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PHOTO BY MIKE BLAIR

BOXING DAY. Kenny Ellis and David Banks square off in their fight at the Emerald Queen Casino Aug. 2.

The reality: not so fast

Ellis comeback slowed down by star of ESPN series

By Rick Walter

Kenny Ellis, who has been fashioning a comeback after a three-year layoff, lost a unanimous decision against David Banks, the Portland boxer best known from the ESPN reality series, “The Contender,” (60-54, 59-55, 58-56) at Emerald Queen Casino Aug. 2.

Ellis, 38, had won a six-round light-heavyweight bout on June 28 against Jonathan Corn to start his return to the ring, after quitting the game with a 34-6-3 record and 24 knockouts. But he could not get early control of this fight, as he had earlier in the summer.

Later, Sydney-based Armenian Vic Darchinyan easily outclassed Russian champion Dimitri Kirilov in five rounds of their IBF world junior bantamweight title bout on the main card.

The 32-year-old former Olympian’s performance, in which he became the first boxer to stop Kirilov, has confirmed Darchinyan’s growing stature.

Ahead 40-36 on all three official scorecards after the opening four rounds, Darchinyan showed that his pre-fight vow to knock out Kirilov was more than just talk when he dropped him with a left hand for the second time in the fifth round, ending the fight at the 1:05 mark of the fifth and giving Darchinyan his 30th win – and the 24th by knockout – in 32 fights since turning professional.

“I trained hard,” Darchinyan said. “One year ago, I lost my IBF flyweight world title belt. After that, my son was born. I want to give this new IBF world title belt to him.”

While Darchinyan has campaigned for a rematch with Nonito Donaire in a bid to avenge his only defeat, he now wants a bout with WBC/WBA world super-flyweight champion Cristian Mijares from Mexico.

As for Ellis, he will regroup and continue to work out in Auburn.

“I really don’t feel any slower than I was three years ago. I’m a lot stronger and I have a lot of experience,” said Ellis.

Greg Haugen, an Auburn native and former three-time world champion, is his trainer. Brian Halquist is his promoter.

Haugen, a three-time world champion, is impressed with Ellis’ conditioning. Before the fight he had said, “Kenny can fight with the best of them when he’s in shape.” Halquist thinks there is another title run left in Ellis.

“He is as dedicated as I’ve ever seen him and he is in as good a shape as he’s ever been,” Halquist said.

The lefthanded Darchinyan dominated the first three rounds.

Kirilov showed a little spunk in the fourth, but Darchinyan punished him in the fifth, throwing three quick punches and sending Kirilov to the mat for the first time 30 seconds into the round, resulting in a standing eight count, then ended it with a left-handed shot to the head.

In the other co-main event, 2004 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist Andre Dirrell defeated Mike Paschal in a matchup of undefeated super middleweights. Dirrell, 24, raised his record to 16-0, while dropping Paschal to 17-1-1 with four KOs.

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