Boxing: Darchinyan Rages Again

Sunday Telegraph, Australia
March 5, 2006 Sunday 
First Edition

AUSTRALIA'S Vic "Raging Bull" Darchinyan yesterday retained his
International Boxing Federation flyweight championship in California.

It was an impressive night for Australian boxing in the US, with
Melbourne's Sam Soliman also winning in powerful style.

The undefeated Sydney-based Darchinyan knocked out Diosdado Gabi in
the eighth round at the Chumash Casino Resort, north of Los Angeles.

Both fighters went into the world title bout with tough reputations,
with Darchinyan knocking out his previous six opponents. Gabi, from
The Philippines, had won his last 12 fights and never been knocked
out before being dropped by Darchinyan's powerful left hand.

Darchinyan now has a professional record of 25 wins, 20 by knockout,
and no losses.

Gabi has 26 wins (18ko), three losses and one draw.

At Temecula, south of Los Angeles, Soliman knocked out American Raul
Munoz in the sixth round of a non-title fight.

Soliman was a late replacement, flying in from Melbourne on Tuesday
after Munoz's planned opponent, former welterweight champion Vernon
Forrest, pulled out with an injury.

Soliman battered Munoz into submission with relentless punches, forcing
the referee to stop the fight when Munoz was unable to defend himself.

* Bulli Blaster Shannan Taylor today fights fearsome middleweight
Arthur Abraham for the IBF world middleweight title in Oldenburg,
Germany.

Taylor is given virtually no chance against the undefeated
Armenian-born world champ, who says he will crack America after
cracking the Australian.

Abraham has promised to end the fight within six rounds although
Taylor says he will return fire immediately.