By Gerardo Granados: The fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez is almost a done deal. Marquez has already signed the contract and agreed to a 144 pound catchweight. A date has been set, November 12th, but Marquez will be facing Diaz first in July. If Diaz pulls off an upset or injures Marquez, then he would become another candidate for the upset of the year and will ruin the plans for the third bout between Marquez and Pacquiao.
Marquez-Diaz
Student gets a failing grade in the ring, the future for Juan Diaz?
By Kirk Jackson: Juan Diaz was outclassed in his rematch with Juan Manual Marquez last Saturday. It was apparent from the opening bell who was the student, and who was the teacher, as Marquez built up a huge lead and Diaz looked confused through out the majority of the fight. Perhaps a strategy mishap, a mental relapse, or both, Diaz looked like a fighter without that fire he once had earlier in his career. It also didn’t help Marquez did not show too many ill effects of his age or the one year lay off he had, even after suffering a defeat last year from the hands of Floyd Mayweather. Although not the physically prime fighter he once was, Marquez showed he still has the instincts, intelligence, technique and skill to control a fight. He did exactly that, controlling a large portion of the fight, snatching most of the early and middle rounds. To Diaz’s credit, he did put on a strong showing the last 3 rounds of the fight, but by that time it was too late.
Marquez deserves a third shot against Pacquiao, but will likely have to settle for Khan
By Chris Williams: There’s little question that WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KO’s) deserves a third fight against Manny Pacquiao, but unfortunately because Marquez doesn’t fight for Top Rank and Bob Arum hasn’t been particularly interested in matching Pacquiao back up with Marquez, boxing fans will likely have to settle for watching Marquez chase WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan around the ring for 12 round this December. Compared to the unlicensed Antonio Margarito, Marquez is much more deserving of a fight against Pacquiao, but that’s meaningless because Arum doesn’t seem at all interested in putting Pacquiao back in with Marquez.
Marquez fails to mention Khan’s name after Saturday’s win over Diaz
By Jason Kim: When naming fighters that he’d like to fight next, WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KO’s) failed to mention that of WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KO’s), who flew all the way over from the UK just to scout Marquez, and is hoping to get a fight against the aging star in December. Marquez, however, failed to mention Khan after the fight, saying “A trilogy with [Manny] Pacquiao is what I want and it should happen. It is my number #1 priority. I will be ready to fight again in November and hopefully Pacquiao takes the fight with me.” Khan will be ready to fight again in December, and he really needs a fighter like Marquez to step in the ring with him so that Khan can try and get a huge boost up in terms of becoming well known to American audiences.
Marquez says he wants to move up to light welterweight to try and win another title
By Jason Kim: Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KO’s) looked as good as ever on Saturday night, beating challenger Juan Diaz (35-4, 17 KO’s) by a 12 round unanimous decision at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Marquez, 36, hurt Diaz a number of times in the fight and was in command the entire way through. Diaz appeared to win only round – the 11th – and spent much of the fight throwing jabs and moving a lot. After the fight, Marquez said “One of the challenges is to move up to 140 [light welterweight] and become the first Mexican fighter in boxing history to win four titles in four divisions.” If Marquez plans on making good on that, he’ll have some tough fighters to pick from.
The future of Juan Manuel Marquez
By Kirk Jackson: The Warrior from Mexico City, Mexico, Juan ‘Dinamita’ Marquez, was victorious in his rematch against Juan ‘The Baby Bull’ Diaz retaining his status as Lightweight Champion of the World. Although this fight failed to match the hype and excitement of their first fight, it was still a great fight, just with a different flow to how the bout turned out.
At times he looked his age 36, with punches penetrating his defense, and towards the latter stages of the fight looked completely winded. But also at times, he showed the brilliance that has captivated many fans and purist alike, landing accurate 3 and 4 punch combinations, showing the skill, precision and power to hurt Diaz on many occasions through out the fight. His reflexes have slowed, his stamina isn’t quite where it used to be, he cuts and bruises a lot easier now at this stage of his career, but he still has the skill and ring savvy to overcome these hurdles in the ring.
Marquez decisions Diaz
By Chris Williams: WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KO’s) defeated former IBF/WBA/WBC lightweight champion Juan Diaz (35-4, 17 KO’s) by a 12 round unanimous decision in their rematch on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The final judges’ scores were 117-111, 116-112 and 118-110. Marquez, 36, was able to take advantage of Diaz, who opted to fight tentatively for the first nine rounds of the fight. However, Marquez tired out in the last two rounds, giving Diaz rounds 11th and 12th.
Will taking off weight hurt Marquez for the Diaz fight?
By Jim Dower: WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO’s) is coming off of a one-sided 12 round decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year in September, in a fight where Marquez had to put on nine pounds on his lean 135 pound frame to fight Mayweather a 144 lb catch weight fight. Putting on the weight slowed Marquez down dramatically, causing him to be slower and much more hittable against the blazing fast Mayweather. Marquez has now taken off the fight and will be fighting former lightweight champion Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KO’s) at 135 lbs this Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Juan Diaz hints at retirement if he loses to Marquez on Saturday
By Jason Kim: Former IBF/WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KO’s) hinted about retirement recently in an article at the Miamiherald.com. Diaz, only 26, has lost three out of his last five bouts and appears to be going downhill rather than still improving as a fighter. Diaz had this to say about his fight this Saturday night against Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO’s): “This fight here, a lot of people have been mentioning to me that it’s a do or die fight. Well, I don’t think it is a do or die fight. I think it’s a win-win situation because either I become a world champion once again and become a superstar or it opens up doors for me to do other things and focus on other aspects of my life.”
Marquez has to beat Diaz to get to Khan
By Jason Kim: WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO’s) has to get by Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KO’s) in their rematch next Saturday night in order to get to the fight that Marquez is looking forward to against World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KO’s). The Khan bout will give the 36-year-old Marquez a nice payday. The bad part about that fight is that Marquez, the much more established fighter, will have to move up in weight to fight Khan for his title rather than Khan coming down to Marquez’s weight and fighting for Marquez’s two lightweight titles. There hasn’t been any talk about Marquez fighting Khan at a catch weight, like Manny Pacquiao did in his win over WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto last year in November.