Winners, Losers & In-Betweeners: The Debate

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Jake Donovan - This weekend was supposed to provide more answers than questions.

We were supposed to have one less Diaz in the lightweight sweepstakes. Check. Period.

That was about the only definitive matter that came out of last Saturday’s card at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. Juan Diaz not only provided an answer, he added an exclamation point after his one-sided 9th round stoppage of Julio Diaz on HBO.

Instead, this weekend left everyone (or at least those who pay close enough attention to the sport) wondering what are the next series of moves at and around lightweight.

So unlike this lightweight mess which will apparently not sort itself out anytime soon, let’s cut to the chase and decipher beyond the final line result who won, who lost, and who remains somewhere in between:

WINNERS

Juan Diaz and Willie Savannah
What better place to start than with the most obvious. After spending the past six years toiling in relative obscurity (despite still boasting an undefeated record, as well as an alphabet title since 2004), Juan suddenly transformed in 2007 from suspect to arguably the best lightweight on the planet. [details]

[Migs]

"Hopefully by then, Chicago will re-emerge as a player in the lightweight sweepstakes. The city itself, which played host to the first ever Golden Gloves competition over 80 years ago, deserves better, and shouldn’t be blamed for its outskirts failing to generate boxing interest."

I would really like to see more big bouts come through Chicago. I love going to these fights and always have a good time but it kills me to see the stands so empty. I've feared ****ty turnouts the last two big fights that have rolled through here because it could mean that boxing will decide to take big fights to other cities and its just to ****ing much to fly out to these places and drop a ****ing grand to get a decent seat. I cross my fingers that David Diaz can bring another great fight to Chicago again because I sometimes feel like that dude is solely responsible for trying to resurrect boxing in this city. I'm grateful already for what he has brought here. I only hope the boxing world doesn't quit on us yet.