at the end of the round, and that might have wobbled Agbeko. 11:10... We're now in round 9. Al comments that Vic's left hand has been a little more effective in the last couple rounds. Vic with a nice left hand. Agbeko took it well. Agbeko misses wildly and nearly slips, but regained his balance. Vic with a straight left. Agbeko jumps back in with a right. Now Agbeko misses wildly with a hook. Al comments on how wide both men are when they open up. Al comments that Agbeko's hands have come down a lot. Vic jumps in with a hook. He just misses with a left hand. Agbeko comes back with a wild hook. Vic with an nice right hand. A good exhange with both fighters landing. Vic with another decent left hand. 10 seconds left in the round. Another good exchange, which I think Vic got the better of. And they trade again as the round comes to a close. 11:10... Press row has it 86-85 twice for Agbeko, and 85-85 on the other card. 11:14... Agbeko jumps in and misses. They trade and Vic lands a little right hook in close. Agbeko is getting wilder. He just missed with a wild left hook. Perhaps getting a little tired. Now he lands a decent left hook. Their heads clash again. That's happened a bunch of times, but Vic wasn't happy about that one as he got the worst of it. Agbeko with a right hand. Agbeko with a left hand. Vic's right eye is bloody now. Agbeko with a right hand. Vic's looking a little rough suddenly. Now Vic throws Agbeko down. Agbeko gets right back up and he's ready to go. They get right back in there throwing. Vic misses over the top with a left, and Agbeko fires to the body. Agbeko with a right hand. Vic misses with a left. Agbeko with a hook, and Vic responds with a left hand. Agbeko fires back with his own right. 20 seconds to go in the round. They both miss with shots. Agbeko working the body in close. Now they clinch. There's the bell. Vic's eye looks nasty. It happened from that clash of heads. 11:14... Vic's face is a bit of a mess right now. 11:17... Agbeko with a right to start the round. Now he lands a left hook. Vic complained about a low blow, but Kimmons missed it. Now Vic responds by pushing Agbeko backwards and to the ground. Agbeko gets back up and we're back underway. Things are getting rough in there. Al comments that Vic very well might need a knockout to win. Agbeko jumps in with a right. Agbeko with another right. Vic needs to get something going here if he's going to pull this out. Agbeko is the one showing more initiative this round. Vic tries to hold him in close, and Agbeko drills a couple shots into the ribs. 1:00 to go in the round. Gus Johnson brings up the controversial knockdown which might loom large when the final totals are added up. Agbeko though is taking things to Vic this round. He's the one throwing shots and coming forward. Vic is looking a little ragged. Agbeko with a flurry. Now there's a clinch. Both flurry as the round ends. 11:21... Agbeko with a right hand early in the round that lands. They got a bit tangled up int he clinch there. Vic lunges in wildly and misses. Agbeko with a right hand that lands. 2:00 left in the round. Vic lunges in again and misses wildly. Agbeko lands a straight right. Both men looking tired, as they clinch. Agbeko jumps in, but misses with a right. 1:30 to go in the fight. Agbeko tries to throw his right, and they again get tied up. Vic tries to respond, and there's another clinch. Been a sloppy 12th round. Agbeko misses with a hook. Vic tries to respond, but he's short. There's another clash of heads. Agbeko jumps in with a right. They clinch again. Agbeko with a good right hand. Vic misses with a left hand. Vic tries to jump in and flurry here as the round comes to a close. There's the bell. 11:22... Agbeko is jubilant at the bell. Vic looks quite subdued. 11:23... Agbeko gets a hug from Don King who says, "You did it! You did it!" 11:24... Don King with some choice words about Tommy Kimmons. Vic's eyes both have nasty looking cuts. They show a replay of the "knockdown", which I imagine is one of the things that upset Don. It should be said that it was a rough encounter all around and not the easiest fight to ref. 11:25... Jimmy Lennon Jr. with the scores... 116-111, 114-113, 114-113 all for the winner... Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko. 11:26... I think those scores are a little generous to Vic. 11:27... Jim Gray talking with the winner. He's a very happy man. 11:28... Press row had it 116-112, 116-112 and 115-112 for Agbeko. 11:30... Jim Gray is talking with Darchinyan. Vic has no complaints with the decision. He said he was trying too much to land one big shot. Vic credits Agbeko's movement for not letting him find the position to land something big. To close he says, "I'm going to work on my mistakes." 11:31... That's it for the Boxing Bulletin's live blog coverage of tonight's show. Antonio DeMarco and Joseph Agbeko are your winners. I hope you enjoyed our coverage, and please join us again next time.

