Abner Mares' Split-Decisions Dethrones Vic Darchinyan by Lem Satterfield - Fanhouse - 12th Dec 2010 In a fight that featured a knockdown by each fighter, unbeaten Mexican-born, Montebello, Calif., resident Abner Mares overcame bleeding over the left side of his forehead from a first-round clash of heads, as well as being dropped by a hard, straight left in the second-round to dethrone Armeninan-born southpaw IBO and WBC silver bantamweight titlist Vic Darchinyan of Australia by split-decision on Saturday night from the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash., as part of of the Showtime network's four-man, bantamweight semifinals. Mares won, 115-to-111, and, 115-112, respectively, on the cards of Tom McDonough, and, Alan Krebs, with Glen Hamada scoring it for Darchinyan, 115-111. This content is protected A former holder of belts from the IBF flyweight (112 pounds), and, WBC, WBA and IBF super flyweight (115 pounds) organizations, the 34-year-old Darchinyan (35-3-1, 27 KOs) brought the early intensity to the the 25-yera-old Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs), who bled profusely, throughout, from an apparent clash of heads that dripped blood down the left side of his face. "I obviously knew that it was going to be a split-decision because I closed again like I always do. I showed that I could close rounds, you know, championship rounds. I told you guys that it was going to be a totally different fight than people thought. People thought that I was going to be boxing, but it was me pushing the fight back," said Mares. "It was a hard fight. It was my hardest fight ever. I'm just thankful and glad, man. Our plan since the beginning was to push him back because we know that he likes to bully people. So our plan was to push him back," said Mares. "But knockdowns happen. I got caught with a shot. It was a quick knockdown and I got right back up, you know? I wasn't hurt at all, thank God." Mares was coming off May's disputed, majority draw with Colombian-born IBF championYonnhy Perez (20-1-1, 14 KOs), who lost the rematch of his second defense of his crown in the main event against Africa's Joseph Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs), the man Perez won the belt from by unanimous decision on Halloween of 2009. Mares will face the winner Agbecko, a winner by 115-113, 116-112, and, 117-111, respectively, on the cards of Glen Feldman, Glen Hamada, and, Alan Krebs. Mares was having some success, largely to the body, in the second round when he was briefly dropped, yet rose, from a straight left hook by Darchinyan that re-opened the cut over Mares' forehead. Darchinyan continued to fight in retreat over the third, fourth, and, fifth rounds. In the third, Darchinyan targeted and timed the desperately onrushing Mares, who often ran into left uppercuts and straight lefts, all the while bleeding profusely from the damage. A point was deducted from Mares by referee Robert Howard in the fourth round, even as Darchinyan pulled down Mares' head as Mares dug four consecutive punches to the older man's midsection. Darchinyan slightly controlled the fifth-round action prior to a big right hand rocking Darchinyan near the end of the round. Mares picked up where he left off in the sixth, trapping Darchinyan with a series of punches along the ropes. The two fighters traded left hands at one point, with Mares' blow appearing to be more potent. By the end of the sixth, Mares' body attack appeared to be affecting Darchinyan, who alternately grabbed even as he landed three, thunderous left hands near the end of the round. Mares was credited with a seventh-round knockdown following a grazing, counter-left hand that appeared to catch Darchinyan off balance. Replays showed that the punch was a left-jab by Mares, and, that it was, indeed, the reason Darchinyan hit the canvas. The eighth was difficult to call, with each of the fighters trading equally as the deep gash over Mares' head continued to drip blood. Mares took control again during the ninth, landing an early left hand and following that up with a fierce body attack which regained the momentum that carried him into the 10th, 11th and 12th.
Vic's got heart, but was definitely tiring towards the later rounds. Was a close fight and could have gone either way. Also don't think his power at 118 is as significant compared to at FW.
