Juan Diaz, Juarez Score a Pair for the Home Team

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Jake Donovan - It was a very good night for the home team in Houston, Texas, even if not a very good night for the officials or even the HBO broadcast team. In the end, Juan Diaz and Rocky Juarez scored huge wins not just for their home town crowd, but the type of victories that remind the boxing world they are still major players in their respective weight classes.

Juan Diaz bounced back strong from his first career loss to outwork Michael Katsidis, handing the free-swinging Australian-based lightweight his second straight defeat, though with a surprising split decision verdict in the evening’s main event.

The win for Diaz came about an hour after stable mate and fellow H-Town pugilist Rocky Juarez scored the biggest win of his career with a thrilling 11th round stoppage over faded former junior lightweight titlist Jorge Barrios.

Many figured the main event to be a can’t miss Fight of the Year contender given the relentless styles of the combatants, both of whom were coming off of the first loss of their respective careers. The end result didn’t even come close to living up to that level of hype, but still proved entertaining, particularly to the 15,000 or so on hand at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas to cheer on the hometown kid. [details]

[bbwoof2000]

Hey, I was rooting against the hometown guys, but the judges in the Diaz fight must have been connected to the mafia.....or something. Diaz won practically every round from my biased point of view. That one judge who had Katsidis ahead was way out in left field. He should have his judge's licence revoked. Meanwhile, I got to give it to Rocky. He was pressured all night long and never folded. I wanted the other guy to win because I don't like Rocky but I'm glad I didn't bet.

[SugarK]

I agree the one judge(I beleive it was Hamada) was overly generous to Katsides,I,in no way however, thought he only won 1 round.I had the fight 116-112 for Juan and thought Katsides closed the gap a bit in the later rounds.Diaz fought his typical busy fight and thought his D looked pretty tight.Katsides made a tactical error by not focusing on the body earlier in the fight and his corner should be relieved of their duties for giving him terrible advice.Even if you think your guy is winning,you have to be cognizant of the fact that you are fighting in Diaz's hometown.He should have been told to keep the pressure on and to try and make Diaz fight going backwards,MKat was told by his corner to box!!! Simply put,Katsides isnt going to outbox Diaz.Good win for the Baby Bull and should look to fight the winner of Campbell-Guzman.

[SugarK]

Rocky Juarez somehow needs to get a fire under his ass!!! The guy is way to talented to just lose decision after decision when he has the tools to be a champ.Barrios is no great boxer but was out-hustling Rocky all night.If Rocky would be a more aggresive pressure fighter he would be a handful for a lot of fighters,but if he keeps fighting this way he will be,as I have always called him,this generations Howard Davis Jr.

[Nightmare11]

Barrios actually fell to 47-4-1 with the loss.

[seelspeak]

very good fight card

i was entertained all throughout from the undercards to the main event. juarez was spectacular. katsidis and diaz fought nonstop..it should have been a unanimous decision for diaz..what i want to see is edwin valero against joan guzman..just to see how really tough this valero is.