36- year-old Armenian boxer Vic Darchinyan (37-4-1, 27 KOs) will meet up with recently-crowned WBC bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka (15-0-2, 11 KOs) in the fighter’s hometown of Tokyo, Japan.

Darchinyan and Yamanaka will meet at the Tokyo International Forum on April 6 but Vic is quick to point out that he has been welcomed with open arms upon his arrival to foreign soil.

“It feels good. The people are great,” Boxingscene.com quoted Darchinyan as saying. “Teiken Promotions have been great to work with. Mr. Honda is a total professional and it’s been a great to see that professionalism in boxing. Tokyo doesn’t feel like enemy territory, I have a lot of fans here in Japan. I couldn’t believe it when a fan brought six magazine covers that I have been on to have them signed. They really respect warriors and I am thankful that they think I am one.”

Asked if he feels as though he is being counted out at this stage of his career, Darchinyan said: “I don’t care about the doubters,” he continued. “I fight to win; I fight to win world titles and I fight for my fans. I’m going out to win against Yamanaka and win well. If I didn’t think I was going to win I would retire right now.”

As far as any personal opinions on Yamanaka's skills as a champion, Darchinyan admits that he is solid yet doesn’t seem the least bit concerned.

“He’s tough, good mover, uses the ring well; but he has never faced anyone like me,” Darchinyan said. “I am going to take him places that he has never been before. It’s going to be a breakdown then a knockout. As long as I put the breakdown before my love of the [knockout] I will never lose a fight. If I go for the [knockout] first I put the risk on losing. That’s been my mistake in the past and I need to fix it.”

“As long as I have the hunger to fight for world titles and know that I have the will to win I will be around till I’m fifty,” Darchinyan stated. “If I start to pick and choose opponents and I am not sure about fighting someone I will retire right now.”