Rumors that pro boxing was on its deathbed were exaggerated. Instead, the sport is enjoying a stirring renaissance with a number of intriguing bouts on tap for the next four months.
Next up comes Ring magazine lightweight world champion Juan Manuel Marquez clashing with former champion Juan Diaz at the Toyota Center in Houston on Saturday. The fight will be shown on HBO.
Also on the card will be another Houston boxer, Rocky Juarez, vying for Chris John’s WBA featherweight title.
When Nate Campbell failed to make weight Feb. 14 for his victory over Ali Funeka, he was forced to relinquish the WBA and WBO titles. Both of the titles have been added to the lightweight booty between Marquez and Diaz.
“The more championship belts for me, the better,” said Marquez (49-4-1, 36 KOs), who is considered one of the top boxers in the world. “I want to unify the lightweight division.”
Marquez’s contest with Diaz opened eyes because of the two boxers’ remarkable ring skill and devil-may-care attitude inside the ropes. Boxing fans are drooling over this matchup.
“To have the opportunity to get both of my titles back, as well as the Ring magazine belt — it’s going to be a great night next weekend,” said Diaz (34-1, 17 KOs), who formerly held the WBA, WBO and IBF titles but lost them to Campbell nearly a year ago.
In the co-main event, Juarez (28-4, 20 KOs) finds himself in yet another world title match and hopes to find success in the fourth opportunity. His opponent, John (42-0-1, 22 KOs), has a style that could give the Texan problems.
It’s yet another great card in a year that on paper looks to be one of the best in the past 50 years when it comes to compelling fights.
For example, in San Jose on March 7, three marquee boxers — Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, Victor Ortiz and James Kirkland — take part in tough matches. The event will be shown on HBO.
On March 14, in England, featherweight Marco Antonio Barrera travels across the Atlantic Ocean to try Great Britain’s Amir Khan, a rising star in the lightweight division.
On March 21, in Germany, WBC heavyweight titleholder Vitali Klitschko defends his title against Cuban star Juan Carlos Gomez. On the same day, in Las Vegas, Melinda Cooper fights Monica Lovato for the vacant IFBA bantamweight title.
March 27, in LA, former heavyweight champion Samuel Peter collides with Fast Eddie Chambers at Nokia Theater. Also on the card will be undefeated John “The Covina Kid” Molina and Olympian Shawn Estrada, of East Los Angeles.
On March 28, in Tijuana, Mexico, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Humberto Soto, Fernando Montiel and Giovanni Segura are on the same terrific card. And the best fight will probably be Indio’s Antonio Diaz against Jose Luis Castillo.
On April 4, in San Antonio, Edwin Valero, Joel Casamayor, Julio Diaz, Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez, Jesus Chavez, Michael Katsidis, Jorge Barrios and Antonio Pitalua will fight in a lightweight extravaganza. On the same day, Palm Spring’s Timothy Bradley takes on Kendall Holt in Montreal for the WBC and WBO junior welterweight titles.
On April 11, in Las Vegas, Winky Wright and Paul “The Punisher” Williams battle in a middleweight bout. If that’s not enough, there is a chance that Riverside’s undefeated heavyweight Chris Arreola may also be on the card.
The list continues through May 2, when Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao battles Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton for the Ring magazine junior welterweight championship.
Boxing fans may look back on this year as one of the greatest in the sport’s long history.
Quinonez in Ontario
Palm Springs ringmaster Steve Quinonez (31-13-1) returns to the ring Friday against Venezuela’s Patrick Lopez (14-1, 10 KOs) in a junior welterweight match at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario.
It’s another talented card by Thompson Boxing Promotions, which is signing lots of young, sterling prospects. Also on the card is Tijuana’s Juan Burgos against Fernando Lizarraga in a featherweight contest. Plus, Riverside’s undefeated welterweight Mauricio Herrera fights knockout puncher Brian Gordon for a scheduled eight rounds. Hector Serrano, Walter Sornoi and Ronnie Rios round out the rest of the bouts.
