Darchinyan knocks out Gallo in "Solo Boxeo Tecate" main event

PanARMENIAN.Net - Former two-division world champion Vic Darchinyan knocked out Javier Gallo in the fourth round Saturday, May 11, winning his debut with promoter Top Rank in the main event of a "Solo Boxeo Tecate" card at Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo, Texas, espn.go.com reports.

Darchinyan (39-5-1, 28 KOs), a former flyweight and unified junior bantamweight champion, had earlier floored Mexico's Gallo (18-7-1, 10 KOs) three times in an action-packed second round, before finishing him with a straight left in the fourth at the 26-second mark.

Darchinyan, an Armenian native who has lived for years in Australia and now trains in Glendale, Calif., had his first fight under new manager Frank Espinoza, who signed the veteran fighter in April. Darchinyan looked sharp and dominated the fight throughout. After sending Gallo to the canvas twice in the second round, Darchinyan was rocked by Gallo, before dropping the Mexican fighter again right at the bell.

In the undercard, former Mexican Olympian Oscar Valdez stopped Rocco Espinoza at 2:58 of the first round in a fight where he quickly went to the attack and scored a couple of knockdowns before the fight was stopped.

For Valdez it was his fifth win as a pro fighter and the fourth by knockout, after turning pro last November.

The card was the first boxing event at Uni-Trade Stadium, the home of the Laredo Lemurs, an independent minor league baseball team.