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  The Raging Bull Charges the Desert
  

  RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Vic Darchinyan looks to defend his WBC/WBA super flyweight titles tomorrow night when he takes on Mexico’s Rodrigo Guerrero at the Agua Caliente Casino as part of Showtime’s “ShoBox: The New Generation.”

  Arguably one of the most exciting fighters in all of boxing, the Armenian-born southpaw (33-2, 27 KO’s), will be making his fifth consecutive appearance on Showtime and 11th overall.

  “This is a good fight for me and a fight where I will showcase all my skills – not just a punch. I feel really good and had a great training camp. I plan to do everything — box, think and stay calm,” the 34 year-old Australian-based Darchinyan said.

  Darchinyan will be looking to build on his December 2009, two-round knockout of journeyman Thomas Rojas. Of “The Raging Bull’s” past 15 fights, 14 have come via the knockout.

  He also offered some praise to Guerrero (13-1-1, 9 KOs), who has won 11 fights in a row and will be making his United States ring debut.

  “Guerrero is a good kid and he’s fought a couple good fighters and done very well. There’s no way I’m going to underestimate him. I think he has a future in boxing, but it won’t begin until after I beat him on Saturday,” Darchinyan said. “I don’t want to talk about any possible fights for me in the future. My main focus is on Guerrero and defeating a determined, young opponent. I am here and ready to do my job. If the knockout comes, it comes. But it is going to come. He will feel my power.”

  With only 15 professional fights on his resume, Guerrero will be looking to surprise the boxing world by leaving the desert with a victory.

  “I am really happy and excited for this opportunity – my chance of a lifetime. This is what I have waited for my whole life and I am confident of doing well,” Guerrero said. “I know a lot of people may not have heard of me, but I guarantee I am not here to fall down in the first or 12th round – or any round, for that matter. People and fans who have never seen me fight are saying I’m no good. I believe they are all in for a surprise, a really big surprise.”

  Guerrero continued:

  “Everyone has an opinion, but the negative talk has only given me more motivation. And I didn’t need any more motivation. Fighting for two world titles was enough. Darchinyan is a great fighter with a lot of power. But, watch and see, I can fight and I have power, too. This is going to be a great fight.’’

  Seating capacity for the night is set at 2,000 and tickets starting as low as $45 are still available.

  For ticket information, call the Agua Caliente Casino box office at (760) 833-8120 or Star Tickets at (800) 585-3737 or visit their websites. Agua Caliente is located just 90 miles east of Los Angeles.

  Doors will be open at 3 p.m. to get the undercard started, one of which will feature Glendale’s Art Hovanessian (10-0-1, 5 KO’s) as he takes on Anthony Mora (15-5, 10 KO’s) in a lightweight bout. The co-main event and main event will begin at 6 p.m.

  DISH Network will be the only cable provider showing the fight live on Showtime at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on DISH 318. All other cable providers will be televising the fight on tape delay at 9 p.m. PST.

  Yerevan Magazine will be reporting from press row at the Agua Caliente Casino. Check back for a full-length report under our Sports Blog. To read the latest news for the Arthur Abraham vs. Andre Dirrell fight, click here.

  
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• Sports

  Abraham vs. Dirrell Postponed to March 27; Fight Site up in Limbo
  

  Due to a back injury suffered by Andre Dirrell at training camp, his much anticipated fight vs. Arthur Abraham has been postponed to March 27 and is now looking at the possibilities of a new venue because of a scheduling conflict at the Agua Caliente Casino.

  “I was naturally disappointed in the first moment when I heard that Andre Dirrell had an injury, but to box three weeks later is a good alternative,” said Abraham. “I look forward to my second fight in the USA and want to again inspire the American public.”

  The fight was originally scheduled to take place March 6 with Vic Darchinyan headlining the undercard.

  The postponement now allows Gary Shaw Productions and Sauerland Event, Abraham’s managing and promoting team, to work with Showtime and push the fight to a more accommodating location instead of the 2,000 seat site at the Agua Caliente Casino, who is hosting a show by the Doobie Brothers on the newly-announced date.

  Abraham/Dirrell tickets were promptly sold out after they were made available to the public on Jan. 30 and demand for them has been at a premium during the ensuing weeks. For profitability and marketing reasons, this might have been exactly what both camps were hoping for as they can now move to a larger venue. However, John Beninati, matchmaker for Gary Shaw Productions, told Yerevan Magazine that the final decision for a venue change is not yet 100 percent.

  With the likelihood that the Agua Caliente will be ousted as the hosting site, it is unclear whether the fight would be moved away from the Los Angeles area altogether, where Abraham’s growing Armenian contingency now awaits the final verdict and the possibility of grim news of not seeing their compatriot first hand.

  The Honda Center in Anaheim, host to several marquee boxing matches in previous years, shows March 27 as an open date on their website. The Home Depot Center in Carson and the Staples Center are out as viable options as they will be hosting games to soccer and hockey that night.

  As Dirrell is given an additional three weeks to recover from his back injury – one of which the severity is still unknown, Vic Darchinyan will now be featured as the main event for March 6 as he defends his WBA/WBC Super Flyweight belt against Mexican Rodrigo “Gato” Guerrero at the Agua Caliente.

