This Lightweight fight was expected to be close. It was very well marketed and promoted as a fight people would most definitely remember for a very long time. This was a bout that would unify Juan's WBA/WBO and Julio's IBF world Lightweight titles
Well it was a great fight…for the corner of Juan Diaz. Juan came out with a look in his eye that would intimidate a pit bull. The bad thing is that his actions spoke more than the words of his trash-talking opponent Juan Diaz. Julio “The Baby Bull” Diaz came out like true champion in the beginning of round one. Starting the round off by working the jab and setting up his left, a combination that would continue to be very affective throughout the entire fight. Julio did not fight like a chump either connecting numerous times with a right straight that definitely affected the game plan that Juan was prepared execute, making him pretty much improvise. Juan was doing bodywork setting up for the left hook, causing a cut over Juan's right eye just before the end of a close 1st round.
Everything was working for the “The Baby Bull “. He was working the body counter punching, and hitting some very good power shots. Juan was using a stick and move approach utilizing his lightning fast speed. He was moving around like he is known to do, but Julio some how absorbed everything that Juan was throwing his way. And when he would get hit there were usually counter punches flying towards Juan therefore giving Julio the power of controlling the tempo of the fight against a very fast opponent. Controlling the fight was the last thing that Juan and his trainers were stressing during their training.
The bell rang for the second round and Julio wasted no time in going back to work on that right eye trying to make the cut deeper. Juan stayed inside and boxed with Julio for the next few rounds trying his best to block that left hook that cut him in the first round. Towards the 6th round you could tell that the fight was really taking affect on Juan's speed and agility it seemed like Julio Diaz could land punches at will. The blood from the now deep cut was starting to get in the right eye of Juan Diaz. The IBF champions left eye was starting to swell by the 7th round, and he looked almost defenseless. At the beginning of the 8th round Julio was still very energetic and confident about the combinations he was landing on a very fatigued Juan Diaz. Julio ended the round with a viscous triple hook to the already damaged right eye. Just as I thought that a knockout with seconds away the bell rings for the end of round number eight. During the break between round eight and nine Juan Diaz's corner decided enough is enough and stopped the fight unifying the WBO/WBO and the IBF world lightweight championships.
Julio fought with confidence and poise controlling the fight the whole time. Keeping the edge over a very talented fighter in Juan Diaz. I would not be surprised if a rematch is already being talked about. If that is the case Juan Diaz needs to work on his defense for the next fight because I don't think the champ plans on losing his title anytime soon.
