After a great night of boxing at Tucson, Arizona?s Desert Diamond Casino, all of the major participants gathered at the podium to discuss the night?s events in a Golden Boy Promotions and Showtime post-fight press conference.
The main event of the evening featured a fight between the WBC super featherweight champion, Juan Manuel Marquez, and 2000 U.S. silver medalist, Rocky Juarez.
In the words of Oscar De La Hoya, who was in attendance to help promote the fight, ?The main event was an outstanding fight.? The fight was a tough-fought war that went the distance, with Marquez easily won the fight on all the judges? scorecards.
Early in round number one, Juarez developed a nasty cut over his left eye from a clash of heads that caused him problems for the remainder of the fight and, eventually, covered both fighters in blood. The ooze dripped right into Juarez?s eye.
?This was the first fight ever in my career that I?ve been cut to a point where my vision affected me,? said Juarez at the conference.
?I thought I?d cut him, in the later rounds, but realized it was my blood on him. I think by seeing it visible, that it kind of just made me wonder how bad the cut was and how the referee was going to affect the fight as it went on. A lot of times even blocking his punches with my left hand, I knew it was affecting my cut.?
The cut over Juarez?s left eye had already received numerous stitches prior to the post-fight press conference, and the other side of his face was covered in raspberries, welts, and bruises.
Marquez did not escape the fight unscathed either. His face was swollen and bruised, as well. He even admitted to being hurt by a punch from his opponent in the seventh round in what he described as ?a very difficult fight,? against a fighter who is ?very tough and has a big heart.?
?The punch affected me,? remarked Marquez. ?But with the great preparation that I had done in the gym, I was able to overcome it.?
Some observers felt that Marquez had fought with a different style in this fight than in his others
?Every fight is different,? said the champion. ?You have to adjust to every different style that is presented to you in that ring.?
Marquez stated that his plan for the fight was, ?Not to get hit by Rocky?s heavy punches?his left hooks and his right hands. The plan was to fight smart because Rocky?s a dangerous fighter.?
Unfortunately, Juarez lay at the other end of the spectrum.
?It?s very hurtful that I didn?t come out with the victory,? said the challenger. ?It was a tough fight
?ButI like to think that in my boxing career that I?ve fought the best. Marquez is definitely one of the best. To be able to go and grow old and be able to say that I fought the best, and lasted and gave them a tough fight, I think that right there is a big boost for me.
?I will become world champion sooner or later . . . I would love the opportunity for another title shot either at 126 pounds or 130. Rocky will be back.?
Marquez wants Pacman
?I want a fight with Manny Pacquiao,? asserted Marquez.
In 2004, the two fought to a controversial stalemate?now Marquez feels the time is right for a rematch.
Marquez stated for the record, in English, ?I know that Manny Pacquiao said ?I am Mexican killer.? He hasn?t proved it. He hasn?t proved me.?
Promoter Oscar De La Hoya feels that this is a fight that boxing needs right now.
?If you want to be called the best at 130 pounds, you have to go through Marquez,? said De La Hoya. ?It?s a match-up that the whole world wants to watch. It?s a match-up that has to happen.?
Fortunately for fight fans, this fight looks to be inevitable.
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaffer, relayed:
?Both (Bob) Arum and I, we already met and we talked about this fight, in case Juan Manuel Marquez did win. We have the date reserved, which is March 15th, of next year. I will be with Bob next week in New York for the Mosley-Cotto fight and I will have further discussions and negotiations with him.
?I hope that within the next couple of weeks, we can put that fight together.?
Guerrero speaks
The other televised fight of the night was a bout between Robert ?The Ghost? Guerrero and Martin Honorio for Guerrero?s IBF featherweight belt. This was an explosive fight that ended in a devastating first round knockout at the hands, or more correctly the left hand, of Guerrero. More, or less, the first punch of the fight landed by Guerrero sent Honorio on his back and he was unable to continue.
?It?s just boxing,? Guerrero said at the press conference. ?You got to be sharp all the time. I landed a great shot on him and he didn?t get up from up it. That?s why they say you got to protect yourself at all times, because one punch can change everything.
?When I landed that shot and I looked at him, he was hurt pretty bad. You could see it in his face. I knew right away, if he got up, I was going to finish him.?
With his extraordinary win, Guerrero feels that he deserves some respect in the boxing community for the champion that he is.
?After tonight,? stated the champion, ?I proved a point that I should be in there with the elite. I would love to get a fight with Marquez. That?s what boxing is about, it?s making big fights.?
Sadly, Guerrero now has to be ready to watch his wife go through chemotherapy. Unfortunately, his wife was just diagnosed with leukemia. Some wondered whether Guerrero should even have been at this fight.
?Everybody knows how my week?s been,? said Guerrero. ?It?s been up and down. It?s been rough, you know, mentally draining. I had to suck it up. (My wife) told me to come out here and fight and do it and that?s what I did.?
De La Hoya?s Showtime debut a success
The main event of the evening was actually scheduled for an HBO broadcast on September 15th. However, the fight fell through due to an injury to Marquez?s right hand and the fight was eventually picked up by Showtime, marking the first time that Golden Boy Promotions has ever worked with the network.
?We needed a place to put this fight and make it happen,? said De La Hoya. ?So, thanks to Showtime, they stepped up to the plate and they made this happen.?
De La Hoya doesn?t see this relationship ending any time soon, however.
?I believe that this is the first of many fights that we will do with Showtime. They are truly professionals when it comes to boxing and we?re looking forward to a long-lasting relationship.
?When it comes to boxing, it?s HBO and Showtime. We thank HBO and we thank Showtime for giving us the platform to showcase boxing. They?re the ones who make it all happen for us. We?ve had a tremendous relationship with HBO for many years and, now, we?re starting with Showtime.?
