Their first fight was an absolute brawl on Juan Diaz's home turf. This time around Juan Manuel Marquez has the fight on neutral ground but is hoping Diaz (35-3, 17 KOs) sticks with his straight-ahead style. If he does, both fighters could take a beating Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. From NorthJersey.com:
"I think this fight is going to be better than the first one," Marquez said, "because Juan Diaz is a great fighter and a great warrior, and I am, too.”
Diaz's trainer Ronnie Shields agrees:
"This is going to be a great fight. [...] When you have styles like Juan Diaz and Juan Manuel Marquez, you have one of the best fights you have ever seen in your life."
Are both fighters the same guys they were back in February of 2009?
Marquez has fought since September when he was blistered by Floyd Mayweather. At 36, has he finally begun to head downhill? Diaz, 26, needs to show improvement. His style makes for great fights but he's way too easy to hit.
Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole broke down the fight and expects a longer fight this time. He says Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) won't be the same guy after taking so many hard shots against Mayweather. Iole also worries about Marquez going from the mid-140s to 135.
We also discuss the health of boxing in Las Vegas. Fights have struggled to sell out for the last few years in Sin City. Golden Boy Promotions is making an effort to alter price and value on these cards. The cheapest ticket is $50 and that's a pretty solid seat at the cozy Mandalay Bay Events Center. They've also delivered a solid undercard.
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