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03/01/2009 Archived Entry: "Trono de Sangre"
Trono de Sangre
Juan Manuel Marquez knocks out Juan Diaz in Brutal Battle
By Karl Hegman
Photos by Kevin Keane
Marquez (left) and Diaz trade blows
Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez cemented his position as the Undisputed Lightweight champion of the world Saturday night with a violent 9th round technical knockout before 14,571 frenzied fight fans at Houston's Toyota Center. It was the classic youth vs. experience clash on the Golden Boy promoted fight card televised globally on HBO, and is an early candidate for fight of the year honors. In an ironic twist, Marquez seemingly received a louder ovation than the homegrown product Diaz in their ring introductions by Michael Buffer, and the shootout started immediately as Diaz sprang from his corner at the opening bell and immediately took the fight to his senior opponent of twelve years.
Diaz established his role of the aggressor early on as he backed up Marquez and raked him to thead and body several times, and set a pace that many boxing experts had doubted that Juan Manuel could maintain for a sustained amount of time. Diaz won the first frame handily as Marquez looked somewhat confused, but did manage to get in a couple of nice counters under all the heat that was coming his way in the form of the determined "Baby Bull." It was more of the same in the second as a big left hook shook Marquez as Diaz literally chased him from pillar to post and unloaded on Marquez several times while forcing his smaller opponent back up against the ropes, and concentrating a good portion of his fire on the midsection.
Diaz continued to press forward grimly in the third, eating several nice Marquez counters while getting his own jab untracked, but a late rally by Juan Manuel gave him his first winning round of the fight. Marquez and Diaz stood toe to toe in the fourth with the crowd chanting "Marquez, Marquez!" and "Diaz! Diaz!" as they let the fur fly as the big crowd went nuts with the intense ring action. As the pair slugged it out in the fifth, several hard left hooks by Diaz opened a cut over Marquezs' right eye, and the older champion appeared to be tiring and fading at this point in the cathartic battle in the trenches.
The age old boxing adage of "The Great Ones find a Way" was illustrated in the sixth as Marquez slammed hurtful counters over and under on Diaz, who for the first time appeared fatigued as well as he continued to march into the firepower with his hands high, grunting and lunging in with his shots. The Mexican boxing master was as cool as ice in there at this point and began to dominate the flow of the fight, slipping punches gracefully, executing searing combinations off of the jab, and fighting off of 45 degree punching angle lanes, sinking in hurtful hooks to Diazs' body. The crowd may have not realized it, but they were bearing witness to an historic event of the manly art of self defense as it was written to be, as it was meant to be, as it must be.
Diaz was cut over the right eye by the jabs and hooks of Marquez in the seventh, but pressed forward with sheer naked aggression, emptying his clip in this all Mexican firefight while Marquez was swollen about the eyes and forehead, and whose cut over the right eye was beginning to really trouble him. The Baby Bull from Houston, the former amateur boxing world champion, the former unified lightweight champion, and now hoping to be the undisputed lightweight champion gave it his all and powdered Marquez up against the ropes in several fierce exchanges and looked to be taking over control of the fight as the crowd gave the pair locked in this death fight a standing ovation at the bell.
Diaz come out for the eigth round noticeably fatigued and wiping the blood out of his eye while Marquez jabbed, crossed, hooked, and uppercutted with grace and power. Diaz marched forward, trying desperately now to make something happen, the good kid from a good family, the standout example of everything good that the sport of boxing can do for a young man was now in the fight of his life, and I felt concern for him at this point in the fight. He was trying hard but getting punched around pretty good by a ring technician who had found boxing's fountain of youth.
A right uppercut by Marquez late in the round almost toppled Diaz over as his leg went halfway underneath him and the blood was really flowing down the right side of his face now. "El Manolete" did not rush in for the kill, but instead, playing his part to full tilt as the matador speared and searched for an opening over his by now low held guard, and put in hurtful "banderillas" to the stomach in the form of body punches that looked to hurt the distressed Diaz.
High drama unfolded the ninth as "El Torito" charged out desperately trying to turn the tide of the battle as he pushed through the pain and blood, through the agony of the punishment and forced Marquez backwards into retreat status. Marquez was using his educated left hand as a muleta to the head and body. Diaz was charging forward when he ran into a beaut of a right uppercut and ensuing combination that deposited him onto the canvas.
The game Houstonian righted himself to one knee and pulled himself up with the aid of the ropes, as the big crowd erupted, some with boisterous cheers, and some with "Oh No!" and sighs.
It was now time for the "Tercio de Muerte" as Diaz told the referee he was ok and Marquez moved in, Diaz tried to fight back but was then hit flush with a right uppercut that sent him airborne, and he landed flat on his back as the back of his head came down in a whiplash motion with a crash that could be heard throughout the packed den of the predominately Latin crowd.
The referee called it off at once as both camps and medical personnel flooded the ring to see to both the victor and vanquished, and Diaz was down for about a minute and a half before he was ok'd to rise and exit the ring. Diaz left nothing for the dressing room and fought his very heart out, and his many fans in Houston can be proud of their game warrior who most certainly will be back in the future fighting the world's best lightweights later on this year.
At the press conference afterwards, the battered victor Marquez said he wants Floyd Mayweather next, and promoter De La Hoya stated that fight won't happen at the welterweight limit of 147 but at a catchweight, and that Diaz was a tough and strong foe, but it was not his hardest fight. It was a beautiful fight plan designed by the great Nacho Beristain and executed perfectly by a boxing scientist of the highest order. Diaz was upbeat and said he will not only come back from this defeat, but will one day be Mayor of Houston.
The veteran toreador Juan Manuel Marquez sits on his throne of glory and blood recognized by many boxing people as the best fighter on the planet.
Rocky Juarez receives congratulatory remarks following his impressive draw with titlist Chris John at the post-fight press conference
Oscar De La Hoya (right) speaks as Golden Boy Promotions partner Bernard Hopkins looks on
Karl Hegman (left) looks on as former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins is interviewed
Photographer Kevin Keane mugs with acclaimed ring announcer Michael Buffer
Karl Hegman with Michael Buffer
*Note: A big Thank You to Ms. Monica Sears and all the great folks of Golden Boy Promotions for all of their hard work and hospitality, and for making this a special night in Houston sports history.
-- Karl Hegman
