Darchinyan Dominates Dimitri; Dirrell Destroys a Dome

Fight fans were busy last night with bouts broadcast on both HBO and Showtime. Let’s start with the Showtime, fast becoming my favorite of the two boxing-wise.

Showtime’s main event brought together two stellar junior bantamweights, Armenian-Australian Vic Darchinyan and Russian Dimitri Kirilov. Darchinyan predicted a knockout and made gone on his promise by felling Kirilov in the fifth to seize the IBF super flyweight title.

Darchinyan dominated the fight from the opening bell. His speed and punching power was too much for the overmatched Russian who looked to have left his much lauded boxing skills in St. Petersburg. Darchinyan connected often with a range of power punches, body shots, and straight lefts.

Darchinyan amped up his already vicious attack as soon as the bell rang to start the fifth peppering Kirilov with left hand combos which were smartly set up by terrific jabs. The final left in the flurry bloodied Kirilov’s nose and sent him to the canvas for an eight count.

Darchinyan then pounced on his opponent chasing him across the ring before knocking him down for good with an impressive left cross. Kirilov tried to stagger to his feet but could not.

In Showtime’s opener 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Andre Dirrell (15-0-0) remained undefeated by flooring super middleweight Mike Paschall (17-1-1) with a straight left half way through the fourth. The punch wasn’t enough to knock Paschall out but it did split open the tough Baltimore athlete’s forehead.

The ring doctor was called in the look at the cut while blood spewed from Paschall’s dome. Pachall, who had been giving Dirrell a good the fight up until that point, plead for the bout to continue but his entreaties fell upon deaf ears.

Despite the loss one thing was clear: Pachall is a tough dude.