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Wow, I'm struggling just to find words to string into sentences here after watching Marquez and Diaz go at it. I'll start with the undercard, Juarez/John.
Rocky Juarez
Juarez is a solid fighter, there's no question about that. But he's always going to be "that guy" in the division. His record is nothing to be ashamed of, it's actually quite good with his only losses coming to durable, game opponets like Humberto Soto and Chris John, to legends of his era like Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.
But I just don't see how he can be anything more than a "gatekeeper" any more. No more shady title fights he shouldn't have gotten in the first place.
Chris John
I've been hard on John a lot, mostly because I feel that Marquez beat him oh so many moons ago and was on the wrongside of a bad decision. But John impressed me tonight, he did what very few protected fighters are willing to do and that's come over to the States, and fight in his opponet's backyard infront of a sellout hostile crowd.
Granted it only took him over 40 professional fights to get here, but hey, he showed up, performed well, and I had him winning the fight by 2 points. Though a robbery is most certainly was not.
Juan Diaz
I haven't been a big fan of Juan Diaz either, something about him just turns me off to him completely. I'm not sure if it's the nice guy image, the goody too shoes attitude, or the third nipple and baby fat.
But all bull**** aside Juan Diaz took my respect tonight. He didn't ask for it, he just came and took that **** as I watched on the sidelines. He had me worried early on for my boy Marquez, it didn't look so hot for the first 4 rounds. Though the rounds were close and I had it 2-2, I felt the flow of the fight was all Diaz.
The kid has got balls, he's not afraid to ****. When he's hurt, he's not looking to cover up, fake injury, clinch you to dreath, he'll go down swinging. His workrate is pretty damn phenomenal the way he throws power shots, but he's lacking serious pop. So that enables his opponets to absorb what he dishes out for the most part.
I finally see what people were raving about with this kid just a year and a half ago.
Juan Manuel Marquez
What can I say? My boy did it again. I was nervous at first, given his obvious disadvantages in age, workrate, and not being a natural at the weight. But the closer the fight got, the more confident I became in him. Even changing my predicition from a close UD, to a 10th round stoppage, not bad, but I was off by a round.
Look, Marquez and Diaz put on a boxing classic tonight. That is the type of **** you read about in old boxing textbooks or hear about from local trainers. Toe to toe wars on the highest of skill levels, with the finest of fighters.
It's fights like these that elevate our sport, and make me proud to have been able to see it happen.
Marquez re-established himself as the man at 135lbs, defending his title in the most dramatic of fashions, and picking up a few vacant ones as well. How many other 35 year olds do you know who can perform like Juan Manuel Marquez did tonight?
Make no mistake about it, Marquez punched his ticket to the Hall of Fame tonight, and "ATG" might not be that far out of reach either.
Rocky Juarez
Juarez is a solid fighter, there's no question about that. But he's always going to be "that guy" in the division. His record is nothing to be ashamed of, it's actually quite good with his only losses coming to durable, game opponets like Humberto Soto and Chris John, to legends of his era like Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.
But I just don't see how he can be anything more than a "gatekeeper" any more. No more shady title fights he shouldn't have gotten in the first place.
Chris John
I've been hard on John a lot, mostly because I feel that Marquez beat him oh so many moons ago and was on the wrongside of a bad decision. But John impressed me tonight, he did what very few protected fighters are willing to do and that's come over to the States, and fight in his opponet's backyard infront of a sellout hostile crowd.
Granted it only took him over 40 professional fights to get here, but hey, he showed up, performed well, and I had him winning the fight by 2 points. Though a robbery is most certainly was not.
Juan Diaz
I haven't been a big fan of Juan Diaz either, something about him just turns me off to him completely. I'm not sure if it's the nice guy image, the goody too shoes attitude, or the third nipple and baby fat.
But all bull**** aside Juan Diaz took my respect tonight. He didn't ask for it, he just came and took that **** as I watched on the sidelines. He had me worried early on for my boy Marquez, it didn't look so hot for the first 4 rounds. Though the rounds were close and I had it 2-2, I felt the flow of the fight was all Diaz.
The kid has got balls, he's not afraid to ****. When he's hurt, he's not looking to cover up, fake injury, clinch you to dreath, he'll go down swinging. His workrate is pretty damn phenomenal the way he throws power shots, but he's lacking serious pop. So that enables his opponets to absorb what he dishes out for the most part.
I finally see what people were raving about with this kid just a year and a half ago.
Juan Manuel Marquez
What can I say? My boy did it again. I was nervous at first, given his obvious disadvantages in age, workrate, and not being a natural at the weight. But the closer the fight got, the more confident I became in him. Even changing my predicition from a close UD, to a 10th round stoppage, not bad, but I was off by a round.
Look, Marquez and Diaz put on a boxing classic tonight. That is the type of **** you read about in old boxing textbooks or hear about from local trainers. Toe to toe wars on the highest of skill levels, with the finest of fighters.
It's fights like these that elevate our sport, and make me proud to have been able to see it happen.
Marquez re-established himself as the man at 135lbs, defending his title in the most dramatic of fashions, and picking up a few vacant ones as well. How many other 35 year olds do you know who can perform like Juan Manuel Marquez did tonight?
Make no mistake about it, Marquez punched his ticket to the Hall of Fame tonight, and "ATG" might not be that far out of reach either.
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