Van Horn Ready to Run in Title Defense Today

Darrin Van Horn hopes the road work for his fight against John Jarvis is over.

But Van Horn, the International Boxing Federation super middleweight champion, knows otherwise. Van Horn, a 22-year-old champion with a 46-2 mark, has seen tapes of Jarvis’ bouts and fully expects his opponent to jab and dash, jab and dash.

“I think I’m going to have to go find him,” Van Horn said. “I’m going to try and make him feel every year of his (34-year-old) legs.”

The boxers meet today in a main-event title match at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine. The first fight of the card is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Jarvis discounted Van Horn’s assessment of his style.

“Where did they get that from?” he said. “Someone else is telling lies. I don’t know what he is going to do, I’m just prepared.”

Van Horn became a world title holder at 20 when he beat Robert Hines in February 1989 to take the IBF junior middleweight belt. He then lost a 12-round decision and the title to Gianfranco Rosi in July 1989. Van Horn’s only other defeat came against Rosi in a rematch in July 1990.

Van Horn won the IBF super middleweight title by knocking out Lindell Holmes in the 11th round on May 18, 1991.

Jarvis comes into today’s bout as the top-ranked challenger but with only half as many fights as Van Horn. Jarvis is 22-2 with 16 knockouts but has had only four fights since March 1988.

On the undercard:

Jose Castro (16-2) of Santa Ana takes on Marcos A. Ramirez (27-6) of Sonora, Mexico, in the 10-round lightweight bout.

Antoine Byrd (19-1) of San Diego battles Larry Musgrove (14-8) of Los Angeles in an eight-round super-middleweight bout.

Cash McCallum of Irvine, the former kickboxing world champion, continues to try to make a switch in careers. McCallum (1-0-1) faces Jaime Mungia of Tijuana in a four-round bout.

Tickets priced at $100, $50 and $25 are on sale at the box office today, and the doors open at noon.

The fight promoters, LBNT Pro Sports, have announced that actor Mickey Rourke will take on Frank Tate, a former Olympic Gold medalist, in a three-round exhibition bout before the main event.