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Vic Darchinyan vs Joseph Agbeko Predictions

The "Raging Bull" Vic Darchinyan makes the move up to bantamweight tomorrow night when he takes on Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida.

The Boxing Bulletin writers offer their thoughts on the match-up after the jump...

Check back with us at 9PM EST Saturday night for our live blog of this event starting with the supporting bout between Antonio DeMarco and Anges Adjaho.

Very tough fight for me to get a handle on. Both men are powerful and tough, Vic is probably a bit smarter in there. I know that sounds odd but he isn't as crude as we all thought he was. I have a feeling it's going to be, rough, exciting & tight. I'll take Darchinyan by split, with zero confidence in the winner or the method. - Mark Lyons

I'm really looking forward to this one. Two tough fighters with an offensive mentality in there means we should see some real fireworks. As for the winner - I'm in the same mind as Mark... leaning ever so slightly towards Darchinyan, but not by enough to make a confident pick. - Andrew Fruman

I'm taking Agbeko by late stoppage. Basically, I'm not confident Darchinyan can take heat from a strong guy his own size. Donaire, Pacheco, and Gorres all hurt him to varying degrees. Mijares isn't much of a puncher and Arce barely laid a glove on him. Still a hard fight to call since Agbeko is wide open for a counter uppercut, Vic's bread and butter. But I feel upset season began with Maidana, continued with Chambers, and will keep rolling this weekend. - Michael Nelson

Agbeko's poor balance will hurt him at times, but he'll be the one throwing more, and I think he'll find a home for the straight right. Should be a real war. Could go either way after 12. - Lee Payton

I like Darchinyan here. Agbeko is a world class fighter, but Vic is a more dynamic commodity and I think his speed and power advantage will be evident early. Should be an entertaining fight either way. - Jeff Pryor Check out Jeff's preview of the fight: Vic Darchinyan vs Joseph Agbeko Preview: It's All The New Raging Bull

Additional Thoughts from Boxing Blogger, Joseph R. Holzer: Darchinyan's bottomless well of confidence will prove to be his greatest disadvantage if he chooses to stand and trade with Agbeko. The Raging Bull must become the matador and catch the charging Ghanaian from various angles. Agbeko can bang with both hands, so Darchinyan -- who tasted canvas against Nonito Donaire -- can't be content with standing in the titlist's wheelhouse. If Vic goes flat- footed, he'll be on his back again. I don't think the three added pounds will diminish Darchinyan's pop, either. He has the quicker hands of the two. Agbeko, who appears off balance anyway, won't be able to load up hard right hands if Vic utilized his awkward lateral movement consistently. Darchinyan has to stay on his toes and use the ring, much like William Gonzalez did in the ninth round against Agbeko. It was the clearest round for Gonzalez that night. His decision to shy from that approach throughout the middle rounds lost Gonzalez a close decision. I don't know what they put in the water in Accra, but -- like countryman Joshua Clottey -- Joseph appears to have a solid beard. Gonzalez landed some devastating-looking straight lefts, and Agbeko seemed unphased. He doesn't go to the body as much as he should, and that would be beneficial against Darchinyan. Taking the wind out of Vic's sails early is key. King Kong showed signs of running out of steam in the championship rounds with Gonzalez. He's only fought three times in the last two years as opposed to Darchinyan, who has doubled that amount against quality opposition including Mijares, Arce and Gorres. Agbeko has shared the ring with only about seven guys with a pulse, so there is a question of whether he can acclimate to a bout of this prominence. Agbeko's jab is all but non-existent, so Darchinyan should be able to land his patented sneaky right hook often. Joseph leads with his head, often inviting the uppercut. That's his downfall, and that's my call. Vic lands said uppercut, sidesteps right for the hook and flattens King Kong with a straight left in the 11th round of a fight of the year candidate. Check out Joseph's blog: Pugilism 101

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Vic Darchinyan vs Joseph Agbeko Preview: It's All The New Raging Bull

Jeff Pryor previews this Saturday night's highly anticipated Showtime main event between bantamweights Vic Darchinyan and Joseph Agbeko.

