It might not be this year's Fight of the Year, but Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz put on another performance that was worth every penny on a card that did not fail to deliver. After 12 rounds of back-and-forth action, however, the end result was no different the second time around than it was the first time as Juan Manuel Marquez used his superior boxing skills to win a unanimous decision in his rematch with Juan Diaz. Relive all the action in FightHype's in-depth, minute-by-minute round-by-round coverage.
PREFIGHT
Juan Diaz makes his way to the ring first. It's a long walk from the tunnel to the ring, but Diaz looks relaxed and focused. Juan Manuel Marquez comes out next and he looks confident, extremely confident, as he walks with a little swagger on his way to the ring. It's a very pro Marquez crowd tonight as the fans erupt with excitement when they see him.
ROUND 1
Both men come out firing shots. Marquez looking to land his left hook. Diaz tries to jab his way in. They trade jabs. Marquez touches him to the body. Diaz lands a series of quick left hooks upstairs. Marquez lands a HARD right hand upstairs followed by a left hook to the body. Diaz trades with him though. Both men trade left hooks. HARD right hand and a left hook lands for Marquez. Uppercut lands for Marquez and Diaz wobbles a little. Diaz lands a right hand and a left cross. WOOOOO...NICE 1-2 lands for Diaz. Another big right hand lands for Diaz. Close round. Very close round. I think Marquez may have outworked him, but Diaz landed the bigger shots. I narrowly give it to the champion Marquez.
Marquez 10 Diaz 9
ROUND 2
Both men just missing with big shots. Diaz lands a left hook. Both men trade on the inside. Marquez lands a left hook. They trade body shots. They trade jabs. Uppercut lands for Marquez. Diaz lands his jab now. Marquez lands a right. Diaz answers with a big left hook though. Double jab lands for Diaz. Nice left to the body lands for Marquez, but Diaz answers with a 1-2. Uppercut and a looping right hand lands for Marquez. Diaz misses with a wild swing. Another close round, but again, I give it to the champion.
Marquez 20 Diaz 18
ROUND 3
Uppercut lands for Marquez. Diaz lands a hook. Jab lands for Diaz. Marquez works the body. Another jab lands for Diaz. Nice uppercut lands for Marquez again. Quick 1-2 lands for Diaz. Marquez lands a left, but Diaz outworks him on the inside. Stiff jab lands for Marquez. Marquez lands a right upstairs. Diaz lands a nice right upstairs. Another 1-2 lands for Diaz. Stiff jab lands for Diaz. Marquez gets mad and unleashes a flurry of punches that Diaz slips pretty nicely. Diaz waves him on to bring it. They trade shots. Good round. Round to Diaz.
Marquez 29 Diaz 28
ROUND 4
Diaz pressing forward as Marquez circles on the outside. Left hook lands for Diaz. Marquez lands a right. They trade jabs. Jab lands for Diaz. Both men a little more cautious. Woooo...HARD 1-2 lands for Marquez and Diaz is rocked. Marquez jumps on him and lands another 1-2. Diaz staggers backwards and just covers up. They trade jabs. Diaz lands a sloppy left hook. Quick 1-2 lands for Marquez. Another 1-2 lands for Marquez. Round to Marquez.
Marquez 39 Diaz 37
ROUND 5
They trade jabs. Left hook lands for Diaz. Stiff jab lands for Marquez. They trade jabs. Left hook to the body lands for Diaz. Marquez lands a counter right and an uppercut. Triple jab lands for Marquez. HARD left hook to the body lands for Marquez. Diaz starting to show some wear and tear in there. Big right hand over the top lands for Marquez. Another. Straight right down the middle lands for Marquez. Round to Marquez.
Marquez 49 Diaz 46
ROUND 6
Jab lands for Diaz and he digs to the body, but not much on those shots. Marquez digs a left to the body. Jab lands for Marquez. Left hook lands for Marquez. Marquez lands a right, but Diaz lands one of his own. 1-2 lands for Diaz. Marquez lands an uppercut. A series of jabs land for Diaz. Marquez slips most of them. Marquez lands a right. BIG left hook lands for Marquez followed by a right and Diaz holds on. Diaz on the run. He's hurt. Round to Marquez.
Marquez 59 Diaz 55
ROUND 7
Stiff jab from Marquez. Double jab from Diaz. Right hand down the middle lands for Marquez. Diaz lands a jab. Overhand right lands for Marquez. Diaz digs a left hook to the body. Another left to the body lands for Diaz. Marquez digs a left of his own to the body. Uppercut lands for Marquez. Diaz lands a left though. Marquez lands two big right hands that stagger Diaz. Short left hand lands for Marquez. Close round, but I give it to Marquez.
Marquez 69 Diaz 64
ROUND 8
That eye of Marquez starting to swell a bit. Diaz comes out firing his jab again. Marquez looks content to sit back and counter. Uppercut lands for Marquez. Diaz lands his jab. 1-2 lands for Marquez. Right hand lands for Marquez upstairs. They trade jabs. 1-2 lands for Marquez. Diaz lands a left hook, but Marquez tags him with a 1-2. Round to Marquez.
Marquez 79 Diaz 73
ROUND 9
Right hand, a left and another right lands for Marquez. Diaz backs him up to the ropes, but Marquez lands another quick combo. BIG right hand lands for Marquez again. HARD uppercut lands for Marquez and Diaz is hurt again. He holds on. Another left and a right lands for Marquez, who's going in for the kill. Diaz on the retreat. Uppercut lands for Marquez. Right hand lands for Marquez. 1-2 lands for Marquez. Diaz holds on. Right hand and another uppercut lands for Marquez. Diaz retreats. Round to Marquez.
Marquez 89 Diaz 82
ROUND 10
Diaz lands a jab. Jab and a right to the body lands for Marquez. Short right hook lands for Marquez, whose eye is totally shut right now. Right hand and an uppercut lands for Marquez. Diaz fires back a 1-2. HARD left hook to the body lands for Marquez. Diaz lands a left down the middle. Marquez lands a right and an uppercut. Round to Marquez.
Marquez 99 Diaz 91
ROUND 11
Chopping right hand lands for Diaz. Diaz lands a left hook. Marquez on the retreat. Diaz digs to the body. Marquez lands an uppercut. Diaz lands a left hook. Right hand down the middle lands for Marquez. Diaz digs some shots to the body. Left hook upstairs lands for Diaz. HARD right to the body lands for Diaz. Round to Diaz.
Marquez 108 Diaz 101
ROUND 12
Diaz lands a short left hook on the inside. Marquez backs him up with a flurry of punches. Diaz fires back with his jab. Short right hand on the inside lands for Marquez. Both men going for it in the final round. Diaz presses forward and lands a 1-2. Left to th body lands for Diaz. Diaz digs to the body on the inside. HARD uppercut lands for Marquez. They trade on the inside. Diaz lands a right. Another. Marquez lands a right. Left hook and a right hand upstairs lands for Marquez. Diaz lands a left hook upstairs. 1-2 lands for Marquez. They trade on the inside. 1-2 lands for Diaz. Diaz lands a left hook. Both men trade a flurry of punches right at the bell. Good round. Round to Diaz.
Marquez 117 Diaz 111
Official judges scorecards:
116-112
118-110
117-111
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...AND STILL LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD...JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ
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