By David P. Greisman
On an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights card advertised to the media promoting its combatants’ college credentials, WBA lightweight champion Juan Diaz made sure to approach his title defense much in the same way he does in his other role as a political science major: study well, listen carefully to your teachers, pass all of your exams, and success will follow.
Such was the end result tonight at the Reliant Center in Houston, Texas, where Diaz stopped Canadian veteran Billy Irwin via a ninth-round TKO, shutting him out with dominating aggression and intelligent boxing, and possibly setting the stage for bigger and better bouts for the 21 year-old Houston native.
Although his opponent was a fringe contender at best in the aging Irwin, ranked #10 by the WBA sanctioning body, the Baby Bull training hard, taking a break only for his first day of classes for the semester on Wednesday, and came into the bout with a wise strategy and looking to win, expecting that the challenger would do the same.
“I know Irwin is not going to be fighting like a 36 year old,” Diaz had said on a conference call with reporters on Monday. “He’s going to be fighting like he’s 23, and this is going to be his last chance at a world title. I will come out strong, and if that doesn’t work I will try to outbox him with my jab.”
Diaz did just that, setting the tone in the first round with stiff jabs, strong left hooks and a dedicated body attack, forcing Irwin back against the ropes in a scene reminiscent of Glencoffe Johnson’s successful September assault on Roy Jones, Jr. Although Irwin would respond with a series of one-twos, his retort was futile, impotent in the face of the younger pugilist’s onslaught. Round two saw the only knockdown of the fight, which began with a left hook to Irwin’s cheek, causing him to retreat back into the corner. Diaz, smelling blood, went in for the kill, and Irwin took a knee in defense of the incoming flurry. Juan continued to land seemingly at will in the third round, clearly dictating the whole three minutes with a varied, voluminous attack.
By round four, it was clear that this was a mismatch, and that barring a miraculous turn of fate (not so far-fetched considering the recent, dramatic comeback knockout by Ebo Elder over Courtney Burton), the result was pretty much sealed. Diaz seemed to sense the same, since as the fight progressed he started to keep his distance when not punching, snapping Irwin’s head back with series of jabs, and boxing like a man who knows what he has to do and why he’s doing it, although his jarring hooks served as a reminder to Irwin to keep in his place.
Irwin’s connect percentage, already poor, floundered in round seven, when he landed just three of thirty-nine power shots, and it was only a matter of time before referee Earl Morton would want to call a halt to the bout due to accumulated punishment. That precise result came at 1:27 of the ninth round, and probably should have come sooner. Irwin, 42-6 (30), had announced prior to the event that, win or lose, this would be his last fight, and after tonight’s dismantling, it’s easy to tell that he has made the right choice.
With the win, Diaz moved to 27-0 with 13 victories by way of knockout, and he and his handlers are looking for 2005 to be another active year, with possible matches against Ebo Elder and Julio Diaz in consideration. “We will do whatever is in Juan’s best interests,” Shelly Finkel, Diaz’s manager, said on Monday. “After [the fight with Irwin], we’ll make his next fight, and if that’s a unification, or the one after that, then we have no problem.”
Juan Diaz may be just 21, his graduation one and a half to two years away, but in the past six months he has won a world title on HBO and defended twice on ESPN, his July victory over former beltholder Lakva Sim and tonight’s against Irwin coming in front of a cheering throng in his hometown. His future, including more title defenses and higher stacks of money, is looking bright, and one can be sure that Diaz has “no problem” with that either.
On the televised undercard, heavyweight prospect and 2000 U.S. Olympian Calvin Brock scored a third round TKO against Clifford Etienne, earning the name on his ledger that he had been seeking in his drive to fame and glory as heavyweight champion. Brock, whose nickname “The Boxing Banker” is underwhelmingly threatening, intimidated the experienced Etienne with his fists.
Etienne had talked the talk in the pre-fight buildup, accentuating his past victories over current WBO champ Lamon Brewster and an undefeated Lawrence Clay-Bey, but tonight’s performance was a lot closer to his 49 second KO loss to Mike Tyson in February 2003.
Brock, on the other hand, was confident that if Etienne stood in front of him, his superior firepower would lead to victory. After an even first round that saw both men slugging it out at close quarters, Brock began to take over in the second, a series of strong rights and then a lunging right to the top of Etienne’s head and left follow sending the Black Rhino to the canvass. Etienne would box well in survival mode for the remainder of the round, but in the third and final round his machismo would be his downfall.
Leaving himself wide open for Brock’s power shots by standing in front of him and only occasionally leaning his head down, Etienne was wobbled early in the third and knocked down soon after by a short right to the side of his head. A second knockdown came just moments later, and although Etienne was quickly back on his feet letting the referee know he was fine, Laurence Cole had seen enough, calling it off at 1:25.
“Can’t nobody stop me from becoming heavyweight champ of the world,” said Brock after his victory. “Ain’t nobody stronger. I’m He-Man right here. I’ll take anybody, anywhere, anytime. I’m ready.”
Brock may be getting ahead of himself, his first major victory coming over the man who was felled seven times by Fres Oquendo, but he got exactly what he needed with a televised win over a name fighter. If he wants to continue his crusade to become champ, he will need more big wins over names bigger than Etienne’s, an opportunity that tonight’s triumph should afford him. It was a nice birthday gift for Brock, who turns thirty on Saturday, and hopefully he can unwrap similar, better presents in the future.