GEORGE ELSASSER -
The pick is one
of my favorite today lightweights Juan Diaz to stop the very game and talented
Juan Manuel Marquez. Youth and natural lighweight size is the big edge over a
smaller featherweight moving up for the challenge.
Toss in Marquez having had so many wars and Diaz gains still another advantage
in enjoying the fresher body.
Diaz
victory - possible late stoppage
FRANK GONZALEZ JR. - Diaz is a good
strong young banger but J. M. Marquez is too smart a boxer and too crafty to get
drawn into Diaz' kind of slugfest fight. I expect Marquez will dominate the
action from outside and force Diaz to fight on HIS terms. Diaz can be good on
the inside and has lots of energy to throw tons of punches, but when he starts
tasting the counter shots Marquez offers back, he will be reaching for plan B
and C.
I like Marquez by unanimous decision
ED LUDWIG - Two pressure fighters with a high
volume of punches makes this a fight of the year candidate. Most people are
picking Juan Manuel Marquez to beat Juan
Diaz. I am not one of them. The "Baby Bull" will make everyone forget the Nate
Campbell fight by scoring a close unanimous decision victory.
It will be a back and forth slugfest with
Diaz landing the cleaner and more effective punches.
Marquez' face will show the wear and tear
after the final bell sounds. Marquez is a sure fire Hall of Famer but you have
to wonder how many wars he has left in him?
A win by Diaz will move him ever so close to
cracking the pound for pound rankings. He is an emerging star
who is only
going to get better!
Diaz by unanimous decision
JOSE HERNANDEZ -
Marquez will take this by decision. He has proven to be one of the elite
fighters of boxing and should have no problem breaking down the "Baby Bull."
Marquez by decision
FRANCISCO GUZMAN - This fight is a toss
up. Marquez' win over Casamayor sent a huge statement in the lightweight
division. No one has ever beat Casamayor like that and no one has ever knocked
him out. He is also the guy who gave Manny Pacquiao fits in both their fights.
Marquez is probably the most skillful, experienced, ring savvy fighter Diaz has
ever faced.
Juan the "Baby Bull" Diaz is a fighter who throws tons of punches and puts
tremendous pressure on fighters. With an output of a hundred punches a
round Diaz high work rate has overwhelmed veteran fighters in the past like Jose
Miguel Cotto, Julio Diaz, Acelino Freitas and recently Michael Katsidis. Diaz
seemed not to be the same fighter with distractions with his split from Don King
when he went against Nate Campbell. We didn't see the same work rate we had
seen in the past, and he
lost a split decision to Nate. Since then Diaz has regrouped himself, signed
with Golden Boy and put on a great performance against Michael Katsidis, winning
a 12 round split decision. If I have to pick, conventional wisdom tells me that
Marquez has the experience and strength to give a slight edge in beating Diaz.
Marquez in a split decision win
CHRIS ROBINSON - A lot to take in on this fight. Two guys
blessed with different gifts as fighters. Diaz is a high energy guy who
throws punches non-stop while Marquez is technically one of the most brilliant
boxers around, as well as having true toughness that has been proven time and
time again. Marquez is the smaller man and he's at the age where he could could
show noticeable signs of slippage in any fight, but at the end of the day he is
the better fighter. I like Marquez to win by hard fought decision. Very
intriguing fight.
Marquez by decision
STEPHEN JONES - For me Supremacy in
Downtown Houston is going in one way... Juan Manuel Marquez has more than just
an edge here, I see him taking Diaz into territory that is far above his
station.. I only see one winner and its by a stoppage around the 9th round..
Marquez by late stoppage or even a one-sided points affair... Those titles are
too important to Marquez.....
Marquez (late stoppage or UD)
MARTIN WADE - I like Diaz by split
decision. The Baby Bull has one gear and he'll start fast enough to bank early
rounds with activity and an underrated jab. Marquez will warm up and start to
exploit Diaz late but the kid will have enough to hold on in a thriller. Marquez
will feel the difference between a natural 135-40 pounder and the former 130
pound kingpin (Casamayor) he KO'd last year.
Diaz by split decision
BILL STEPHENS -
Although Juan Diaz (34-1,17 KOs) is a tough and determined fighter who
doesn't know the meaning of quit, Diaz will be know no match for the former
Champion Juan Manuel Marquez (49-1, 36 KOs). Diaz will get in the middle of
the ring and grind it out for twelve grueling rounds. Marquez will ultimately
get the decision at the end of twelve in front of his hometown crowd.
Marquez by decision
LARRY FLORES - Tough fight to pick a winner.
Marquez is 35 years old, but coming off a close tough fight with "The
Pacman" Pacquiao that could have gone either way, and his TKO win over Joel
Casamayor. Marquez still keeps a very busy pace in the ring which could
prove too much for his younger opponent. If Marquez can keep the fast pace
throughout most of the fight, he can win a decision. And he can punch.
Juan Diaz was out hustled by Nate Campbell in a
surprising but clear win for Campbell. He is younger & should be able to
keep up with Marquez' fast pace. Although he doesn't punch as hard as
Marquez, he wears down his opponents with the constant pressure and body
attack, as he did to Acelino Freitas.
Very close fight and hard to predict, but I think Juan
Diaz can win a decision in a terrific & exciting fight, although I would not
be surprised with a Marquez win.
Diaz by decision
2-27-2009