Photo © Tim Barry / timbarry.wetpaint.com

It is fraught with peril, he whosoever chooses to take the name of a legendary boxer... few have ever succeeded in such an endeavor. Ray Leonard and Shane Mosely are on that short list. Jack Dempsey too.

Jake Lamotta, though known more colloquially as "The Bronx Bull" is probably better known by todays era of fans as the "The Raging Bull" due of course to Scorsese's movie. Lamotta in his heyday, and even now sitting ringside in his cowboy hat is a real character and was a great middleweight prize fighting champion. The only man to beat Ray Robinson in his first 130 fights. Big shoes to fill for anyone looking to shoulder the mantle of the "Bull".

There are few boxers like Vic Darchinyan. Brash and disrespectful, insulting and arrogant. Blazingly devastating, and diabolically awkward. Perhaps most closely related to Prince Naseem Hamed in the boxing family tree; he is equally as despised by many, dynamically difficult to match up with and non too shy in proclaiming exactly the hellfire he is about to rain down upon his opponents.

Make sure to check out The Boxing Bulletin's live blog coverage of this event

The pint sized Armenian is often seen stalking menacingly towards his opponent, chest puffed out like some muscle bound mouse, part menacing, part hilarious. But for all his overwrought trash talking bravado and hyperbole he has backed it up in spades about 97% of the time.

As he steps into the ring with "King Kong" Joseph Agbeko this weekend, another fighter with a nickname built of hollywood homage, this Blockbuster Brawl ought to provide as much entertainment as a few hype job summer popcorn flicks; complete with explosive action, cheesy one liners such as "I will transform 'King Kong' Agbeko from champion to chimpion" and a predictable ending, in this case a triumphant Vic Darchinyan.

Some would argue that the ending is far from scripted, that Agbeko has a decent shot at the upset and maybe he does, in the sense that any iron chinned Ghanian who can punch does.

On the list of attributes that Agbeko can claim to hold over Darchinyan, however, there are few to name. He has been the bigger man, fighting, (in so far as I can tell, as most of his bouts were in Ghana and for which details are sketchy) at as high a weight as 121lbs., though he only holds a half inch height advantage over Darchinyan.

It's hard to find another category in which Agbeko could be said to hold an advantage. Darchinyan brings more to the table in virtually every meaningful area; he has shown more explosive power, speed, and boxing skill. He has an extensive amateur career as well as top flight pro opposition which he has nearly unilaterally destroyed.

On the other hand Agbeko's record is shrouded in the ambivalence of fighting the vast majority of his career in Ghana. You've never heard of any of the opponents he faced there... their own mothers might not have heard of them, and due to the corruption involved in the sport within the country, it is impossible to ascertain the true records of those names which make up the meat of Agbeko's work there. In looking over his tally it would probably be generous to say that Agbeko has been in the ring with approximately seven live bodies. If one were being critical, you might say only three. And one of those, Wladimir Sidorenko, he lost to.

In his previous two bouts, also his only meaningful wins, against Luis Alberto Perez (25-1) and William Gonzalez (21-2), Joseph was entertaining and tough, but inconsistent. He has attributes that should make him a real challenge for Darchinyan or any other top prizefighter, but like his countryman Joshua Clottey he may not have that extra something it often takes at the very highest level of the sport.

While in my opinion Agbeko is merely grist for Darchinyan's proverbial mill, the reason why you should tune in to watch the little dynamo fight is not because of the outcome of this bout, but because of what will precede it.

Darchinyan's stalking, smirking, systematic slaughter of opponents is a sight to see.

In keeping with the Hollywood motif that permeates this bout (or at least this hack-kneed article), for a moment let's go "Back to the Future".

If you've only come to know Vic Darchinyan over his stint on Showtime the last few years, then seeing him at the start of his career might be a bit of a revelation to you. The earliest pro incarnation of "The Raging Bull" was decidedly less raging. Quick, precise and even patient, Vic 1.0 was a terrificly skilled boxer. With solid defense and effective offense, you get the sense, when watching his first ten bouts or so, that Darchinyan was slow to shed the amateur mindset. Understandably so in that his extensive career included 176 fights and an appearance at the 2000 Olympic games.

