Roots And Vic Darchinyan

Flyweight champion refuses to forget

A little success and it’s don’t look back for most men yesterday was then, today is now, just give me one shot at tomorrow but not for undefeated IBF/IBO flyweight champion and proud son of Armenia Vic Raging Bull Darchinyan.

Last week Darchinyan returned to the country of his birth on a humanitarian visit. The champ visited the Vardashen No.1 Special Educational Complex in the capital Yerevan. The children in the school are from families too destitute to support them, or are children who displayed behavior anti-social enough to warrant seclusion from the population at large.

Over 70 of these children crowded around Darchinyan, to get an autograph, to have a photo taken with the boxing star, to touch and be touched by a winner.

I admire Vic and watch each and every fight of his on TV, said 12-year-old Asatur Hakobyan. He was never knocked down and can beat anyone in the world!

Sam Mamikonyan, age 16, held up his huge hands and said, We compared fists and Vic told me I have great physical potential to be a boxer. I think I’ll start to think seriously about boxing now.

According to Reuters, the head of the school, Larisa Sargsyan, was glad the champ stopped by. Vic’s visit has had a serious psychological impact on our children, she said. They feel really privileged that a world champion came to visit them. This is especially important for the children in Vardashen who need attention and contacts with the outside world, especially with people who can serve as role models for them.

Darchinyan shared his childhood memories and recalled how an ordinary boy from Lori who just loved to fight realized his dream of becoming a world-famous boxing champion.