Darchinyan, Vakhtang Rubenovich

Vakhtang Darchinyan began boxing in 1983 under the leadership of Vazgen Badalyan . In 1996 - 1997 he represented Ukraine at international tournaments; trained in the sports complex of the Kiev Automobile Institute, (Kikvidze St.). In 1997 - 2000 he was a member of the national team of Armenia, became the bronze medalist of the European Championship in Minsk and the Goodwill Games in New York , was a participant in the World Championships and the Olympic Games in Sydney . After the Olympic tournament, he decided to end his amateur career and, having moved to Australia , began a professional career.

1998 European Boxing Championship

Vakhtang Darchinyan held three fights at the 1998 European Championship in Minsk:

• 1/8 finals: victory over Italian boxer Carmine Molaro on points (9: 8)
• 1/4 finals: victory over Macedonian boxer Muhamed Aliyah on points (8: 2)
• 1/2 finals: victory over Russian boxer Ilfat Razyapov on points (6: 2)

2000 Olympics

At the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Vakhtang Darchinyan held two fights:

• 1/8 finals: victory over Russian boxer Ilfat Razyapov on points (20:11)
• 1/4 finals: defeat from Kazakhstan boxer Bulat Dzhumadilov on points (8:15)

He made his debut in the professional ring in November 2000 . On December 17, 2004, he received the right to challenge the IBF world champion flyweight title (up to 50.8 kg.) In the fight against the undefeated holder of this title Colombian Irene Pacheco . Darchinyan lost the battle, however, fireworks appeared between rounds 8 and 9. Since the battle took place in the open arena, the fight had to be delayed for 10 minutes. During this time, the Armenian came to his senses and seized the initiative. At the end of the tenth and at the beginning of the eleventh round, Darchinyan knocked Pacheco twice, after which the referee stopped the fight and the applicant was awarded a technical knockout victory.

In 2005 - 2007, Vakhtang Darchinyan successfully defended his title 6 times. The greatest resonance in the boxing world was caused by his fights with the Mexicans Luis Maldonado and Victor Burgos . The duel with undefeated Maldonado in June 2006 in Las Vegas was recognized by many as very beautiful and spectacular. ^{[1] [2]} It ended with a technical knockout of the applicant in the eighth round.

On March 3, 2007, Vakhtang Darchinyan had a fight with ex-IBF world champion in the first flyweight (up to 49 kg.) Victor Burgos. Already in the second round, the applicant was knocked down. Despite the full advantage of Darchinyan, Burgos and his team did not want to stop the fight, and the referee stopped the fight, which turned into a beating of the applicant, only in the twelfth round. As a result, Burgos needed hospitalization for an operation to remove intracranial hematoma . ^[3]

• Location:   Harbor Yard Arena, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
• Result: Donaire won by TKO in the 5th round in a 12-round battle.
• Status: IBF Flyweight Champion title fight (7th defense of Darchinyan); IBO Flyweight Championship title fight (6th Darchinyan defense)
• Referee: Eddie Claudio
• Judges' score: Steve Epstein (36–40 Donaire), John Mackay (38–38), Don Trell (38–38) - according to BoxRec; according to Showtime , a 36–40 rating by John Mackay
• Time: 1:38
• Weight: Darchinyan 50.80 kg; Donaire 50.80 kg
• Broadcast: Showtime
• The score of informal judges: Mark Abrams (38–38), Sherman Kane (37–39 Donaire), Jack Obermeier (38–38)

In July 2007, Darchinyan held the seventh defense of his title, and Filipino boxer Nonito Donaire was his rival. In October 2006, Darchinyan had already defeated Nonito Glen Donaire's older brother and was considered a clear favorite in this fight. ^[4] Before the fight on the official website of Vic Darchinyan it was written: “ Nonito Donaire, the younger brother of Glenn Donaire, is ready to prove that he is a ballerun, like his brother, and not a boxer. Come see how Darchinyan will make Nonito Donaire dance ”( Nonito Donaire younger brother of Glenn Donaire is ready to proove that he is a ballet dancer just like his brother not a boxer. Come and see Vic Dadrchinyan making Nonito Donaire dance ) ^[5] . The Filipino managed to seize the initiative from the start of the battle, force the champion to defend himself, and in the middle of the fifth round with his left oncoming hook to knock him down. For the first time in his career, Darchinyan, who was on canvas, tried to climb, but he was led, and he fell on the ropes. After that, the referee stopped the fight. The fight received the status of “appet of the year” and “knockout of the year” according to the magazine “Ring”. ^[6]

• Location:   Emerald Queen Casino, Tacoma , Washington , USA
• Result: Darchinyan's victory by knockout in round 5 in a 12-round battle
• Status: Championship fight for IBF title in 2nd flyweight title (2nd defense of Kirillov)
• Referee: Earl Brown
• Judges' score: Marty Denkin (36-40), Glen Hamada (36-40), Tom McDonagh (36-40) - all in favor of Darchinyan
• Time: 1:38
• Weight: Kirillov 51.90 kg; Darchinyan 51.70 kg
• Broadcast: Showtime
• The score of unofficial judges: Hrant Clark (36–40), Igor Frank (36–40), Seymus Young (36–40) - all in favor of Darchinyan

After the defeat from Donaire, Darchinyan announced his desire to hold a rematch ^[7] , but without receiving the consent of the Filipino, he decided to move to a heavier weight category. In August 2008, he received the right to challenge the IBF champion title already in the second flyweight category (up to 52.2 kg.) With Russian Dmitry Kirillov . This title fight took place on August 2 in the American city of Tacoma and took place with the full advantage of the applicant. At the beginning of the fifth round, after a series of missed blows to the head, the champion fell on canvas for the first time, but was able to climb to the score of 3. He tried to run back, but could not hold out until the end of the round and, having missed the oncoming left hook directly into the jaw, was again on the floor. The Russian sat on one knee and began to listen to the score, but he could not get up before the judges fixed the knockout.