  Abraham – who turns 30 years-old tomorrow – will likely prolong his stay in the United States. He is currently training out of Palm Springs, Calif.

  Yerevan Magazine will have more developments as soon as it is made available to them.

  
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• Sports

  Arthur Abraham & Andre Dirrell Talkin’ Trash
  

  The barbing between Arthur Abraham and Andre Dirrell is off to a jagged start as the fighters and their camps have begun a series of heated exchanges in preparation of their March 6 showdown.

  Dirrell (18-1, 13 KO’s) is eagerly awaiting the confrontation and looking to prove his skeptics wrong following a loss to Carl Froch in his last bout.

  “The end of Camelot is near,” Dirrell said. “It’s off with ‘King Arthur’s’ head on March 6.”

  “Andre is going to pull the sword out of the stone and stab it straight into King Arthur’s ego,” said Gary Shaw, Dirrell’s promoter.

  With the unproven Dirrell recklessly swinging for the verbal TKO, Abraham (31-0, 25 KOs) as is his demeanor, took a more modest and humbled approach to his pre-fight smack talk as the “King” looks to solve “The Matrix.”

  “I need two more victories to secure my place in the semifinals and I will start with Dirrell,” he said. “He is a very skilled, yet very awkward fighter. It will be a difficult challenge but together with my coach Ulli Wegner we have developed an idea how to beat him.”

  Not to be outdone, Kalle Sauerland, Abraham’s promoter said his boxer is “the most explosive fighter in world boxing.”

  “He can’t wait to get his stateside campaign going in the US and he will deliver another spectacular fight against Dirrell,” Sauerland said. “Gary Shaw and his troops better watch out – the Abrahammer is on his way to catch Dirrell. Here come another three points.”

  Heading into Group Stage 2 of the Super Six World Boxing Classic, Abraham leads the round-robin tournament featuring six of the world’s elite super middleweights.

  Armenian-born southpaw Vic Darchinyan (33-2, 27 KO’s) will also fight the same night and headline Showtime’s undercard as he faces off against Mexico’s Rodrigo Guerrero (13-1, 9 KOs) for Darchinyan’s WBC/WBA junior bantamweight title.

  Tickets at the Agua Caliente Casino are officially sold out. Showtime will televise both fights on tape delay at 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

  
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• Sports

  Coming to America Part Deux
  

  He’s baaack! Almost two years removed from a resounding debut in the United States, King Arthur Abraham will return for a good ole’ helping of American seconds when he faces off against Andre Dirrell for his bout in Group Stage 2 of the Super Six World Boxing Classic.

  Set to take place March 6 at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, Calif., Abraham (31-0, 25 KOs) boarded a plane to Los Angeles yesterday morning along with trainer Ulli Wegner, his chef, masseur and the rest of the camp to resume preparation for his much anticipated return to America.

  “Without question, I am thrilled with the fact that I will be fighting in Los Angeles. It gives a chance for all of my Armenian fans to see me fight first hand and for me to put on a performance for them,” Abraham said in an exclusive interview. “I want all of my Armenian fans in Los Angeles to come to the fight on March 6 and support me in my quest in defeating Dirrell.”

  Dirrell (18-1, 13 KOs) is a 2004 US Olympian bronze medalist and is coming off a much debated split-decision loss in his most recent bout against Carl Froch. When asked if Dirrell could pose any serious threat to his potential Super Six throne, the King was quick to set the pre-fight record straight. He said:

  “Andre Dirrell can’t give me a serious fight. He is not a fighter. He’s a dancer. He’s more of a technical fighter with fast feet who tries to escape the point of attack. His technique is punch, grab, run and repeat. When I cut the ring in half, we’ll see where he’ll end up going.”

  Abraham fought in the US for the first time in June 2008. Florida was where he put an exclamation point on the Edison Miranda chapter, knocking out the Colombian in the fourth round after much fanfare to their epic battle in 2006.

  By competing in the Super Six World Boxing Classic, the 29 year-old Abraham is in the most defining stretch of his career in which he aims to achieve global recognition. Of the Berlin resident’s 31 fights, 29 have been held in Germany.

  “After I win this tournament, I want the world to know of Arthur Abraham,” he said.

  He currently leads the round-robin tournament that features six of the world’s elite super middleweights with three points for his 12th-round knockout win against Jermain Taylor, the former undisputed middleweight champion.

  “I hope the entire arena will be filled to the rafters with Armenians, so that the boxing world will be amazed that an Armenian fighter out-drew an American fighter in his own country.”

  Armenian-born southpaw Vic Darchinyan (33-2, 27 KO’s) will also fight the same night and headline Showtime’s undercard as he faces off against Mexico’s Rodrigo Guerrero (13-1, 9 KOs) for Darchinyan’s WBC/WBA junior bantamweight title.

  Tickets for the night are officially sold out. Showtime will televise both fights on tape delay at 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

  Editor’s Note: The interview with Arthur Abraham was conducted in its entirety in Armenian and translated into English.

  
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