DARCHINYAN STOPS GABI TO RETAIN IBF FLYWEIGHT TITLE,

NUGAEV SCORES FIFTH-ROUND TKO OVER UNBEATEN MORA

ON A “SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION” DOUBLEHEADER

FROM THE CHUMASH CASINO RESORT IN SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA

Both Bouts to Be Replayed on SHO EXTREME Monday, March 6, at 8 PM ET/PT

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. (March 3, 2006) – In the second world title fight in “ShoBox” history, Vic Darchinyan successfully defended his International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight title for the third time by scoring an eighth-round TKO over IBF No. 3 contender Diosdado Gabi Friday on “ShoBox.”  In the junior welterweight co-feature from the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif., Rustam Nugaev dealt Anthony Mora his first defeat by recording a fifth-round TKO. 

SHOWTIME televised the Gary Shaw Productions doubleheader at 11 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast represented the 73^rd in the popular “ShoBox” series, which debuted on SHOWTIME in July 2001.  The exciting night of boxing also marked the 10^th time that a “ShoBox” broadcast took place at Chumash.

Darchinyan (25-0, 20 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, by way of Vanadvor, Armenia, floored Gabi with a punishing left-right combination to the head late in the eighth round.  After the courageous fighter got up from his first professional knockdown, referee David Mendoza waved the fight off at 2:42.

“Gabi was glassy eyed and his equilibrium was off,” Mendoza explained.

After retaining both his IBF and International Boxing Organization (IBO) crowns, Darchinyan praised his opponent.

“I could not believe Gabi took so many punches,” Darchinyan said.  “I was impressed.  He is a really good fighter with an impressive jab.  I saw he was tough after the first few rounds, so I started to move around more and wait for openings.  I gained more power with each round and felt stronger as the fight progressed.”

In his stateside debut and first pro start outside of Australia, Darchinyan captured the IBF 112-pound title with an 11^th-round TKO over defending champion Irene Pacheco on Dec. 16, 2004, in Hollywood, Fla. Darchinyan retained his IBF belt the first time and won the IBO crown with an eighth-round TKO over Mzukisi Sikali on March 27, 2005, in Homebush Bay, Australia. In his last outing, Darchinyan retained his title with a fifth-round TKO over Jair Jimenez on Aug. 24, 2005.

Gabi (26-3-1, 19 KOs), of Davao City, Philippines, held his own against the champion, but saw his 12-bout winning streak come to an end in his world title debut. Known as the “Prince of Flyweights” in the Philippines, Gabi, who left his wife and young son behind in their homeland, came to America in August 2005 to make a better life for his family.  In his United States debut, the hard-hitting contender recorded a fifth-round technical decision over Jose Tirado on Sept. 23, 2005, in Stockton, Calif. 

Nugaev (16-4, eight KOs), of Los Angeles, by way of Perm, Russia, recorded his third straight win by knockout by keeping Mora on the ropes for the majority of the bout.  Following a flurry of punches late in the fifth round, referee Jack Reiss called time and sent Mora to his corner.  After conferring with the ringside physician, Reiss stopped the bout at 2:39 of the fifth. 

“I was in control from the opening round,” Nugaev said.  “I am very satisfied with my performance.  I felt I won every round.”

In his last outing, Nugaev registered a sixth-round TKO over Luis Arceo to capture the World Boxing Association Latin America’s (WBA/LA) lightweight title on Sept. 16, 2005, in Atlanta.

Mora (15-1, 10 KOs), of Trenton, Colo., never got on track and appeared to feel the effects of dropping more than four pounds prior to the weigh-in on Friday.  After finishing fourth at the U.S.A. Nationals and second at the National Golden Gloves, he turned pro in 2000. Through 2002, Mora had fought 10 times. However, he has fought just five times since. Injuries slowed him in ‘04, but Mora returned with two wins in ’05. In his last start, Mora, despite going down in the sixth round, won an eight-round unanimous decision over Roberto Valenzuela on Jan. 31, 2006.