What happened to Juan Diaz?

He looked terrible last night imo and lost to Paulie first time around too.

Paulie looked excellent but the Juan Diaz of old just wasn't in the ring last night, or the fight before.

He looked even podgier than usual too, he looked like Gavin Rees with hair, and really looks a soft and tubby.

Remember the Juan Diaz of a few years ago who was just tearing through guys?

The one who forced Julio Diaz and Acelino Freitas to quit on their stools due to the constant barrage of punches he was dishing out round after round.

Nate Campbell really beat him up but he stood his ground and went the distance, and then bounced back to impressively outbox Michael Katsidis.

Even against Marquez for the early rounds he was sensational.

But after being stopped by Marquez he's just looked awful.

Yesterday was nothing like the Juan Diaz of old.

He's only 26 but he looks washed up, he seems 36 in boxing terms.

It's sad, I'm not sure if he's finished his studies yet but imo he should take at least a year off, rest, heal up, get some zest for the sport back and then come back fresh for another run in early 2011.

The way he looked yesterday I just can't see him being competitive right now even at lightweight.

I have no idea why he's fighting at a catchweight of 138 lbs, he definitely has no future at light welter.

I actually like Juan Diaz, nice kid, bright and he used to have a really crowd pleasing style.

But sadly it looks like he's done.

I think the boxing skill of Malignaggi had a lot to do with it, Diaz will bang all day if you plant your feet such as he showed this weekend whenever Paulie didnt jab and just planted his feet he got hit with combos from Juan. I think Malignaggi is a bad style matchup for him to be honest.

Let's see if he goes back to 135 and what he can do in that division where he once ruled.

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

He looked terrible last night imo and lost to Paulie first time around too.

Paulie looked excellent but the Juan Diaz of old just wasn't in the ring last night, or the fight before.

He looked even podgier than usual too, he looked like Gavin Rees with hair, and really looks a soft and tubby.

Remember the Juan Diaz of a few years ago who was just tearing through guys?

The one who forced Julio Diaz and Acelino Freitas to quit on their stools due to the constant barrage of punches he was dishing out round after round.

Nate Campbell really beat him up but he stood his ground and went the distance, and then bounced back to impressively outbox Michael Katsidis.

Even against Marquez for the early rounds he was sensational.

But after being stopped by Marquez he's just looked awful.

Yesterday was nothing like the Juan Diaz of old.

He's only 26 but he looks washed up, he seems 36 in boxing terms.

It's sad, I'm not sure if he's finished his studies yet but imo he should take at least a year off, rest, heal up, get some zest for the sport back and then come back fresh for another run in early 2011.

The way he looked yesterday I just can't see him being competitive right now even at lightweight.

I have no idea why he's fighting at a catchweight of 138 lbs, he definitely has no future at light welter.

I actually like Juan Diaz, nice kid, bright and he used to have a really crowd pleasing style.

But sadly it looks like he's done.

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Well i haven't seen the fight yet im going to watch it later, but i always did like Juan Diaz and was one of the ones on the Juan Diaz bandwagon. I think personally he's not suited to 140 and should move back down, lets see what happens when he moves back down to 135 before we make any judgements.

Nothing. He was never that good to begin with. Having said that, i never really rated Paulie that highly either. Both good fighters mind, just quite a bit short of being able to dominate 140....even in it's current state.

Diaz has just had that crowd pleasing style with a couple of half decent wins where his volume and tenacity has seen him win. He's a good fighter, but it's no surprise to see him being in close fights with other merely good fighters.

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Originally Posted by ono

Nothing. He was never that good to begin with. Having said that, i never really rated Paulie that highly either. Both good fighters mind, just quite a bit short of being able to dominate 140....even in it's current state.

Diaz has just had that crowd pleasing style with a couple of half decent wins where his volume and tenacity has seen him win. He's a good fighter, but it's no surprise to see him being in close fights with other merely good fighters.

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I think 140 is getting more exciting by the minute, you got Timothy Bradley a fighter who's getting close to P4P rankings, Devon Alexander another top American fighter who looks to have the goods. Amir Khan an exciting young British fighter on the up and up.

And also.

