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From Refiner?s Fire: Juan Manuel Marquez Hails with Indestructible Hope By Granville Ampong PhilBoxing.com Fri, 09 Jan 2009  HOUSTON, TEXAS - When confronted privately by this writer before the press conference today for the Marquez-Diaz fight, Juan Manuel ?Dinamita? Marquez of Mexico City (49-4-1, 36 knockouts) talks and sings about hope. But, when he finds himself within the crucible pathway, hope for him does not seem so easy especially as he presses on his fight against former three-time lightweight champion Juan ?The Baby Bull? Diaz of Houston, Texas (37-1-0, 17 knockouts) on February 28, 2009 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas to be televised live on HBO?s World Boxing Championship beginning at 10 p.m. Eastern Time/ 7 p.m. Pacific Time. Conversely, ?Each time I prepare myself for a fight, Manny Pacquiao always comes to my mind,? Marquez said in a piercing tone as if he is bound to be full of enmity. But, ?He is an inspiration to me for my coming fight against Juan Diaz.? What seems to be the bulwark of his usual response when asked about his relative intent to fight again against the current pound-for-pound King, Marquez apparently distances himself far from being so defensive. But, rather he chants praises about Manny Pacquiao. ?He is a great man. That is why people like him so much.? Marquez lauded about his fierce rival whom he garnered a draw in 2004 and a loss by split decision early last year. In a spectacular turn-out and grisly fashion, Marquez sprang up from his loss to the Filipino superstar by knocking out Ring Magazine Lightweight titlist Joel Casamayor in the 11th round last mid-summer at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. Rightly so, does his recent impressive cruising in the lightweight division fortify him to a safe route to establish an inevitable trilogy with the best fighter of the planet? Probably, yes! But, one paradoxically could somehow remember one of the books of C.S. Lewis in which he writes about a make-believe lion. Wanting to meet this lion, a person asks if the lion is safe. The man replied: ?He?s not safe, but he?s good.? And this is exactly the kind of circumstance that Marquez is in: He?s not safe, but he?s good. ?Sure, he has great boxing skills. But what makes him not safe is because Diaz has the punching power enough to send him to the canvas,? Miguel Rodriguez said, who has been following the trail-blazing performances of Marquez as of late. On one hand, Diaz, 25, a former lightweight champion who lost his three belts to current IBF, WBA, WBO Lightweight titlist Nate Campbell, keeps his head high hopeful of a promising knockout win over Marquez. On other hand, Marquez, 35, whose superior boxing skills were tested by the refiner?s fire in the might of Pacquiao, does not seemingly bothered by the youthfulness of Diaz. Marquez-Diaz Fight is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Southwest Airlines. Tickets will go on sale beginning Friday and are priced at $300, $150, $75, $50 and $25. The same will be available for purchase via online at www.ToyotaCenterTix.com, or by telephone at 1-866-4-HOU-TIX. Top photo: Ring Magazine World Lightweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez (left) and Former Three-Time World Lightweight Champion Juan Diaz (right) pose on January 8, 2009 in Houston, Texas during the press conference to announce their February 28, 2009 world championship fight at the Toyota Center in Houston which will be televised live on HBO's World Championship Boxing. Note: Granville Ampong is an L.A.-based journalist regularly writing for Manila-US Times and Maharlikan Times. You may e-mail your comments at granvilleampong@maharlikantimes.com, or visit his website: www.maharlikantimes.com. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Granville Ampong.  |
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