Marquez knocks out Diaz to unify lightweight belts
Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico stamped himself as the world's top
lightweight with a ninth-round knockout of American Juan Diaz in a
thrilling title unification fight at the Toyota Center.
Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs) won the vacant WBA and WBO lightweight
belts, plus Diaz's minor IBO title, finishing off the Houston native
with a right uppercut at 2:40 of the ninth round Saturday. The
35-year-old Marquez, a former featherweight and super-featherweight
champion, was fighting as a lightweight for only the second time in his
15-year professional career.
Diaz (34-2) called the fight the most important of his life, but lost
for the second time in three fights. His other defeat was to Nate
Campbell, whose WBA and WBO titles were stripped after he failed to make
weight for his own defense two weeks ago.
Marquez opened a cut over Diaz's eye in the eighth round, then
knocked him down twice in the ninth. He landed a hard right in the
middle of the ring, the first of a four-punch combination that dropped
the 25-year-old in his tracks.
Referee Rafael Ramos allowed the fight to continue, and Marquez moved
in and connected with another right uppercut. When Diaz went down,
Marquez ran to his corner and hopped onto the ropes, exhorting the
thousands of Mexican fans in attendance.
"I was ready to leave my heart and my soul in that ring," Marquez
said. "It was a great victory for me. It is one of the most important
victories of my career."
Moments after his win, Marquez boastfully called out Floyd Mayweather
Jr., who was considered the pound-for-pound king when he retired last
summer.
"Who wouldn't want to see that fight?" Marquez said through an
interpreter. "I'll fight him at 140 (pounds), maybe a little above that.
I want to fight the best, the very best."
Marquez has been trying for months to land one more fight with
Filipino Manny Pacquiao, who will face Ricky Hatton on May 2. Marquez
fought Pacquiao to a draw in May 2004, then lost a close decision in the
rematch last March.
But Marquez says he's given up on Pacquiao, and now wants to focus on
luring Mayweather out of retirement.
"I've been trying to get a third fight with Manny Pacquiao, but he
doesn't want to fight me," Marquez said. "So I'm calling out the best,
and that's Floyd Mayweather."
Marquez and Diaz both fight for Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy
Promotions. De La Hoya backed Marquez's challenge, and believes
Mayweather will fight again.
"Marquez wants to go for the best," De La Hoya said. "That's the
fight he wants. We feel that, with Marquez, he is always going for that
pound-for-pound title. If Mayweather comes back, then he would be
fighting the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world in Mayweather."
Diaz won the early rounds Saturday, repeatedly backing Marquez into
the ropes before hammering him with quick combinations.
HOUSTON, AP |
