Vic Darchinyan
Returns to the Ring
by Joe Calvey
jcalvey@aol.com
zenfolio.com/joecalvey for photographs
May 12, 2013
Thunder and rain ran through South Texas for several days before Laredo’s fight night, May 11, 2013. With each down pour farmers rejoiced while fight fans wondered if Top Rank had a plan B should the open air event at the Uni Trade Stadium be in the storm’s path.
The local baseball team, The Laredo Lemurs, was co-promoting the event and according to Team President Mark Shuster there was no plan B. A lot of money was riding on the return to the ring of former 8 time world champion Vic "The Raging Bull" Darchinyan.
Laredo, perhaps hoping some of the success of San Antonio’s boxing community would travel down IH 35 lined up a unique marketing scheme with What a Burger. All you had to do was go stuff your face with arguably the best burger in Texas and get in free. Regardless of what attendance figures are released the stadium was fairly empty.
The Uni Trade Stadium could be an excellent venue for boxing. All they need is a couple of golf carts to ferry in the boxers from the locker rooms beyond the right field fence. And they need to be able to lower the foul ball net behind home plate. The netting obscures a ton of prime seats. People accept the netting in baseball because they don’t want a foul ball smashing them in the face. With the ring set near the pitcher’s mound I had to walk well down the right field line to finally get a view of the ring without obstruction.
With VIP Tables set up on the infield fight fans had a great evening with both weather and fighters delivering. The opening bout, like most opening bouts featured fighters unknown outside their respective gyms. Usually one of the fighters has limited talent but a willingness to be hit and an ability to fight back gamely. Undefeated Roland Garza from Monterrey, Mexico with the sun setting beyond the luxury boxes scored an unanimous decision over Laredo’s winnless Roberto Lara.
San Antonio had a couple of highly touted prospects on the nationally televised card. Adam Lopez, 122 lbs., and Kendo "Tremendo" Castaneda, 139 lbs. are both skilled fighters though Lopez is already on Top Rank’s radar and Castaneda cannot be far behind.
Lopez went up against a very tough Manuel Rubalcava who brought his 1-3 record with him from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Rubalcava pressed the action early and both fighters scored with rights and lefts to the head and body throughout the four rounds. But the fight didn’t produce any action that would make it memorable. The decision produced scattered boos in response to the final score as Lopez won 39-37.
In boxing the promoters generally put the fighters they expect to win in one locker room and assign them all to the same corner. On this night the favorites were in the red corner. Castaneda, though undefeated with 3 victories with one knockout was somehow being considered just another blue corner opponent. In the favorite’s red corner stood Nueveo Laredo’s Victor Rosas a twenty five year old fighter with a 1-0 record which he won by knockout.
Just 19 years old, talented and brash Castaneda is one of those kids you want to see succeed regardless of what they do. When he made his pro debut he wore a lion’s mask to enter the ring. At a fight just before the Christmas holidays he looked more like a Where’s Waldo Elf than a boxer about to deliver devastating punches with both hands. His two brothers are also professional fighters and along with his new trainer Manny Sepeda they round out Team Castaneda.
Tonight would be different for one of the fighters. One of them would go home with their first loss. The fight opened with both fighters trying to exert their dominance over the other. Rosas a southpaw seemed to have the early edge keeping his stance wide and his punches extending with each delivery. Castaneda looked a bit confused and a little off balance facing the lefty. At times found his left foot pinned under Rosas right foot. The older more muscular Rosas gave maximum exertion with every punch. Every punch seemed like a hay maker. Castaneda covered and countered. At times there was no blocking the incoming punch and Castaneda absorbed the punishment.
More than once Castaneda extended his arms challenging his opponent to hit him harder. His corner screamed for him to stop. His mother just beyond the technical zone surrounding the ring screamed for him to stop. Taking a deep breath Castaneda waded back into the outstretched arms of Rosas to deliver punishment of his own.
In the end with a Spurs cap worn backwards his face showing the scuff marks of Rosa’s gloves Castaneda’s hand was raised in victory by referee Wilfredo Esperon. Two judges called the fight for Castaneda while the third had it even. It was the only time the red corner would suffer a defeat this evening.