Darchinyan's debut against Sande Kizito was fought at a surprisingly high level of competence for two men whose combined record was 0-0-0. Darchinyan ground out a hard fought 6 round decision and even re-matched Kizito twice. The second bout getting another nod in a slightly easier affair, and then finally knocking Kizito out in seven, to round out the one sided, but competitive trio of fights.

Those three bouts took place over the course of Vic's first seven fights. As one watched his progression, it was clear that while their initial bout was fought on virtually even terms, Darchinyan was improving at a much faster rate than old Sande Kizito was. One wonders why exactly Kizito's people insisted on shoving him back in with Vic over and over. In fact, Kizito faced Darchinyan three times and an 18-0 Hussein Hussein once, all in his first six fights. Talk about a murder's row to start your career with.

Vic 2.0 beta version, really didn't appear until midway through his career. After that trilogy and a series of fights against tough, but outclassed opposition, almost all of which Darchinyan had begun to knock out, a subtle shift in his style started to take place. Around the time he fought Wandee Singwancha for the second time, which would be his 18th fight, he had started to gain confidence in his power. His boxing started to take more and more of a backseat to his grandstanding power game.

That confidence would eventually change to utter infatuation, around the time he began to show up on Showtime regularly a few fights later. At this point he was the full version of Vic 2.0. An awkward crablike monstrosity of a pug toughman, who, with a mocking sneer on his lips, would strut forward and dash straight left hand after straight left hand into his opponents face, daring them to try and keep their feet under the assault.

Caution was thrown to the wind, defense was thrown out the window and virtually all semblance of his boxing acuity was sacrificed in his lust for destruction. With each concurrent fight his pre-bout banter grew more coarse and his in the ring ferocity more brutal, eventually putting Victor Burgos in the hospital and on the edge of death.

The zenith of his arrogance came as he stepped into the ring against Nonito Donaire in mid 2007. Though his usual brawling tactics were not working, he continued without change and ultimately failed to realize that though Donaire was the naturally bigger man, he was also the faster.

After suffering his first loss in that knockout of the year, Darchinyan 3.0 has emerged. A dynamic combination of the best parts of the two earlier versions of himself. This new Vic maintains the viciousness and explosiveness of recent years, but combines it with the discipline and boxing ability that he had strayed from at the height of his success.

This new animal is one who has impressively blown out a solid contender in Dimitri Kirilov, knocked out a pound for pound technician in Cristian Mijares and ground down a battle tested and courageous warrior in Jorge Arce.

Rarely do fighters truly learn from their losses. Darchinyan has proven to be unique in this way too, remaking himself into a more complete fighter, by adding back in what he willingly subtracted. He is now a balanced fighter. Violently combustive with leaping left hands and an unpredictable pawing, hooking right, all the while maintaining a sneaky defense that appears much more porous than it really is.

It appears that as he has moved up in weight, from flyweight to super flyweight, his power has clung to him with devastating effect. Should that continue to hold, his run at Bantamweight should be as entertaining as everything he has brought us so far. Particularly if a match can be made with Fernando Montiel, the hard hitting technician who like his countryman Juan Manuel Marquez has recently shed his reputation for clinical performances to infuse action and drama into his bouts.

Montiel vs. Darchinyan is among the best fights that can be made in the sport and one only hopes we get to see it before one or the other of them begins the inevitable twilight of their career, such as was the case with Jorge Arce who was a couple years past his optimum time to have faced Darchinyan.

One thing can be certain when talking about Vic Darchinyan's immediate future and his place in the sport. He is filling a role that some embrace and others despise. The lovable villain. So brashly cocky that you almost have to admire him.

Though equally polarizing, the difference between what Vic does and what a Floyd Mayweather jr. has done, is that while each have proclaimed what devastation lies ahead for their opponents, Darchinyan has backed it up in the ring.

It's not the bold, sometimes ridiculous, even offensive braggadocio that marks Darchinyan as a special fighter. It's what he does after saying these things that makes him someone to watch. Whether it be in hopes of his humiliating defeat or of his smugly victorious mighty mouse facade once he's dispatched another adversary.

