WBA, WBO, and Ring Magazinelightweight champion "Dinamita" Juan Manuel Marquez earned a unanimous decision victory over "The Baby Bull" Juan Diaz Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KOs), a Mexican icon rated by Ring Magazine as the number three pound-for-pound fighter in the world, managed to defeat Diaz (35-4, 17 KOs) for a second time despite his right eye being swollen nearly shut.
"The first one was difficult, and so was this one," said Marquez, 36, who trumped Diaz by a ninth round TKO in February 2009. "Like every true Mexican warrior, we both fought with all of our hearts and left it all in the ring."
Diaz, a native of Texas who is the former unified WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO world lightweight champion, has now been defeated in four of his last six bouts.
Nevertheless, "The Baby Bull" is not your typical prizefighter with zero prospects outside of the ring.
Diaz, a graduate of the University of Houston, is preparing to pursue a career in law or politics.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," said Diaz, 26, who made his professional debut in June 2000 at age 16 with a first round TKO victory. "I'm going to consider all the facts. I'm going to take the LSAT, and that's another fact. I've been fighting for 10 years, longer than a lot of fighters, so I'm just going to figure it out."
Conversely, Marquez entirely knows what he wants and that is a third contest with Filipino pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs).
The two previous bouts pitting Marquez against Pacquiao ended in a 2004 draw and a narrow, split-decision loss for Marquez in 2008.
"It's good for all fight fans," said Marquez, a past IBF, WBA, and WBO featherweight titlist. "The Mexicans, the Filipinos, everyone wants to see it. That's the most important fight to me now. I'll be ready for November, and hopefully Pacquiao will take the fight."
Unfortunately for Marquez, his trilogy versus Pacquiao will likely have to wait because the "Pac-Man" is tentatively slated to provide notorious scumbag Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) with a bloody version of ring justice November 13 at a venue to be determined.
"I want to see Pacquiao destroy Margarito," said Brad Sherwood, 30, a resident of South Boston is works as a personal trainer at Gold's Gym in Medford. "I'll actually pay to see it."
Marquez will be 37 later this month and Diaz will be turn 27 on September 17.
Obviously, Marquez is 10 years Diaz's senior.
Nevertheless, Diaz should retire in the next three hours and seek other opportunities while his marbles are still intact.
Contrarily, Marquez should continue to fight until he receives a third battle with Pacquiao.
Marquez and Diaz are two different fighters who clearly lead two separate lives.
Boxing is still currently beneficial for Marquez, and it has become a hindrance for Diaz.
It's time for the young man to retire and the old warrior to persevere in "The Sweet Science."
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