On Saturday, July 31st., 2010, boxing fans will witness a “Bull Fight”, not in the customary, “Plaza De Toros”, but in a boxing ring in the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, 50-5-1, 37 k.o.’s, current W.B.O., W.B.A., and Ring Magazine Lightweight Champion will defend his crown against former 3-time W.B.A., W.B.O., I.B.F. Lightweight Champ, Juan “Baby Bull”, Diaz, which is a rematch of a 2009 fight of the year.
Baby Bull Diaz who lost his crown to Nate Campbell, was knocked out by Dinamita Marquez and then split ring 2 wars with former W.B.O. 140 pound champ, Paulie Malignaggi, vowed to avenge that k.o. loss by knockout over Marquez.
“I am bigger, stronger, and learned from my mistakes, and I am ready to show the world that I am a quality fighter”, stated Diaz. Juan Diaz stated further, “going up to Junior Welterweight fighting Malignaggi, built up my confidence that going back to my natural 135 pound level, I could fight with more power and speed.”
Juan Diaz trained by the veteran Ronnie Shields has been tucked away in an almost military type camp because this fight for Diaz, is do or die because he wants to win back his title and as a reigning champ he could remain in the top ranks of the boxing chain ready to challenge all of the top 135 and 140 pounders, on his way to realizing his dream of becoming an Attorney, his priority goal.
As for Dinamita Marquez, in addition to trying to successfully defend his crown, he is seeking a third fight with Manny Pacquiao who he feels he had beaten twice although both decisions went against him. “I know, and Pacquiao himself knows, that I beat him both times, and that is why he is afraid to fight me again because this time I will knock him out”, stated a very confident and angry Marquez.
Marquez who’s last defeat was to Floyd Mayweather, Jr., in a 12 round catch- weight 144 pound fight, told us that returning to his normal 135 pound weight level was a blessing for him because he could feel the return of his power and speed of his natural weight. He sacrificed all of that for the opportunity to fight Mayweather, because although he did feel strong, he felt very sluggish without his usual speed.
Baby Bull who unfortunately does not punch as hard as he fights, will again face an uphill battle with Marquez a superb well disciplined counter punching specialist who has always been trained by boxing guru, Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain who is also training his brother Rafael in his preparation for his scheduled mega featherweight unification championship fight in September, with W.B.A. Champ, Juan Manuel “JuanMa” Lopez.
Since it seems that all of the boxing cards are stacked up against him in his fight with Marquez, Baby Bull Diaz will have to plan a different strategy if he hopes to beat him. Diaz is a come at you action body punching fighter who has to go the distance absorbing punishment from his opponents, although he has won 35 of 38 fights scoring 17 k.o.’s. Diaz actually lacks a k.o. punch who’s knockouts are achieved by wearing down his opponents by his non-stop vicious body punishment.
Could Baby Bull Diaz beat a bigger stronger, faster Dinamita Marquez? I don’t think so. I feel it will be business as usual with Marquez, “El Torero”, absorbing Diaz’ bull rushing body punches, and countering, with his”Banderilla” jabs out of harm’s way, knocking out “El Toro” Diaz again, with his powerful “Espada”, right hand, maybe earlier than the previous 9th. round.
If that happens then Marquez could again challenge Pacquiao and fight him November 13, 2010 at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, in Texas, if the proposed on again and off again mega fight between the PacMan and MoneyMayweather falls through again, and Antonio Margarito the scheduled “substitute”, fails again to get his license to fight. It is possible however, that Marquez having already tasted the 140 pound level after his fight with Mayweather, could also challenge, 140 pound champs, Timothy Bradley, or Devon Alexander.
No one knows what will happen after Saturday’s Fight of the Year: Rematch, but we know for sure that again, it is the little giants of boxing who are keeping boxing alive and well, for us the the fight fans.
The entire Golden Boy Promotions fight card is a fight fans delight when comebacking, former 3 time world champ and Gold Medal Olympian, Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor, 35-4-1, 22 k.o.’s will fight Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in a lightweight match, and Danny “The Golden Child” Jacobs, 20-0, 17 k.o.’s, N.A.B.F. Middleweight Champ, from Brooklyn, N.Y., will challenge Russia’s, Dmitry Pirog, 16-0, 13 k.o.’s for the vacant W.B.A. Junior Middleweight Belt that Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez had to give up when he defeated Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik, and won the undisputed World Middleweight Title.
You will also see Sakio Bika, from the Cameroons, the last Contender Series Champ fighting Jean Paul Mendy in a super Middleweight match, and the perennial world title challenger, Rocky Juarez, Olympic Silver Medalist is fighting Jorge Linares in a lightweight match. Perhaps Juarez a long time unsuccessful featherweight title contender could finally realize his quest by moving up to the lightweights and winning a world title.
This fight program promises so much fistic action by the participants that maybe the entire card does belong in a bull ring. The only puzzle is that with the exception of the main event, we don’t know who will be the bull or who will be the bull fighter in the other fights. “OLE”!
