You know a fight is damn good if I'm screaming at the top of my lungs, past midnight. That out of the way, what a fight. What a sensational fight. What an incredible fight...
Round 1: Juan Manuel Marquez starts off pretty good, pretty solid, and after about fifteen seconds or so, Juan Díaz does what he does best, throw punches. Few people can put more pressure on an opponent than Juan Díaz when he is focused. Think Paul Williams, think Antonio Margarito, but put quicker combinations to that equation.
The first three rounds were close the very definition of close. But you had to give them to Juan Díaz. Maybe the third round escaped from his grasp, but for the most part, Díaz was getting the best of the best fighter in the world. Commentators said ooohs and aaaahhhs about Díaz's combination punches, especially a left hook that for some reason was catching Marquez flush two out of five times.
More praise for The Baby Bull's combination punching from the commentators but something else was mentioned. The fact that Juan Manuel Marquez is one of the smartest boxers ever to lace up a pair of gloves. The thing is that though he has great defense, he's never in it to win a decision. When that happens, it's because the other guy could take his punches. What this means is that he wants to hit his opponent, hard, and because of this is susceptible to get hit. Everyone predicted Juan Manuel Marquez was going to change strategy and adjust, but everyone seemed to think this just meant that he'd find the way to make Juan Díaz slow down just enough so that the 35 year old boxer wouldn't fade away and that his counter punching skills would come to fruition. No one would have thought that Juan Manuel Marquez would keep pace, especially since the natural light weight is Juan Díaz and because by the end of less than 8 rounds, Juan Manuel Marquez had been forced to throw, land, and receive more punches than in any other fight in his career.
By round 5 Juan Díaz was doing the unthinkable, he was pushing Juan Manuel Marquez back, forcing him to fight his game and showcasing his wonderful abilities. In the early rounds Díaz was throwing straight, quick, and accurate shots, and in combination no less. He was throwing, and throwing, and throwing. Juan Manuel Marquez was backing up, countering and fighting way faster than I've ever seen him fight... ever.
Round 6. Juan Manuel Marquez lands a couple of shots that slightly rattle Juan Díaz and for his part, Díaz obliges and throws back to fight the way he loves to fight, usinig fire against fire.
Round 7. Ronny Shields tells Juan Díaz to not back off or give Juan Manuel Marquez a chance to rest. Díaz did just that. But for every crack heard from Díaz shots, you heard a boom from every left hook to the body and every right cross Juan Manuel connected oh and did I mention the uppercuts? Yeah, he threw some of those too while showcasing a variety of punches in close quarters and at a distance.
Round 8. Juan Manuel Marquez lands 30 shots to Diaz's 8.
Round 9. Is Juan Díaz going to think of clinching or backing off? no. That would not be good enough for a fighter as good and as proud as Díaz. But Juan Manuel Marquez showed that he's not only one of the smartest boxers in the history of the sport. He also showed that he could give better than he took from a hungry young warrior in his prime. Right cross, left hook, left uppercut, right hook, right cross, left jab right hook = knockdown #1. A brilliant right uppercut gave Díaz his second knockdown of the fight and a TKO victory to Marquez.
Age 35. 50 victories. 37 KO's. Juan Manuel Marquez is simply the best boxer in the world.
"But Manny Pacquiao beat him twice..."
First off, the first fight was a draw and it was a bullshit draw. Check the tape, be honest and accept the facts. Juan Manuel Marquez won the first fight. As for the second fight, it was a hell of a lot closer than the first one if you ask me, but this time there was a victor.... Manny Pacquiao via split decision. I watched the fight three times.... I know I'm a Marquez Mark (Marq?) but I was objective, and I still saw JMM win by one round.
"But Manny beat Oscar De La Hoya..."
Great... When was the last time you saw Oscar be supremely competitive in a fight and win? you'd have to think a bit, but being honest, I do think Oscar beat Floyd Mayweather so credit to Oscar for that fight. The thing is that with De la Hoya's last fight, I truly think going down to 147 cost him everything for the fight. His body couldn't take it and Manny did what no one had been able to do with Oscar, pretty much ever... neutralize his left hand, completely. So props to Freddy Roach and Manny for getting the strategy that won him the fight... but that still doesn't mean Manny has ever beat Marquez. Sure, he's knocked him down four times when all is told, but if anything should be clear by now, it should be that Juan Manuel Marquez can be hit, he can be cut, he can be countered, and he can even be knocked down... but outwilling him? Well rather than answer lets see Pacquiao VS Marquez III and leave speculation to a side.
Cheers
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