Vicious Vic

You may not like his style, or his attitude. You may believe he’s overrated and that he’s not half the fighter he thinks he is. But you have to admire Vic Darchinyan’s willingness to risk everything it’s taken him years to attain in a bold attempt to make boxing history.

Darchinyan now holds the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation super flyweight titles. But when he fights in a nationally televised bout Saturday on Showtime, none of those belts will be at risk.

Instead, Darchinyan has abandoned them to challenge power-punching Joseph Agbeko for the IBF bantamweight belt. And if Darchinyan, who is ranked No. 7 in the current Yahoo! Sports boxing pound-for-pound poll, claims Agbeko’s belt in their bout in Sunrise, Fla., he has no plans to defend it. He’ll look to move up to super bantamweight to challenge for a belt at that weight class. Darchinyan, who also has held a world flyweight title, would challenge Manny Pacquiao if he were given the opportunity. It’s the kind of attitude sorely lacking in boxing, where too many fighters, as well as their managers and promoters, want to sit on the belt and take the easiest bouts possible.

Whatever his motivation, it’s the kind of attitude that is a boon to the sport and its fans.

“I can’t spend my career just defending, defending, defending,” Darchinyan said. “I have to move up in weight and go after more titles. I have the power to demolish anyone. I’m going to keep moving up.”

Now, it should be noted that Darchinyan hasn’t sought to avenge his only defeat, a stunning fifth-round knockout by Nonite Donaire in 2007. His promoter, Gary Shaw, says it’s because he only wants big fights and a Donaire rematch wouldn’t be a big fight for Darchinyan, though the fact that Donaire left Shaw for Top Rank probably has the most to do with it.

That’s a blight on Darchinyan’s record that he should correct, or at least attempt to correct. He shouldn’t let pettiness deter him from seeking that bout.

Other than that, though, Darchinyan deserves much credit. Boxing is a risky sport and he’s willingly increasing the risk so as to improve the reward.

I only wish more boxers had that attitude.

source.......yahoo sports