No Trouble for Van Horn in Victory Over Amarillas

The last time former two-time world champion Darrin Van Horn fought under the glare of television lights, the night ended with him on his back, staring up at them--and Iran Barkley.

Friday night at the Country Club in Reseda, Van Horn saw the bright lights from an upright position. He battered journeyman Martin Amarillas of Pico Rivera for 10 rounds in winning a unanimous decision in a light-heavyweight bout.

The fight was Van Horn’s second since being knocked out by Barkley in January in an International Boxing Federation super middleweight championship fight.

G.L. Van Horn, his father, trainer and manager, said a deal to fight Barkley again will be signed next month.

In the meantime, Van Horn (49-3) will continue to fatten up his record against fighters like Amarillas (10-8), whom Van Horn referred to as Ruben after the fight.

“Tonight, that Ruben showed he’s a tough guy,” Van Horn said. “His name was Ruben, wasn’t it?”

Two judges scored it, 97-93, for Van Horn, but the third gave him the fight by a score of only 96-95.

“It’s like a track star,” Van Horn said. “You run in the Olympics and then all of a sudden find yourself running on a high school track. That’s what this fight was for me. It was so hard to take it seriously.”

Van Horn is a former IBF super-welterweight and super-middleweight champion.