The champion has a knockout punch and the challenger is a boxing champion in two lower weight classes and possesses his own brutal power, but that hasn’t stopped SecondsOut’s team of fearless writers from making their confident picks for Saturday’s IBF bantamweight world title match between Joseph Agbeko and Vic Darchinyan at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida, televised in the USA on Showtime Championship Boxing.
“This will be a shoot out - yielding great two-way action for fans. Despite the leap in weight, I’m going with Darchinyan by TKO 7. The transplanted Armenian has fought the better competition, on bigger stages...experience will be the key. Darchinyan W.TKO.7.”
- Gregory Juckett, Content Editor - New York, USA
“This fight has the potential to be a Marvelous Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns type thriller. Both Darchinyan and Agbeko have impressive records. This is a quality match and whoever wins will be highly praised. These are the types of contests boxing fans want to see: Knockout punchers trying to make history with a world title on the line. It should be explosive as long as it lasts, but Darchinyan’s more accurate punches will prove to be the difference. Vic lands early and hits hard and wins by third round knockout. It will be a memorable fight. Darchinyan W.KO.3.”
- Paul Upham, Content Editor - Sydney, Australia
“To say that Darchinyan has been on a roll recently would be an understatement and his dismantling of Jorge Arce and Christian Mijares in his last pair of fights were both highly impressive victories. Agbeko is a big puncher and he’ll fancy his chances on Saturday but Darchinyan is faster, probably stronger and his thunderous left hand will damage his opponent as the Ghanaian takes risks to land his own power. This should be a great fight and I can see both guys getting hurt but Darchinyan is just too good to lose this contest. Darchinyan W.TKO.7.”
- Michael Norby, Contributing Editor - New England, USA
“This is a superb contest. Darchinyan brings excitement whenever he enters the ring. The heavy-handed southpaw will be pushed all the way by the busy Agbeko who will try to deny his challenger breathing space for the full 12-rounds. But ultimately Darchinyan’s extra dig and big fight experience will be the key. Darchinyan W.12.”
- Mark Butcher, Founding Editor - London, UK
“I think I said this last time, Darchinyan’s style reminds me a little of Joe Calzaghe. They both have a way of almost daring the opponent to hit them by leaning in and not getting hit. Darchinyan will be hard to beat. Vic by decision. Darchinyan W.12.”
- Jerry Glick - New York City, USA
“On paper this one looks tough, this kid Agbeko has only one blemish with 26 wins and 22 knockouts. I have never seen him fight however and I do know plenty about Vic having called on TV him winning the world title over Irene Pacheco back in my home state of Florida. Vic is always going to be a bit suspect because he is so reckless and he did suffer the KO loss to Nonito Donaire. Usually these kids from Accra, Ghana in Africa are really tough but a bit stiff and a bit one dimensional and based on that and the fact I what we do know about Vic I will pick him to win, however remember what I said earlier, he is always a bit suspect, but boy is he fun to watch. . Darchinyan to win.”
- James Smith aka. Smitty, Host, In This Corner TV - USA
“A real toss-up, I can’t wait for it. I see a hard fought battle with Darchinyan taking advantage of his awesome power, but suffering all through the twelve rounds. Darchinyan W.UD.12.”
- Juan Pablo Manfredi - Buenos Aires, Argentina
“Two years ago, most of us were writing Darchinyan off as a wild, awkward and ultimately, limited brawler. Now, moving up to snag another division title after unifying the junior bantam belts, the guy’s on the cusp of being an upper tier Pound for Pound candidate. The Mijares fight slapped a lot of folks upside the head, myself included. Darchinyan had matured his unorthodox style in light of his loss to Donaire, and in addition to his signature pit bull-like aggression and club-fisted power, the Armenian’s crafty footwork and smartly picked and placed shots were much more evident. Agbeko’s a solid boxer all around, but he doesn’t have any one strength that’s going to help him solve the Darchinyan puzzle or turn back the challenger’s relentless assault. Darchinyan by late TKO.”
- Sean Waisglass - Canada
“Stellar match-up! Vic Darchinyan is one of the hottest fighters in the sport right now after stopping Kirilov, Mijares, and Arce. He’s even hotter than his conqueror Nonito Donaire. Vic truly has elevated his game to superstar status and with his rugged determination and chilling power it’s hard to pick against him. King Kong Agbeko is a pretty underrated fighter in his own right. However, it’s his inactivity that has made this so. Agbeko throws excellent combinations and has a nice counter right hand that I could see him ending the night with if Darchinyan isn’t careful. His downfall is that he is quite hittable as we saw in his title defense against William Gonzalez. That fight could have gone either way and Agbeko took as much as he dished out. Can he withstand taking so much punishment against a natural punching like Darchinyan? We’ll see. My hunch is that we end up with a shootout that both guys get stunned in, but never enough for the stoppage to come. Darchinyan W.UD.12.”
- Derek Bonnett - Connecticut, USA
“Interesting fight. I don’t see it going the distance regardless of how good a fighter Agbeko is. Darchinyan is the real deal among the little guys and I see him landing a brutal loopy overhand right in the fourth. Agbeko will be hurt badly and taken out shortly thereafter. Darchinyan wins via TKO in the fourth. Darchinyan W.TKO.4.”
- Mike Sloan - Las Vegas, USA
“Only Manny Pacquiao has been on a hotter streak than the Raging Bull. Like Pacquiao, I expect Darchinyan to bring his power with him as he climbs the scale. Agbeko will have his moments early, but he won’t be able to stop Darchinyan from coming forward. Darchinyan W.KO.10.”
- Jason Pribila - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
“I believe Darchinyan will knock Agbeko out, maybe not in the first half of the fight but towards the end. I have actually turned into a real Vic-fan lately and simply can’t see him lose at this stage of his career. I predict an eight round KO for the gritty, Australian based Armenian. Darchinyan W.KO.8.”
- Teddy Stenmark - Sweden
“Vic is on a roll and I expect him to take that form into this tough fight and win a close but deserved decision. Darchinyan W.12.”
- Jamie Ellison - UK
“Joseph Agbeko versus Vic Darchinyan. King Kong versus the Raging Bull. Prediction? Pain. For the fighters, at least. And joy for the fans, as this figures to be one of the most exciting fights of a tremendous year for boxing. In addition to the all-action styles of the fighters, the unknowns for this fight fuel the intrigue. Can Agbeko solve Darchinyan’s spider style and utilize his size and strength? How will Vic handle his biggest opponent since his early days in Australia, especially one who is so strong and determined? Can Agbeko take Darchinyan’s punch? Can Darchinyan take Agbeko’s? The answer will come Saturday night and, though no result would surprise me, I expect Darchinyan’s experience, higher level of competition and awkward style to prove too much for the warrior from Ghana. I like the fighter with the better movie for a nickname to be the better fighter in the ring. I expect a lot of ebb and flow, a lot of big bombs, and ultimately, a late Darchinyan knockout as he continues his recent impressive run. Darchinyan W.TKO.10.”
- Scott Kraus - Morristown, NJ, USA
Total:
JOSEPH AGBEKO = 0
VIC DARCHINYAN = 14
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