23 year old Khurshid Abdullaev from Kyrgyzstan a country south of Russia, north of Afghanistan and east of China delivered the most devastating knockout of the evening. With just 5 bouts under his belt Abdullaev is being trained by one of the sport’s best trainers, former world champion Robert Garcia at his Oxnard, California gym. Working his corner was former champion Marco Antonio Rubio.
Abdullaev’s 39 year old opponent, Khalik Memminger from Killeen, Texas is not on anyone’s radar screen of interesting light middle weights unless you have a prospect whose record you want to pad. With just 6 wins over his 11 year career Memminger is one of those aging part time athletes who are willing to risk getting their brains scrambled for a few bucks. Memminger got knocked out cold at the :38 second mark of the third round after a big left cross. Abdullaev raced to the neutral corner grinning like the cat that ate the canary while referee Mark Calo-oy signaled the KO. To be fair Memminger did recently go the distance against West Point graduate Boyd Melson.
While politicians wrestle with immigration issues this fight card had no trouble welcoming fighters from around the globe. Abdullaev was joined by two time Mexican Olympian Oscar Valdez and Armenain Vic Darchinyan.
Valdez faced Rocco Espinoza, a very over matched but very well dressed future never was from Las Vegas. The fight ended when the opening bell rang though officially it ended at the 2:58 mark of the first round as Espinoza put up as much resistance as Kim Kardashian in a donut shop. Valdez took no mercy on his opponent delivering viscous body shots while pinning Espinoza against the ropes.
Apparently referee Wilfredo Esperon did take mercy early on as he called a standing 8 count just moments into the fight all the while Espinoza’s corner screamed "No standing 8’s, no standing 8’s". They must have thought this fight was going to be close. Valdez will face more limited talent as he develops the type of record that will eventually sell tickets. The formula is as old as boxing itself.
By the time Darchinyan entered the open air ring a cool night breeze picked up and the enthusiastic crowd was in the proper frame of mind for the main event. Working the champ’s corner was the most dangerous woman on the planet, Ronda Rousey, a classically trained martial artist who is the world’s reigning MMA bantamweight champion with two sanctioning bodies.
Darchinyan, an Amenian by way of Australia hasn’t faced an opponent with a losing record for nine years. Tonight would be no different with Javier Gallo of Tijuana, Mexico who brought his 17 wins (10KO) with 7 losses (3KO) record into the ring.
When publicists call a fighter game, or a hard hitter they are mostly pumping up a no chance fighter to help the promoter sell tickets. Gallo however is both a hard hitter and very game. Gallo rocked Darchinyan with a overhand right as Darchinyan’s reflexes at 37 years old are not what they once were. Though Darchinyan was clearly rocked he lived up to his nickname, "The Raging Bull", by pressing the action and moving forward.
Throughout the first round Gallo was able to score effectively with his over hand right even briefly tapping Darchinyan in his corner. A swift combination with a powerful left hand put Gallo down to open the second round who at one point during the count put both hands behind his head as if taking it all in was rather relaxing for him.
Darchinyan’s punches were combined with the look of absolute of a crazed serial killer. Not content to simply score with a punch he tried to deliver devastation with every punch thrown. A right hand sent Gallo to the canvass again were again he laid back on the canvass only to jump to his feet gamely before the count ended.
The third round ended with Gallo unable to connect on his punches and he ended up staggering back to his corner. Had Gallo failed to answer the call for the fourth round no one would have been surprised after the large amount of punishment he had sustained through the first three rounds. As the call for seconds to leave the ring was announced by Calo-oy Gallo stood as only real warriors will.
Darchinyan and Gallo met at the center of the ring and the punches of the Raging Bull again and again found their mark bloodying Gallo until another combination sent him to the canvass again. This time when he laid back from exhaustion the referee Calo-oy called the fight a TKO. Darchinyan showed his fallen opponent much respect when he visited his corner.
Darchinyan has his career back on track for a big payday and has placed his name in the mix to face Cuba’s Guillermo Rigondeaux the WBO and WBA Super Featherweight champion. After seeing the speed Rigondeaux beat Nonito Donaire with recently it may be the power of Darchinyan that will derail the champion.
As a fitting end to the evening the sky opened up and rain began pouring down two minutes after Darchinyan’s hand was raised in victory.