While we've had our share of famous Sugar's in the sport, the big shoes of Jake Lamotta are ironically being filled by a pugilist who tips the scale at just under 120lbs.

Darchinyan has proven that he is worthy of his legendary namesake, not just for his eccentric style and trash talking, but for the very real devastation he unleashes in the ring.

As he steps in to face "King Kong" this weekend, it's nice to know that when Vic asked Agbeko earlier "Where would you like me to hurt you most? In the body or in the face?" That he was actually taking notes.

It's with this attitude that "The Raging Bull" has stomped, snorted and sneered his way to a legacy befitting his fabled title.

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Early Thoughts on Klitchko vs Haye, Cotto vs Clottey & Darchinyan vs Agbeko

By Lee Payton

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

Boxing's competitive landscape remains fresh and exciting with three upcoming fights, featuring some of the sport's best.

David Haye had to sign a horrible contract, but he will finally get his mitts on Wladimir Klitschko (pictured right). In a battle of top Welterweights, Miguel Cotto is battling the very dangerous Josh Clottey, at Madison Square Garden. And Vic Darchinyan is facing off with a tough Bantamweight from Ghana, "King Kong" Agbeko.

Here's what I think we can expect when they climb into the ring...

Klitschko vs. Haye

The answer almost seems obvious, which is rare when you've got elite fighters going at it. Here you've got two men who can't take near what they dish. Either could end matters at any point.

The former Cruiserweight Champ from Britain sports a dazzling 22-1 (21) record, which demonstrates not only the explosive power in his fists, but also his lust for the knockout. He's an assassin. The one time he lost as a pro, was when someone could take the incoming without hitting the deck. Granite hard, Carl Thompson soaked up incredible punishment before knocking out the utterly gassed challenger a few years back.

It's the same job journeyman Ross Puritty pulled on Klitschko over 10 years ago. Since then Wlad has left a ton of men senseless on his way to a 52-3 (46) record. Recently, his vulnerability has mostly been tucked away intelligently by Manny Steward, who has preached patience and self-preservation since his arrival. To Wlad, winning comes first. The knockout usually just happens somewhere along the line.

And that difference in mentality should be the decider. In a race to the knockout, gimme the fighter on the attack.

Haye by early KO. Bring on Big Brother.

Cotto vs. Clottey

You've got the dynamic offensive sensation, with questionable whiskers against the steady, unspectacular counter puncher, who apparently can't be hurt. It's an intriguing clash of styles that is sure to bring the best out of both fighters.

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

Clottey (pictured left) has really only fought on this level once before, and in that fight he showcased a beautiful counter left hook, as well as a jaw of steel. We've never really seen him hurt before, but he's also never faced an attack like Miguel Cotto's.

Antonio Margarito had a damn good beard, and he took some massive shots before grinding the Puerto Rican down in 11 scintillating rounds, last year. While Clottey seems to have the same ability to soak up punishment, he doesn't apply that type of non-stop pressure. He's more likely to counter an attack from his high guard.

So who wins? In my opinion, that depends on Cotto. Many have been critical of the plan he used in the Margarito fight, but it could serve him very well against this guy. With some movement, he should be able to control the pace of the fight.

I've noticed that Clottey has a little bit of Winky Wright in him. When the opponent fires off a combination with quickness, he doesn't counter, but rather waits for them to finish, and then looks to respond. He also rarely counters with anything but his hook.

If Miguel is disciplined and well-conditioned enough to move a little, fire rapid combinations, and then get out of the way again, he gives himself his best chance to come out on top. I don't think he can win a head-to-head firefight.

Clottey will be there all night. And every time Cotto plants his feet to throw a hook with something on it, he'll be there with his own.

Cotto by gritty decision if he brings his wheels and a healthy fear. Clottey by TKO if Miguel gets too brave.

Darchinyan vs. Agbeko

Photo © Tim Barry / timbarry.wetpaint.com

Vic Darchinyan (pictured right) wants to test his mallet of a left hand against the toughest Bantamweights in the world. He could hardly have picked a tougher assignment than the scrappy Agbeko, who will be making a steep climb in competition.

