Vic Darchinyan to Defend Against Rodrigo Guerrero

Armenian-born, southpaw, WBA and WBC super flyweight (115 pounds) champion,Vic Darchinyan, of Austraila, will put his crowns on the line on March 6 against Rodrigo Guerrero in the main event of a Showtime-televised fight at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

The 34-year-old Darchinyan (33-2-1, 27 KOs) is making his fifth, consecutive appearance on Showtime and his 11th overall, having scored December's second-round knockout of Tomas Rojas.

The event, promoted by Gary Shaw (pictured, above, to the right), will also feature a 12-round, IBO lightweight (135 pounds) bout between Austrailia's fast-rising, undefeated Lenny Zappavigna (22-0, 15 KOs) and Fernando "La Fiera" Angulo (22-6, 14 KOs) of Venezuela.

Rojas was the 14th knockout over the course of the past 15 victories for Darchinyan, who rebounded from July's, IBF bantamweight (118-pounds) title loss to Joseph Agbeko by unanimous decision.

"I have a lot of possible big fights in the future, but I need to beat this guy up decisively first," said Darchinyan, who is 5-1-1, with five KOs since suffering a fifth-round knockout loss to Nonito Donaire in July 2007. "[Guerrero] is in way over his head. I'm going to sand-blast Guerrero into an early retirement. Viva Darchinyan!"


Nicknamed, "Gato," Guerrero (13-1-1, nine KOs) is a natural right-hander who is a switch-hitter. The 22-year-old Guerrero has an 11-fight winning streak that includes seven knockouts.

"This opportunity is what you live for. It's what you dream about, and I feel I'm ready for it. I'm a brawler. I come to fight. You're not going to see me box too much. Darchinyan is a big, strong guy with terrific power, so we know what he's about and what he likes to do," said Guerrero, who is coming off December's third-round knockout of Rey Lopez.

"I think the biggest key for a fight like this is not to be intimidated. You go in the first round and show him that you can bang with him, but you have to fight smart," said Guerrero. "I've prepared very well, and I feel that I can win this fight. I know it's a difficult fight, and it's a difficult task, but it's not an impossible one. I'm ready."

The 22-year-old Zappavigna will be making his Showtime debut and will be fighting on American soil for only the second time in his career.

Zappavigna, who is Italian, wears his hair like former world champion, Kostya Tszyu, of Austrailia -- that is, with a long, rat-tail that extends from the rear of his head down his back.

Zappavigna plans to fight like the late, former world champion, Arturo Gatti, against the 29-year-old Angulo, a loser of two, straight fights.

"I like to unleash a bunch of punches like Arturo, who was just a warrior," said Zappavigna, a former four-time national champion who went 72-9 as an amateur. "I've always loved Gatti. He always came to fight."

A former world title challenger, Angulo lost a WBA lightweight championship bid to Juan Diaz in November of 2006, ending a 13-fight winning streak.