Juan Diaz v. Juan Manuel Marquez "live"

And now for another live typewritten account of the fight as it happens. I'm sitting with my keyboard on my lap and the fight buildup onscreen in front of me. Ring #2 pound for pound Marquez against the Baby Bull. I'm watching Marquez do his ring walk and the Baby Bull Juan Diaz is already in the ring. HBO's Max Kellerman is crowning Marquez as the second coming. Marquez is great, no question...but styles make fights. Diaz was undone by the Galaxy Warrior Nate Campbell for his only loss two fights ago, but Nate fought the fight of his career to do it. It's hard to say how Marquez will handle the volume punching and ring skill of young Diaz. Conventional wisdom definitely picks Marquez. As much as I like Diaz, who definitely belongs in the ring with Marquez, I think Marquez...unless he suddenly appears shot in the face of the barrage that Diaz brings...will take it by decision, let's call it 116-112. He's a born counterpuncher and has been in tough a LOT.

They are coming to ring center. And the bell rings for the first round. Neither fighter can get a rhythm. Diaz lands. Diaz pinning Marquez and Diaz is getting the better of it at the halfway point. Marquez is a slow starter as I recall. Diaz eases up for the next thirty seconds, then comes on. Marquez is countering better at the round's conclusion. It's a fight with ten seconds to go. A brawl at the bell. A very close round, that goes to Diaz 10-9.

Diaz finding a home for his overhand right. Diaz is NOT a heavy handed fighter and I wonder if that won't factor in. If he can't stun Marquez he will have trouble. Diaz definitely getting the better of a war halfway though. What a great fight! Marquez stunned! Left hand. Marquez' back to the ropes and works his way out. Eating my words on Diaz' power...Marquez WAS stunned, but recovers. Marquez working the body on Diaz. A crafty thing to do considering he is behind. Diaz still bringing it. Diaz lands hard and Marquez hanging in. Diaz takes it to pull out to 20-18.

Lederman agrees with me. Never a good sign, but then it's likely that the judges will too in Houston...Diaz' hometown. Kellerman mentions Marquez' age and it seems apt because of "the wars he's been in." Nothing different a minute in. Diaz making Marquez fight at his pace and Diaz is stalking. Marquez missing. Diaz advancing and Marquez looks like he is having a bit of trouble getting off. Marquez IS fighting back, but he is always moving backward. Marquez lands several big shots...that aren't backing Diaz off, but they must hurt. Marquez getting the better of it. Marquez takes that round on clean counterpunching to pull to 28-29. However, I wonder if in friendly Houston and with Diaz always walking forward, Diaz doesn't take a round like that.

Lederman gave Diaz that round. He's aways a round behind. Diaz lands big several times. Diaz bringing spectacular looking combinations. Diaz takes twenty seconds off in the middle of the round then contines to bring the pain. Marquez fighting well to push Diaz back off the ropes. Even going into the last minute. Diaz drives Marquez back into the ropes and Marquez reacts like a champion, counterpunching in combination as if to respond to the oohs of the crowd. Marquez closes out the round better. Very hard round to score, but I'll give it to Diaz. 39-37.

And Lederman finally awards a round to Marquez. Again, a round behind. Marquez getting the better of it countering in the first minute, but Diaz brings aggression and pulls closer to even in the round. Diaz puts Marquez on the ropes. Off the ropes Marquez is far more effective and on the ropes Diaz punishes him. The HBO team comments that Marquez lands harder and they may be right, but hard to say. This is a great fight. The smart walk-forward volume puncher against the tough counterpuncher. Twenty seconds left and Diaz shining. Ten seconds left and they hear the tap and Diaz brings it harder and because they are pinned against the ropes, Diaz looks better. 49-46 for Diaz.

Round 6. Diaz pins Marquez in the corner and looks better...works Marquez across the ring, pins him again and looks better again. Marquez hasn't yet perfectly found the answer to the volume of Diaz. Diaz keeps getting to pin Marquez and Marquez looks a bit gassed because he is allowing it. He is not yet able to back off Diaz. With a minute left, this round has been mostly Diaz. Thirty seconds to go and Marquez not distinguishing himself. A war in a corner that comes out even. Ten seconds to go and Diaz still coming forward. Diaz' round 59-55. Diaz is building a lead and I've yet to see him, in fights past, lose steam. Diaz has a solid beard. Marquez is in trouble on points.

Round 7: a minute goes by and the fighters seems to be taking a breather a bit. Marquez more effective because Diaz is not walking him down, but instead is boxing him. Marquez' round so far, but Lampley is claiming that Marquez' mouth is open and he is breathing hard. I don't see it. Marquez is ahead in the round. Diaz comes on with twenty seconds to go, but it's not enough on my card. Round 7 to Marquez on my card, making it 68-65, still favoring Diaz.

Lederman gives that last round to Diaz. Good. I feel like I'm right if I'm not tracking him in a close fight. That said, it IS a close fight. Marquez more effective through a minute of the round. He doesn't look tired to me. Here comes Diaz though. Just bringing the aggression and hails of punches. Diaz is bleeding too now. Marquez lands a big uppercut. both are bleeding. Diaz has him pinned on the ropes with a minute left, but doesn't turn the tide. Both men's cuts are over their right eyes.. Marquez lands big. Diaz is hurt. A misstep gives him away. Ten seconds to go...Diaz hangs in. Round to Marquez, making it 77-75, still for Diaz...but the gap is closing.

The Diaz cut looks to be on the eyelid. Round 9 of a great fight begins. Diaz presses forward. Marquez countering effectively. Diaz seems to go low. They bang heads. A minute in and it is even. Diaz is forcing Marquez on to the ropes and Marquez spinning out much faster now. As soon as I say that, he gets pinned and when that happens Diaz looks like he gets the better of it. Diaz GOES DOWN. Big uppercut. 35 seconds to go. Marquez finishes him with a uppercut. KO. Wow. Didn't really see that coming because Diaz, while he took a lot of punishment, as his style insists he must (especially to a great coutnerpuncher), he didn't look like he was in trouble.

A solid performance by Marquez to beat a very game Diaz. The accuracy of the counterpunching and Marquez' heavier hands carried the day. Great fight, though. The official judges had it 77-75, 75 - 77 and 76-76 respectively. Close fight. Great fight.