As reported by Bad Left Hook . com - Abner Mares SD-12 Vic Darchinyan: It's easily the biggest win in the young career of Abner Mares (21-0-1, 13 KO), who largely outboxed Darchinyan (35-3-1, 27 KO) en route to a close win on scores of 114-112, 115-111 and 111-115. Bad Left Hook had it 114-112 for Mares, who overcame an early deficit a la Marquez-Pacquiao I, only this time it didn't end in a draw. In fact, there really were plenty of parallels between the two fights. Mares went down in the second round on a left hand and lost a point early on for low blows. He was also busted open pretty badly on his hairline in the first round as the result of an accidental head clash. But he fought through the blood, fought through Darchinyan using more lateral movement than I can ever recall, and in the end he wore Darchinyan out. Vic fought the last few rounds on fumes and looked desperate. Darchinyan did his usual bit after the fight, which frankly is always just whiny when he loses. But we're talking about the guy who says Nonito Donaire didn't knock him out, so what can you expect? I felt Mares definitely deserved to win the fight, and that 115-111 for Darchinyan was borderline silly. This was a Fight of the Year contender, and really had a little bit of everything. Drama, power punching, blood, shifts in momentum, chippiness. Like the Khan-Maidana fight, I felt this was poorly refereed -- over-refereed would be the correct term, I think. But like Khan-Maidana, the fight was too good to get weighed down by the third man.
I was at the fight sitting pretty close and I gotta admit, I though Vic won it, about 7-5 with the deductions. It was close and Mares' body work paid off but it was to little to late in my book.
Watched the video & didn't really have a problem with the decision. High quality fight between two quality fighters. One on the way up, the other doing his best to stay there. I'm disappointed for Vic but he'll get another chance to put himself back in the mix at 118 if he can beat Yonnhy Perez. Congratulations to Abner Mares.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...archinyan-defeat/story-e6frg7mf-1225969825087 Will be interesting to see what comes out of this. I thought Vic done enough to win the fight.
One thing that did **** me was the ref warning Vic for using his right hand as a range-finder. What gives there? He's been doing that his whole career and that's the first time he's ever been warned for it. Vic is not a prolific jabber, so the referee taking that aspect of his game off him was very harsh imo. Not making excuses because as I said, I don't have a problem with the decision going to Mares, but where the **** did the ref pull that call from? Tszyu did the same thing his whole career as well and has just made it into the hall of fame. Either the ref knows the rule book better than me or he ought to get his arse kicked.
It is an illegal tactic, and boxers do get warned for using the stiff-arm at times. You don't see it as often because big-name boxers tend to get the benefit of the doubt with it - like star NBA players who never have traveling called on them. Wladimir Klitschko takes **** for it from fans all the time. He's the p4p king of that tactic, and everybody's always screaming for referees to caution him or take a point but of course in Germany that would never, ever happen.
Rather than tell me "it is an illegal tactic" what I'd like to see is the section of the rule book the referee applied to make the call. Tszyu was never warned for it in his entire career. Nor has Darchinyan been - until yesterday. Using the left (or in Vic's case, right) as a range-finder is a common eastern-European amateur trait which is obviously where these guys picked it up. In the absence of a clear provision in the rule book that prohibits it, it's a bs call imo.
Actually, the discretionary instructions of the third man in the ring are to be followed at all times. So even if it weren't in a rulebook (which I'm 95% sure it is, and honestly don't ****ing feel much bothered to investigate on your behalf) it is still something a fighter can be warned and penalized for.
I didn't have a problem with the decision but I did with the referee. Watching on a 4" X 4" stream is not the best way to score a fight but the ref seemed to be in their face the whole fight, & how he missed those continuous low blows has GMF. :twisted: He was a major distraction IMO, to both fighters, & looked like he was doing an Am Golden Gloves tourny instead of elite pro's :twisted:
Sitting in the crowd it really was hard to tell who was winning some of the rounds, but to me Vic was landing the more telling blows and Mares lost a point, so I gave it to Vic but Mares was coming on strong late, but as I said before, to little, to late.