Considering that Juan Manuel Marquez had no problems in the past going to the jungles of Indonesia for a pittance, it should come as no surprise that he will be going to Houston, Texas to face ‘The Baby Bull’, Juan Diaz, at the Toyota Center.
As of a few days ago, it wasn’t clear if Marquez was willing to go into Diaz’s hometown. But Houston, we have no problems.
“I’ve been told that Marquez has agreed to fight Juan Diaz, and Juan Diaz has agreed to fight Marquez. It’ll be the 28th of February,” said Diaz’s manager, Willie Savannah to Maxboxing on Tuesday.
Marquez-Diaz, which will be televised by HBO, figures to be one of the early gems of 2009. And expect a packed house, as back in September, when Diaz battled Michael Katsidis, he fought to over 14,000 patrons and did a gate of over $800,000.
“He knows that he’s going to get a fair shake down here, he knows that damn well this is a better place than Indonesia,” said Savannah, referring to Marquez’s infamous trip back in 2006 that saw him lose a heavily disputed decision to Chris John for a mere $31,000. “As of yesterday, we didn’t know what was going to happen. But the fight’s going to be in Houston.”
Savannah promises that Marquez and his crew will be treated with Texas-sized hospitality.
“I guarantee you he’ll have air-conditioning in his room in Houston. He won?t have to drive two or three hours through the jungle with a non air-conditioned car. Mosquitoes won?t be biting him in his room all night long and he’ll make a lot more than $31,000.”
For Diaz, it represents a chance for him to break the threshold from a good, young fighter to becoming one of the game?s true stars.
“I’m very, very excited and I’m hoping that everything works out and we get to step in the ring. But I’m very excited, he’s a legendary fighter and I think right now in my career that what I need is a marquee fighter that will put me over that line from a regular fighter to a superstar-status fighter. And I believe that by beating Juan Manuel Marquez and fighting him, I will accomplish that,” said Diaz, who has taken on the likes of Julio Diaz, Acelino Freitas, Nate Campbell and Katsidis in recent years.
To him, keeping this fight in H-town was all a matter of dollars and sense to his opponent.
“I was a little bit surprised, but at the same time I wasn’t because say we go to Vegas, say we go anywhere else, we’re not going to draw as many people due to the economy right now,” said the future politician. “And let’s face it, I’m going to be honest with myself and I’ll be honest with the public, Juan Manuel Marquez is a great fighter, I’m a good fighter, but he does not draw a lot of people wherever he goes. I, myself, don’t draw as much people as I would in Houston. The last time I fought here in Houston I drew over 14,000 people. “With me fighting him, I’m pretty sure we’ll get close to 20,000 people. And this is not even a casino town or a tourist city, so that goes to show you that boxing here in Houston is growing. And that’s the only logical explanation I can see is that he decided that we’re going to draw a lot of people here and he’s going to get a little extra money.”
According to Roberto Diaz of Golden Boy Promotions, which represents both boxers, “We’re just working out a couple of things and if those are worked out, hopefully by tomorrow (Tuesday), we can let everybody know that the fight?s done. Obviously, it’s not signed or set in stone, but it looks that way. Willie Savannah and Juan Diaz have accepted it. Eric Gomez (GBP matchmaker) just called me right now saying he got the call from Juan Manuel that he’s accepted to go to Houston.”
MY TWO PESO’S
I love this fight; I think it’s a classic matchup of a master boxer/counterpuncher against a hard-charging, active slugger with plenty at stake. Can the old wizard hold off the younger, energetic fighter? I can’t wait to find out. Beyond that, I love the fact that this fight is taking place at a venue that will have plenty of real fans. Houston is not only the hometown of Diaz, but it has a large Latino population that will be looking forward to seeing Marquez in person.
This fight never belonged in a casino. Like the January 24th bout between Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley (that ended up at the Staples Center in Los Angeles), it was meant to be held somewhere that had a local pull. Kudos to Golden Boy Promotions for pulling it off.
It should be a fun night in H-town.
So fun, I’m thinking of booking my flight out there.
LEGS, KNOW HOW TO USE THEM
In watching this past weekend?s re-broadcast of Manny Pacquiao’s eight round destruction of Oscar De La Hoya, what really struck me was the size of each man?s legs.
While the naturally bigger De La Hoya had legs that looked like Pixie Sticks (you remember those, right?) Pacquiao had pins that resembled an outside linebacker, starting with his sculpted calves that Drama of ‘Entourage’ would yearn for. But for all the talk of Pacquiao’s superior hand-speed and reflexes, he also had a set of legs that allowed him to easily maneuver around De La Hoya all night. While he zoomed in and out, Oscar seemed to be stuck in mud.
Veteran trainers will tell you, it all starts – and finishes – with a fighter?s legs. Once you lose them, it’s all downhill from there.
FINAL FLURRIES
I hear that the January 17th ‘Boxing After Dark’ show that features Andre Berto-Luis Collazo and Sergio Martinez-Joe Greene will end up at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, MS….Look for the jr. welterweight unification tilt between Tim Bradley and Kendall Holt to take place in the first week of April on Showtime….Anyone else impressed by George Bush’s ability to slip oncoming shoes? He looked like Wilfred Benitez, didn’t he?…..Is Donovan McNabb the Eagles? quarterback of the future and present again?……I just hope for my trip to Houston, I don’t forget my doughnut pillow like I did for my trip back east for Hopkins-Pavlik. I brought it out with me and then I promptly left it in my car. Had a sore neck for a few days because of it….I hear there’s a chance that a bout between Steven Luevano and Rocky Juarez for the WBO featherweight title could lead off that February 28th show on HBO, but it’s not clear if Luevano wants to face his former amateur nemesis on his home turf…..
