Juan Manuel Marquez ended Februaruy with a gutsy late round knock-out win against a younger, stronger Juan Diaz, but boxing fans must not forget how Vic Darchinyan dominated Jorge Arce en route to an 11th round stoppage earlier in the month.
Darchinyan’s clear superiority against a world-class foe over the course of a championship level bout earns him Fighter of the Month honors for February.
Fight of the Month
Marquez’s furious battle with Diaz for lightweight supremacy , which ended with a memorable knockout, was clearly Fight of the Month and now stands atop the heap for Fight of the Year honors two months into ’09. It will be difficult for any pairing during the remainder of 2009 to surpass the intensity, action, and drama Marquez ans Diaz produced.
Year to Date Standings.
Fighter of the Year — 1. Shane Mosley (January) 2. Vic Darchintan (February) 3. Juan Manuel Marquez
Shane Mosley’s complete dominance of the highly touted Antonio Margarito in January keeps him at the top spot for Fighter of the Year honors.
Fight of the Year — 1. Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz (February) 2. Andre Berto vs. Luis Collazo (January) 3. Vic Darchinyan vs. Jorge Arce