Agbeko doesn't have the flair, power or mouth of his opponent, but he is a game competitor, who is very capable of the upset. In his last fight, he won a gutty majority decision over southpaw William Gonzalez, so he knows how to dig deep. To come out victorious in that kind of bruising affair is impressive on it's own, though I suspect he did so with a damaged left hand, because he didn't used it at all for long stretches during the fight.

Perhaps Darchinyan's people missed it, like the commentators and most fans. Maybe they assume this is a safe 118 lb debut because of how ordinary "King Kong" looked in the second half. That would be a big mistake. This guy can fight. Can he take Darchinyan's best? I'm not sure.

I'll gamble a little bit and take the slightly bigger man to rough Vic up, on his way to a close decision win. I think Agbeko's got the strength and courage to mess with the outside rhythm that Darchinyan depends on.

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Vic Darchinyan and the Lethal Lefties

by Lee Payton

Vic Darchinyan beat up Jorge Arce on Saturday night and retained his Super Flyweight World Championship in the process. The proud Mexican never stopped trying to get something big in, and he actually did so from time to time, but he just couldn't find his feet in there.

In the end, Vic's special punching power and superior physical strength won him nearly every round on his way to a convincing TKO win over Arce, who is just unbelievably brave.

Darchinyan puts such a frightening beating on most of his opponents that I got to thinking about how uncommon southpaw destroyers are in boxing. How does this little Armenian assassin stack up against the great offensive lefties in recent memory?

Raphael "Bazooka" Limon was an impossibly rugged, wiry featherweight bomber, who let it all hang out as long as the fight lasted. Like Vic, Bazooka used awkward body movements to set up his bombs, but his were delivered in a wild fashion that created a violent visual effect to the audience.

Both guys are deadly. Wearing a devious grin Vic snipes his man, taking some time to enjoy the victim's pain before finishing the job. Bazooka chases down his prety for miles, whipping rocks the whole way. You wonder if Darchinyan could survive the heat Limon has thrived in. He hasn't had to go there yet.


Cornelius Boza-Edwards (pictured left) and Bazooka Limon were similar in their acceptance of the incoming. They knew they'd probably have to take the other guy's best to have a chance at winning the fight. Neither had the ability to ending it with a single blast, and that usually meant those watching were in for a slugfest. They met in 1981 and it was quicker hands of Ugandan that made the difference over 15 punishing rounds.

Though quite different in style and mentality Darchinyan and Boza share a bruising way of going about business. Vic seldom loses a physical exchange on his way to pounding his man into submission, and Boza was always at home when things got rough.


Marvin Johnson (pictured right) was a ferocious monster. A lot of fighters talk about how they aren't afraid of anything, but Johnson proved it. As a matter of fact that lack of fear is one of the main reasons he is underrated by many today. The other reason was that he fought a lot of extremely tough and skilled guys along the way, losing to the best of them.

He was a thickly muscled attacker, who sprinted to the opponent and smashed bursts of short, damaging blows into whatever he could hit. Some guys could take it and some couldn't. Matthew Saad Muhammad could take it, and he did just that over 2 of the most brutal fights in light heavyweight history. Though Saad stopped him twice, he had to surrender a piece of himself in the process. I often wonder how many other 175 lbers would have been able to stand up to that fierce initial onslaught. The Raging Bull shares Marvin's hunger for the knockout, but is more measured in his approach.


Prince Naseem Hamed will be remembered for his totally unique style in and out of the ring, but the thing that made all the boasting and showmanship worth a damn was the way he took guys out. He dispatched some very solid fighters in shocking fashion before coming to Madison Square Garden for a donnybrook with another exciting southpaw in Kevin Kelley.

Hamed was a stocky swatter who was merciless on hurt fighters. He stood at bizarre angles and held his hands in a way that was entirely his own. Often the opposition never saw the punch that laid them out or had them stumbling around with a cloudy eyes. Sound familiar? Our current 115 lb champion has many of the same characteristics that made The Prince popular around the world. Naz hit harder with a single blow, while Darchinyan is more likely to attack from start to finish.


Manny Pacquiao is on top of the world right now mostly because of his blend of alarming speed and crushing power. That scary combination is usually enough to end matters, but when it isn't, he can fall back on his infinite hunger and pride to get him through. The Pac-Man is one of a kind.

