By Keith Idec
Joel Diaz realizes why Juan Manuel Marquez is more confident than ever entering his WBO welterweight title fight Saturday night against Timothy Bradley.
Marquez’s one-punch, sixth-round knockout of Manny Pacquiao in his last fight was the best moment of the Mexican legend’s 20-year pro career. Diaz admires Marquez’s accomplishments and has long been a fan of the former four-division champion.
He just can’t envision the 40-year-old Marquez doing anything similar to the fighter he trains that he did to Pacquiao in their fourth fight.
“That night, Oct. 12, you’re going to see Bradley put on a great performance,” Diaz said on a conference call to promote the Marquez-Bradley fight. “He’s going to put a beating on Marquez. Really, I don’t think you’re going to need those judges.”
Glenn Feldman, Robert Hoyle and Patricia Morse Jarman are the three judges the Nevada State Athletic Commission has assigned to the Marquez-Bradley fight (HBO Pay-Per-View; $64.95 in HD; 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT). Diaz suggested the 30-year-old Bradley (30-0, 12 KOs, 1 NC), who has one knockout in 12 fights since April 2007, can stop Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KOs), who has not been knocked out in 62 professional fights.
“I think Marquez is going to come and try to put Tim to sleep, like he did to Pacquiao, and it’s not going to happen,” Diaz said. “Tim Bradley is a smarter fighter. He is going to be defensive and offensive. He’s going to move and he’s going to complicate Marquez’s day.
“And in the later rounds, I think after the fifth, sixth round, Tim’s going to take Marquez into the deep waters and that’s when Tim’s going to do the best. You don’t have to leave it up to the judges. Tim’s going to be victorious that night. He’s going to put up a great fight and he’s going to beat Marquez.”
Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
