Another rematch, another pay-per-view, another prediction compilation! So join us as our intrepid writers throw in their two cents on these two gents, World Lightweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz, who do battle once again tonight at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas! Read on….
Steve Kim: I like Marquez by ninth-round KO. Simply put, Diaz looks like a faded fighter and Marquez is back at his best weight.
German Villasenor: Marquez by quicker KO in another barnburner. Marquez returns to his better weight class, not too beaten up and rested. Diaz has been through the mill; still, he is game and will make it a war as long as it lasts. Says here, Marquez gets it done inside eight.
Alec Kohut: I’m going with Marquez by decision. I think Diaz will be a more cautious fighter after the last fight.
Allan Scotto: Give me Marquez by early-rounds KO.
Luis Cortes III: What my man Alec said…Marquez by decision.
Ryan Maquiñana: Diaz has the ability to take away rounds early. In addition, Father Time has taken away ten more months from the shelf life of Marquez. But Diaz is coming off a loss to a slick boxer who was never a threat to stop him. Now throw in Marquez’ power. As the first fight progressed, Marquez became more and more accurate and Diaz proved he didn’t have the power to put his man on the defensive for a sustained amount of time. When Plan A to stop Marquez goes out the window, Plan B will be to outbox him, and unless Marquez ages overnight or has trouble making weight, I can’t see Diaz doing that to a master of the craft. Marquez by decision.
Joe Goossen: Marquez again. Diaz is training like he never did before. It’s the end of the rope for somebody here. Diaz is good up front in the first half of the fight but Marquez has shown he can survive anyone and everything. He went the full 12 rounds with Floyd Mayweather, a much bigger man. Diaz isn’t the biggest banger in town and while he will come on strong early, Marquez can weather any storm. Marquez by decision. Depends on if Diaz has any game the second half of the fight.
Coyote Duran: You know how, in baseball, a batter on deck will swing two bats together or he’ll have a couple of those donuts you’re not supposed to eat stuck to one bat, adding weight when warming up? Both Marquez and Diaz did these things, albeit not literally, in moving up to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Paul Malignaggi, respectively. Both fighters came away with one more loss on their ledgers and perhaps a little more wisdom but they came back to the weight where they belong to rematch- and possibly match- their 2009 “Fight of the Year.” However, Marquez’ bat was a little heavier when he traveled to 147 to face Mayweather and his swings at 135 will deliver the doubles and triples needed to outscore Diaz. I don’t see a stoppage win this time out and “The Baby Bull” will make a brave stand but his offense won’t be enough to outdo “Dinamita,” who emerges with the decision win.
Marquez: 8 (100%)
Diaz: 0 (0%)
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