• Location:   The Home Depot Center , Carson , California , USA
• Result: Darchinyan's victory by knockout in round 9 in a 12-round battle
• Status: Championship fight for the WBC title in the 2nd flyweight title (8th defense of Mihares); champion fight for WBA title in 2nd flyweight title (2nd defense of Mijares); IBF title fight in 2nd flyweight title (1st defense of Darchinyan)
• Referee: Lou Moret
• Judges' score: Pat Russell (72–79), Jack Reiss (72–79), Marty Denkin (72–79) - all in favor of Darchinyan
• Time: 3:00
• Weight: Mijares 52.2 kg; Darchinyan 52.2 kg
• Broadcast: Showtime
• The score of unofficial judges: Igor Frank (72-79), Steve Kim (72-79), Michael Rosenthal (72-79) - all in favor of Darchinyan

Having won the IBF World Champion title, Vakhtang Darchinyan agreed to unite the belts. November 1, 2008 in Carson ( California ), he fought for the second world flyweight champion with the WBA and WBC World Champions Christian Mijares (Mexico). Already at the end of the first round, Darchinyan left a left uppercut in the jaw and Mijares, collapsing on the canvas, was able to rise only by 8. Later, the Mexican boxer tried to level the fight, but Darchinyan remained the initiative, and in the ninth round the last managed to carry out a decisive attack. A left hook in the jaw knocked Mihares down again. The referee counted to 5, and seeing that the Mexican was not making any attempts to get up, he stopped the fight and fixed a knockout.

• Location:   BankAtlantic Center , Sunrise, Florida , USA
• Result: Agbeko's victory by decision of the judges.
• Status: IBF Lightweight Championship
• Referee: Tommy Kimmons
• Judges' score: Michael Pernik 114–113, Mike Ross 114–113, Rocky Young 116–111 (all in favor of Agbeko)
• Time:
• Weight: Agbeko 52.95 kg; Darchinyan 53.41 kg
• Broadcast:
• The score of informal judges:

Having seized three champion belts in the second bantamweight, Vakhtang Darchinyan tried to challenge the IBF bantamweight title (up to 53.5 kg.). July 11, 2009 in Sunrise ( Florida ), he had a fight with the holder of this title, Ghanaian Joseph Agbeko . The fight lasted all twelve rounds and went in a stubborn and equal fight. As a result, the judges preferred the Ghanaian boxer on points.

2010—2011

Despite the defeat from Agbeko, Vakhtang Darchinyan did not lose his champion belts, won in the second flyweight, but because of the eyebrow cuts received in the battle with Agbeko and requiring long healing, he could not carry out mandatory protection of his belt according to this version at the IBF deadlines, therefore, in late July, he was forced to leave this belt vacant. ^[8] Darchinyan successfully defended his WBA and WBC championship titles in December 2009 in a fight with Thomas Rojas ^[9] and in March 2010 in a duel with Rodrigo Guerrero . ^[10]

In 2011, he lost to the Mexican, Abner Mares .

Championship fight with Anselmo Moreno

On December 3, 2011, he met with the WBA world bantamweight champion, Panamanian Anselmo Moreno . Lost on points by unanimous decision.

Championship fight with Shinsuke Yamanaka

In April 2012, he lost on points for the WBC bantamweight world title, Japanese, Shinsuk Yamanaka .

Second fight with Nonito Donaire

On November 9, 2013, he met with Filipino Nonito Donaire for the second time. The fight was designed for 10 rounds. Donaire won by TKO in the 9th round. It is worth noting that Vakhtang led on the cards of two judges with a score of 78/74. Another judge had a draw - 76/76 ^[11] .

Championship fight with Nicholas Walters

On February 7, 2015, he met with WBA World Featherweight Champion Jamaican Nicholas Walters . Walters knocked out Darchinyan in the 5th round.

Championship fight with Jesus Cuellar

On June 6, 2015, he met with the WBA world featherweight champion, Argentinean Jesús Cuellar . Cuellar knocked out Darchinyan in the 8th round.

• Medal "For Merit to the Fatherland" 1st degree (2011) ^[12]
• Movses Khorenatsi Medal (2008).

• List of world boxing champions in several weight categories

• Darchinyan, Vakhtang Rubenovich (English) - statistics of professional fights on BoxRec website
• Vic Darchinyan - Olympic statistics at Sports-Reference.com
• Official website
• Profile on Showtime TV channel website
• Vic Darchinyan intends to win 11 championship belts
• Angry Bull from Vanadzor
• Knockout comes by itself (inaccessible link)