There was a time when a valid comparison could be made between Darchinyan and the current #1 fighter in the world. It wasn't too long ago that Manny was seen as a one handed fighter who only thought about drilling the guy in front of him as hard as he could until he went to sleep. We've all heard the same criticism hurled Vic's way since he came onto the scene, and it got much louder when he was stopped by Nonito Donaire.

Great fighters learn from their mistakes. They always work at getting better. Manny Pacquiao is humble enough to accept that he is not perfect, and that's a major part of why he's the best in boxing. If Darchinyan can swallow some of his pride, he can be even more dangerous than he is today. He seems to have a little more respect for his opponents when the bell rings these days, which is an encouraging sign for the future.

Honourable mentions go to Michael Moorer, Jose Luis Ramirez, Edwin Valero, Ponce De Leon, Vassiliy Jirov and Corrie Sanders.

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Darchinyan vs Arce Predictions

Dynamic Super Flyweight World Champion, Vic Darchinyan, defends his title against the very colourful scrapper from Mexico, Jorge Arce, tomorrow night, in what should be an offensive showcase.

Darchinyan brutally dispatched one of his Arce's conquerors the last time he was in the ring, but styles make fights and maybe the challenger's grit will be enough to thwart the champ's punishing attack. So who finishes on top in this meeting of two of the most interesting characters in boxing?

Read on for predictions from The Boxing Bulletin Staff.

I have to go with Darchinyan in this one. Arce is a fun little warrior, but he simply cannot afford to get hit as often as he usually does when he clashes with the champ. There are just too many things working against him this time. For one, I don't think Arce likes fighting southpaws. True, Vic isn't the type to get cute in there, but he is a very unusual fighter, and I think his fighting stance is going to give the Mexican fits. I also don't believe that Arce has the power to seriously hurt this guy. Even against smaller fighters, he would tend to grind them down over time and I don't see him getting into Vic's chest enough to consistently get his best work done, so I'll take the champion to retain his crown via TKO in the 9th. He'll just be lining up skin tearing left hands all night from the pocket on his way to a convincing stoppage. -Lee Payton

Darchinyan vs. Arce is a personal dream fight for me going back a couple of years. Of course boxing didn't strike while the iron was hot, and the prospect of this battle isn't quite as searingly brilliant as it once was. Both men's stock has dropped since their initial banter, back and forth in interviews a few years back, and while Darchinyan has done much to regain his stature, perhaps even beyond where it was before his knockout defeat to Nonito Donaire, Arce has continued to struggle at times, particularly with lefties. Heading into this bout, Arce enjoys a small height and reach advantage, but the key factor in the physical characteristics category may be Darchinyan's southpaw stance. Cristian Mijares, also a southpaw, befuddled Arce all night. Following that one sided loss, Arce faced Tomas Rojas, another southpaw, and "el Travieso" looked to be on his way to a loss when he suddenly stopped Rojas with a vicious body shot. After the bout Arce told interviewers that he didn't want to face any more southpaws. Just over a year down the line... enter Darchinyan, perhaps the most awkward southpaw in the sport. Aside from the physical aspect of the stance, which has troubled Arce, perhaps his struggles have grown a measure of doubt in his mind. Whether the southpaw stance is truly Arce's kryptonite or not, that thought may be brewing under the surface of his mind. If his confidence is at all disturbed by seeing another lefty across from him, he is already at a disadvantage, which he simply cannot afford with an opponent like Darchinyan. All that said, I would expect Arce to come out with fire and look to go toe to toe with "The Raging Bull". Darchinyan has that same attitude and a genuine dislike for all his opponents, Arce in particular. While we should get fireworks, I predict Darchinyan will get the better of most exchanges due to his superior, and underrated, defense. Arce is as tough as they come, and so long as he has a clear head, he'll keep trying. Each man can likely hurt the other, and it will come down to which fighter has the faster hands and feet, and the better chin. This is one of those bouts that I don't envision going past six or seven rounds, perhaps even, a much quicker ending. The bottom line on this match-up to me, is that while Darchinyan has grown from his loss, Arce has grown weary. Though tenacious and perhaps with a few moments of his own, I see Arce getting stopped in between three to six rounds. -Jeff Pryor

