Vic Darchinyan defended titles against Eric Barcelona

Review of May 20-27 sports events.

Boxing: WBC/WBA super flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan (35-2-1, 27 KOs) stepped up to bantamweight to take the vacant IBO bantamweight belt against Eric Barcelona (51-18-4, 19 KOs) on Thursday night at the Leagues Club in Parramatta, NSW, Australia. Darchinyan dropped Barcelona three times en route to a 120-103, 118-105 and 116-108 win. Barcelona was also deducted two points from low blows.

PanARMENIAN.Net - It was not an easy bout for Darchinyan, according to his coach. “Vic was fighting with a thumb injury but did not tell anything to the doctors, as he wanted this clash,” Vazgen Badalyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. “Vic is a perfect boxer and goal is to win many titles,” Badalyan said.

*

The venue dispute continues between super middleweights Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham. Froch continues to stand his ground against their Super Six showdown taking place in Germany. In a recent interview, Froch turned down the proposed neutral location of Sweden, and said the fight would have to take place in his hometown of Nottingham.

Chris Meyer, Managing Director for Abraham's promoter Sauerland Event, said the fight will not take place in America. Pursuant to the fight agreement, Abraham-Froch has to take place in Europe - unless the two parties reach a deal to hold it elsewhere.

*

Football: Armenia jumped above Estonia into third place in 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Group 2 after overcoming their hosts 3-2 in Tallinn.

FC Pyunik striker Gevorg Ghazaryan scored either side of a Davit Manoyan effort to give Flemming Serritslev's side the points. Kaimar Saag had equalised for the hosts, but Ken Kallaste's 81st-minute strike turned out to be little more than a consolation after the visitors had opened up a two-goal second-half advantage.

Both team started the match with attacking purpose, but it was Armenia who threatened most. Ghazaryan had already hit the post with a free-kick before following up Henrik Mkhitaryan's long-range effort to give his side the lead. Saag then chipped Edvard Hovhannisyan to level matters in the 32nd minute. Armenia retook the lead ten minutes after the break and although Siim Luts hit the bar soon after, Armenia were creating plenty of chances and Ghazaryan got his second midway through the half. Saag set up Kellaste to reduce the arrears late on, but Armenia held out for the points.

*

Armenia won a 3:1 victory in an international friendly vs. Uzbekistan on May 25. The goals were scored by Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Metalurg Donetsk forward) and Edgar Manucharyan.

*

March 2010 FIFA World Rankings were announced on May 26, showing Armenia to have dropped 1 point, moving to 100th place with 311 points.

*

Weightlifting: Misha Muradyan and Gor Minasyan (both in weight class +94kg) won silver and bronze respectively at the Youth Weightlifting Championships which finished in Valencia, Spain on May 23, 2010.

Earlier, Smbat Margaryan (weight class 56kg) won gold while Vladik Karapetyan (weight class 62kg) and Isabella Yalyan (weight class 53kg) won silver medals. Raffi Melikyan and Aren Nersesyan (both weight class 77kg) finished 5th and 6th respectively. Hamlet Poghosyan (weight class 94kg) came 5th.

*

Armenia weightlifting coach Ashot Mkhitaryan, 51, died of a heart attack in Zvartnots International Airport on May 23, when welcoming the youth weightlifting team returning from Valencia after the European Championships.

Mkhitaryan had trained the national team since 2006. Under his guidance, Armenia won 6 bronze medals at Olympic games in Beijing, as well as many gold and silver medals at European and World Championships.

*

Wrestling: Poznan (Poland) hosted freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling qualifiers for the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

Varos Petrosyan (weight class 85kg) won silver medal in Greco-Roman style, while Artak Hovhannisyan (weight class 46kg) won silver in freestyle wrestling.

Both of them have qualified for the First Youth Olympic Games due August 14-26 in Singapore. Armenia’s Gevorg Hambardzumyan (weight class 76kg) won bronze medal in freestyle wrestling.

Earlier, five Armenian sportsmen have qualified for the Olympic Games in Singapore.

*

Chess: Armenian grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian finished 7th at the U.S. Chess Championship. Melikset Khachiyan and Levon Altounian came 20th and 21st respectively. Gata Kamsky won the Championship, followed by Yuri Shulman and Hikara Makamura.

*

Armenian grandmaster Vladimir Akopian finished last at the Men's Grand Prix in Astrakhan. In the final round, Akopian tied a game with Russia's Dmitry Yakovenko, who came 3rd. Ukraine's Pavel Elyanov won the tournament, followed by Ruslan Ponomariov.

*

The International Ice Hockey Federation has suspended Armenia indefinitely due to eligibility issues with their men’s national team that participated in the 2010 IIHF World Championship Division III Group B in Yerevan, Armenia.

The member was on probation due to eligibility issues in the past. The Armenians used several ineligible players and are suspected of having submitted wrong information about players of American-Armenian double citizenship.

The results of all games involving the Armenian team do not count for the tournament. A final decision will be taken as soon as the investigation is fully completed.

Hasmik Babayan, Gohar Nalbandyan / PanARMENIAN News
 Most popular in the section
 At focus
Armenia’s Artur Davtyan advances to Gymnastics World Cup finals

Armenia’s Artur Davtyan advances to Gymnastics World Cup finals Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup.

 More articles in this section
The story of Judo When weakness is not a verdict
The way to championship Armenian athletes tell about struggle for medals
Armenian wrestlers share impressions on European Championship Armenia's Greco-Roman wrestling team headed by Olympic champion Levon Julfalakyan came back home with one gold and two bronze winners.
---