JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ W12 JUAN DIAZ

Rematches of dramatic fights can equal the original or prove to be disappointing. The return lightweight title bout between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz on Saturday night was well fought and pleasing while never reaching the heights of the initial meeting.
 
Last time, Diaz tried to overwhelm Marquez with fiery, fists-pumping aggression, and his tactics, while bringing early success, were ultimately unsuccessful.
 
This time Diaz adopted a more strategic approach, trying to move in and out, jabbing, getting off his punches and getting away and doing his best not to stay right in front of Marquez. He never really looked like pulling off the upset with this style of boxing because Marquez was too talented a technician, but at least Diaz had the satisfaction of going the distance although widely outscored.
 
Marquez, coming up for 37, remains a fine boxer, skilled and sharp. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was too big and too much for him, but as a lightweight Marquez is still No 1 in the world. A mandatory title defence against Michael Katsidis would offer the prospect of an exciting, boxer versus fighter clash, but Marquez might opt for a bigger-money fight challenging Amir Khan at 140 pounds. Khan-Marquez would presumably be easy to make as both boxers are in the Golden Boy Promotions stable.
 
A professional boxer for 17 years, Marquez is a master of his craft, courageous and durable. Diaz made a game fight of it, but although he boxed well, Marquez was simply better. In the PPV TV commentary it was suggested that Diaz would have had a better chance had he attacked consistently. This may well be so, but I think that would also have increased his chances of getting knocked out again — the left uppercut that wobbled Diaz in the fourth round showed that danger lurked should the fighter from Houston revert to his “Baby Bull” brand of fighting. By boxing and moving and being smart, Diaz was at least able to stay in the fight and be competitive.
 
There was no real drama this time — just a good, honest fight between two proud professionals with one predictably proving to be more polished than the other.
 
Marquez was superior in every department, but he had to work hard for the win and his swollen and closing right eye and bloody nose showed that he had been in a fight.
 
For me, the enjoyment was in watching a master craftsman at work. Marquez is obviously not as fast as when he was younger and no longer throws quite such eye-catching combinations, but he is steady, accurate and alert and expertly picks up the punch-rate to reassert himself when the other man seems to be gathering momentum.
 
I think it is fair to say that for some time Marquez was overshadowed by higher-profile Mexican champions Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, but his worthiness is now widely recognised and I am sure that in years to come he will, deservedly, be ranked with the all-time-great Mexican fighters.