Vic Darchinyan vs Jorge Arce will be a crowd-pleaser while it lasts, but I don't see it being particularly competitive. Vic has been on a tear against quality opposition, while Arce looked befuddled and discouraged against the last two southpaws he fought. Getting nearly whitewashed against the highly skilled Cristian Mijares is forgivable, but after he scraped by Devid Lookmahanak in what I thought was the worst decision in 2008, the pattern had become clear. Arce is unlikely to beat an elite southpaw again. I think Vic Darchinyan wins by mid-to-late round knockout. -Michael Nelson

I think this is a much closer fight than most do. Vic is murder on a boxer like Mijares, that can't get his respect. The only thing keeping me from taking Arce outright is that I think he is on the downside of his career. This isn't a tough one to figure out. The guy who backs up the most loses. Sometimes it's as simple as that. My guess is it's an even brawl after eight rounds, Arce tires a bit at the end and Darchinyan pulls out a close UD. - Mark Lyons

It will be fun while it lasts, but I'll be very surprised if Vic doesn't win convincingly. He hits harder, is better defensively and brings an unorthodox style that should give Arce trouble as well. I'll take Vic by late stoppage. - Andrew Fruman

I don't see an upset here. Darchiniyian presents a tougher test than Arce ever passed even when perceived to be at his best. Arce hasn't looked impressive in a while, possibly from a move up in weight and lacking enough wrinkles in his game to make up for diminished power and strength. Vic himself looked to be on the slide after his upset loss to Donaire but looks like he may have bounced back better than ever. Vic is bigger, more powerful and seems to have developed his ring identity and confidence after the knockout loss to Donaire. Darchinyan by 10th round TKO. - John Vaci

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Darchinyan vs Arce Preview

By Lee Payton

This Saturday night on Showtime, Super Flyweight Champion, Vic Darchinyan takes on rugged brawler, Jorge Arce, in a fantastic blend of destructive style and personality. These two fighters are as much fun on the mic as they are under the lights and provide all the ingredients necessary for a punishing collision. How do you say "machismo" is Armenian?

What's At Stake

For Darchinyan- His spot on our pound-for-pound list, the world titles he currently owns and a claim as the best 115 lber in the world. All that stuff is fine, but one gets the feeling that fighting goes much deeper than the accolades for this hot-blooded and proud little warrior. His fighting arrogance comes from a bottomless faith in the power of his straight left hand. A loss to this guy would be a serious bruise to his immense ego.

For Arce- This fight is a huge opportunity for the colourful Mexican scrapper. He's got a shot at the world's champion in front of a crowd that loves him. A win here sets up very lucrative business with natural rival Fernando Montiel. Like his opponent, Arce is a warrior first. He's one of those guys who clearly loves nothing more than being a fighter, and he takes representing Mexico very seriously. Arce wants this badly.

The Styles

Vic Darchinyan is one of the most unique fighters I've ever seen when the bell rings. To start things off, he's a southpaw. That's usually more than enough to annoy even the best fighters. He fights with knees bent, heavy on the back foot, waiting to spring forward with thudding straight lefts that come swiftly. Opponents know what to looking for, but his main weapon is a devastating one because of the uncommon leverage he gets behind the punch. He doesn't exactly move forward all the time because he prefers to work from a certain distance that maximizes the impact of his blows. He can be outworked inside, which is Arce's ticket, if he is able to get past the force field that is the champions left fist.

Jorge Arce is the Mexican fighter. He's tough, heavy handed, committed to body punching and will take a few to land his own. We know he is there to win and will never quit, but can he effectively close the range without getting busted up in the process? One of my biggest concerns for Arce is his ability to fight southpaws. I'm not sure he has the right feet for the job. In order to win this fight he has to make it as ugly as possible. His best shot is to roughhouse his way into a clinch and then pound away with short hooks.

What To Expect

I think we'll see a very entertaining four rounds that feature Arce taking Darchinyan's best while he tries to keep the champ off balance with wild rushes. You have to assume this is about the time Travieso's skin begins to give way. He'll probably be fighting through a mask of blood by the sixth while being targeted up the middle. This fight has the potential to get ugly down the stretch for the passionate guerrero, so I hope those in charge recognize when he's had enough.


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