Juan Diaz will stay at 135 pounds
by SC on Dec 18, 2009 10:46 AM EST
in News Analysis
16 comments
It's no surprise after two mixed bag performances near the junior welterweight limit against Paulie Malignaggi, but Juan Diaz says he's going back to lightweight.
BoxingScene.com: You just had two fights close to junior welterweight limit. Are you looking to go back down to lightweight?
Juan Diaz: I am definitely not going to fight at junior welterweight again. I am going to go back down to lightweight. I feel like I have better chance there against the stronger guys. If you look at Paulie's career we know he has always been the smaller guy when he fights. In these two fights he looked like the much bigger guy. I feel that my size and fighting skills would be a lot better at lightweight instead of junior welterweight.
He's right, of course, and it's exactly what he should do. Honestly, I don't know why people were ranking him as a junior welterweight at all. He never gave any impression he really wanted to fight at that weight. If he had wanted to fight there, he wouldn't have pressed for catchweights of 138.5 and 139 for the two Malignaggi fights. The only 140-pound fighter they called out was Ricky Hatton, felt by many to be severely damaged goods, and also known by everyone (including Diaz) to be a major money opponent.
Diaz also considers his options at 135:
BoxingScene.com: Is there anyone in particular you are looking to fight at lightweight?
Juan Diaz: We have Juan Manuel Marquez who would be my number one pick. There is also Michael Katsidis and a lot of other great fighters in the lightweight division.
BoxingScene.com: What about Joel Casamayor or a chance to avenge your loss with Nate Campbell now that it looks like he is signing with Golden Boy?
Juan Diaz: You have Joel Casamayor and Guzman as well who is under Golden Boy. There are a lot of big names out there I would definitely love to fight. There are two guys out there that I haven't beat that I have fought and Marquez and Campbell are those guys. I would love to avenge either one of those losses.
Of the five guys mentioned here, he's already fought three of them, and one of them is for sure not stepping below 140 again (Campbell) because he just can't. Casamayor is also campaigning at 140 now, or at least that was his stated intention upon his lackluster November return to the ring. Casamayor looked rusty and slow at the weight against a really inferior but game opponent, and his manager did say just before that bout that if something came up at 135, they could still make the weight. Diaz-Casamayor would be somewhat interesting at least.
Marquez-Diaz II would be a rematch of one of the best fights of 2009, so of course I'd welcome it. They were dynamite together. And I actually think I'd like to see Diaz-Katsidis II, as well. That was the worst performance of Katsidis' career by far, as too much of the fight was spent with him just standing there. He tried to box Diaz, which wound up being a really predictable and huge mistake. Though Diaz isn't the best pure boxer, he's sure as hell better at it than the lumbering Katsidis. Katsidis with the right gameplan could make a very exciting fight (which we expected the first time and didn't get) and give Juan some real trouble. He's tremendously strong.
Maybe the most interesting thing, though, is that Juan says he doesn't want to fight in Houston again:
Well after all the controversy with the first fight with Malignaggi and all the talk about the judges I really wouldn't want to fight in Houston. I feel that once a fighter comes down to Houston to fight against me everyone is going to assume that the judges are going to be against him and show me favoritism. Instead of helping me it might hinder me with the judges and the referees. If it's up to me I am not fighting in Houston. It all depends on what my manager and Golden Boy want to do.
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uan Diaz should retire. He ii shot IMO.
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Dec 18, 2009 10:59 AM EST reply actions
How about
Juan Diaz vs. Rocky Juarez at a catchweight around 133, in Houston. Laurence Cole as referee. Gale Van Hoy manning all three judging spots. Most of the suspense would be just to see who gets robbed by whom.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Rocky would starret slow as usual allowing Juan to win the first three rounds. The Rocky would pick up the pace , find his ghrove and start rocking Juan with hard hooks until one hits the sweet spot in round 7 and it’s lights out for Diaz.. Cole raises The Rock’s hand in triumph and award him the Intercontinental, Fedalin, Carribean, PBAF, and Latin American REGIONAL interim title belt. Rocky says, “Look, I’ll take whatever belt they give me,” as the partisan crowd roras its aproval. Meanwhile, Hoye is seen wiping his head off with a towekl in relief.
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Dec 18, 2009 11:34 AM EST up reply actions
I actually think that fight would actually happen....
of course without all the weirdness you mentioned there. I’ve been calling for it for years now. Might as well get Rocky one more payday to send him on his way.
As far as not fighting in H-Town anymore….that goes to show Juan’s character level. He’s an above average dude and actually gives a shit about what the fans think instead of just saying.
Larry Merchant IS God...
by El_Mas_Chingon on Dec 18, 2009 6:13 PM EST up reply actions
that would be my absolute worst nightmare
The Dude Abides
by battle axe of doom on Dec 19, 2009 2:51 AM EST up reply actions
Ugh, Sorry for the typos.
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Dec 18, 2009 11:34 AM EST reply actions
I believe it was a Rafael chat last week
and someone brought up Diaz fighting Humberto Soto. I’d dig that.
USE THE SOFTWARE. Actions-> Rec/Flag. Reply to comments with the reply button. Rec good fanposts/fanshots so the crud gets pushed down.
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 18, 2009 12:13 PM EST reply actions
130 would probably be best for Diaz considering what he looks like in the 135-140 range. I’ve never seen a fat-ish looking lightweight before I saw the Baby Bull.
That Diaz-Juarez fight is a freakish No Contest of some sort, if ever one was. Possibly because Gale Van Hoy jumps into the ring and smacks Juarez with a folding chair.
He's not fat, its the training
He does a bunch of swimming training instead of road work. Coupled with the normal boxing exercises it tends to give a body that doesn’t look as cut as someone who does roadwork. Apparently Valuev does this too. I’ve never seen any problems endurance with Diaz, so I’m pretty sure he is not out of shape.
Cris Arreola does that as well
Only problem is that he swims in nacho cheese
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
by Brickhaus on Dec 18, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Ugh!
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Dec 18, 2009 3:18 PM EST up reply actions
Juan Diaz
Juans biggest problem his whole carreer is fighting with his head over his left foot. He is easy to hit with right uppercups and right hands as a whole.This ,takes aways power from his right hand , Makes him unable to throw punches while moving to his right (if he moves that way at all)and forces him to step heal-toe on his left foot. This shortens his left jab and sorces his ballance to be bad when he throws a left hook to his opponents head. I love the kid. He is as good a kid as we have in boxing today. His cuts are now on a regular basis and he gets hit way too much. I wish him nothing but the best…..God bless,,,…Kenny weldon
Man, hey Kenny, How are you, good buddy?
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Dec 19, 2009 4:08 PM EST up reply actions
so SC, does katsidis have tremendous strength or decent strength (like you’ve been saying when talking about katsidis-JMM)
The Dude Abides
by battle axe of doom on Dec 19, 2009 2:52 AM EST reply actions
Very physically strong guy in the sense that he can bull an opponent around well. Not a particularly strong puncher, I don’t think, which is the biggest reason (among the 1,000) that I about choked on Pepsi when Kellerman said he was Arturo Gatti mixed with Rocky Marciano.
Bad Left Hook
"If bulls**t was poetry, Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini's name would be Shakespeare." -- Dennis Rappaport
by SC on Dec 21, 2009 8:38 AM EST up reply actions
I think the JMM fight finished Juan as we knew him. He is done I tell you, done. Are you feeling me here?
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Dec 19, 2009 4:09 PM EST reply actions
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