Juan Diaz Makes Last Stand Against Juan Manuel Marquez

LAS VEGAS -- Houston resident Juan Diaz is just 26 years old, the age at which most good boxers are either reaching their prime or entering the most meaningful portions of their professional careers.

But Diaz is not your average fighter, in or out of the ring.

Out of the ring, Diaz already has graduated from college in June of 2009 with a degree in political science with designs on becoming a lawyer.

In the ring, Diaz has demonstrated similar maturity, having already been an undisputed, three-belt champion and defeated five past or future world titlists. Nicknamed, "The Baby Bull," for his warrior spirit, Diaz won his first 33 fights.

But as he enters Saturday night's Golden Boy Promotions HBO pay per view televised rematch with WBO and WBA lightweight (135 pounds) champion, Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 knockouts), it is Diaz (35-3, 17 KOs) -- and not the 36-year-old Marquez -- who is perceived to have absorbed more wear and tear in the ring.

"Diaz is ten years younger," said Bob Canobbio of CompuBox. "Yet there's more mileage on his odometer."

Diaz has lost two of his past five fights, including a ninth-round, knockout loss to Marquez in February of 2009 which was named the Fight of the Year by the Boxing Writers' Association of America.

Even though Marquez turns 37 on Aug. 23, and is coming off of September's one-sided, unanimous decision loss to Floyd Mayweather at welterweight (147 pounds), Diaz admits that it is he that is in a must-win situation.

"Without a victory over Marquez, there is nothing else for me. If I don't beat Marquez, there is no other big fight," said Diaz. "But by beating Marquez, that's when all of my opportunities open up. That's when I will have a lot of options. So I know that there is no other option for me but to win on Saturday night."

Diaz is coming off of December's lopsided, unanimous decision loss to light-hitting Paulie Malignaggi (27-4, five KOs), who nevertheless, staggered Diaz at one point during their fight. In victory, Malignaggi avenged a disputed unanimous decision loss before Diaz's hometown fans in Houston.

"I saw a significant decrease in energy and aggression from Juan Diaz in the second Paulie Malignaggi fight," said Steve Farhood, Showtime's boxing analyst. "If he can't bring it the way he used to, he will get outboxed from here to Mexico City."

Like Diaz, the Mexican-born Marquez of Mexico City is known for bringing it in the ring. A five-time champion over three weight classes, Marquez is considered the No. 1 Mexican fighter in boxing.

If he defeats Diaz, Marquez has plenty of options. He could pursue a status as the first Mexican fighter to win a fourth crown in as many weight classes by going after WBA junior welterweight (140 pounds) king Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KOs), who will be at ringside on Saturday night.

Marquez could chase a third bout with seven-division champ and present WBO welterweight titlist, Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), against whom he has battled to a draw and lost a disputed split-decision.

Or Marquez could face Australia's Michael Katsidis (27-2, 22 KOs), who wears the WBO's interim belt, making him the mandatory challenger to the winner of Marquez-Diaz.

But the notion that he may be making his last stand, and that he may be literally on his last legs as a boxer, only further motivates Diaz.

"I welcome all of the negative critics and thoughts that people have about me because that's when I can rise to the top and be myself," said Diaz. "I don't have to worry the pressure of anybody believing or thinking that I'm going to be successful on Saturday night. All of my focus is on Saturday night and Juan Manuel Marquez."

Diaz earned his first world lightweight title, the WBA version, with a July, 2004, unanimous decision over Lakva Sim, and defended his crown seven times with four knockouts.

Among Diaz's victories was an April, 2006, unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jose Miguel Cotto, the older brother of WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champ, Miguel Cotto.

With his sixth defense in April of 2007, Diaz added the WBO title with an eighth-round knockout over Brazil's Acelino Freitas, who entered their bout with a record of 38-1, with 32 knockouts, and a three-fight winning streak. Freitas retired after the fight.

Six months later, Diaz scored a ninth-round knockout to dethrone Julio Diaz as IBF king, ending Julio Diaz's four-bout winning streak that had included three stoppages.

Diaz was 33-0, with 17 knockouts and the holder of the IBF, WBO and WBA belts with he lost a March of 2008 split-decision to slick-boxing veteran, Nate Campbell.

Diaz rebounded with an impressive, split-decision over former world titlist, Katsidis, who was 25-1, with 20 knockouts coming
in. But then came the loss to Marquez.

Diaz said this week, however, that he feels that he is due for a victory on Saturday night.

"The last two years of my boxing career have been a roller coaster ride," said Diaz. "Starting with the Nate Campbell fight which was my first loss, then I beat Michael Katsidis, and then lost to Juan Manuel Marquez, then beat Paulie Malinaggi and then lost to him. It just makes sense that I am going to win this fight, and I am going to keep winning from now on."