Victor Ortiz
Mike Alvarado
Marcos Rene Maidana
Kendall Holt
Juan Urango
Nate Campbell

ETC.

You got some really good fights that could happen in the next year or so.

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Originally Posted by ICB

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Originally Posted by ono

Nothing. He was never that good to begin with. Having said that, i never really rated Paulie that highly either. Both good fighters mind, just quite a bit short of being able to dominate 140....even in it's current state.

Diaz has just had that crowd pleasing style with a couple of half decent wins where his volume and tenacity has seen him win. He's a good fighter, but it's no surprise to see him being in close fights with other merely good fighters.

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I think 140 is getting more exciting by the minute, you got Timothy Bradley a fighter who's getting close to P4P rankings, Devon Alexander another top American fighter who looks to have the goods. Amir Khan an exciting young British fighter on the up and up.

And also.

Victor Ortiz
Mike Alvarado
Marcos Rene Maidana
Kendall Holt
Juan Urango
Nate Campbell

ETC.

You got some really good fights that could happen in the next year or so.

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I agree there are some very exciting and close fights. I just don't think any fighter at 140 has what it takes to become the next Mayweather/Cotto or even Hatton. Bradley seems the most talented and eye pleasing mind. Khan also has talent but his chin is a worry when you have guys who can punch like Maidana and Urango. Apart from those two, the rest all look capable of beating eachother which is either a good thing or a bad thing, depends on how you look at it.

Diaz should definitely move back down in weight. He wasnt tight around the middle at all and that extra weight is taking its toll on his stamina. Stylistically, he can't go like he used to. He fights in spurts now because he gasses too easy. Which is why he can still manage to look good against plodders but easily loops confused and sapped of his energy by sharp counter punches and guys he has to chase for most of the fight. The mind is willing but the body isn't there. I was high on this kid from the beginning but after getting beat, he needs to evolve as a fighter to make his way through a stiffer level of competition. A nutritionist/strength coach would do him some good if he is serious about continuing his career.

I think Diaz looked lik he didnt wanna fight but Paulie also contributed to Diaz lookin bad.

There's nothing wrong with Diaz. He likes to wing away once he traps his prey which he was unable to do with the crafty Magic Man.

Bilbo, you mentioned that you wonder where the Diaz that beat up Julio Diaz and Acelino Freitas went... Well, Freitas's legs are nowhere near Paulie's and Julio Diaz sat in Juan's wheelhouse and allowed him to wing away. Diaz was never allowed to get set against Paulie yet he still put forth a good effort.

Juan Diaz should stay at 135 and continue his canpaign. He's a good, solid come forward fighter that can throw punches for days. He way not have a whole lot of pop but he makes up for it with a nonstop swarming attack.

The Juan Diaz of old is still there. He's just fighting the Elite now. Freitas was at the ass end of his career and Julio Diaz was not a good boxer. He crashed the Elite with Campbell who forced him to fight through advercity, then he fought and aging ATG in Marquez who went to the body once Diaz was hurt to finish the show and now he fought a guy with speed and agility that is gone before Juan can set his feet. The days of him fighting the Jose Cottos of the world are over. He's world class... and he's fighting world class fighters now. It's not as easy as it used to be.

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Originally Posted by PRIDE OF BOSTON

There's nothing wrong with Diaz. He likes to wing away once he traps his prey which he was unable to do with the crafty Magic Man.

Bilbo, you mentioned that you wonder where the Diaz that beat up Julio Diaz and Acelino Freitas went... Well, Freitas's legs are nowhere near Paulie's and Julio Diaz sat in Juan's wheelhouse and allowed him to wing away. Diaz was never allowed to get set against Paulie yet he still put forth a good effort.

Juan Diaz should stay at 135 and continue his canpaign. He's a good, solid come forward fighter that can throw punches for days. He way not have a whole lot of pop but he makes up for it with a nonstop swarming attack.

The Juan Diaz of old is still there. He's just fighting the Elite now. Freitas was at the ass end of his career and Julio Diaz was not a good boxer. He crashed the Elite with Campbell who forced him to fight through advercity, then he fought and aging ATG in Marquez who went to the body once Diaz was hurt to finish the show and now he fought a guy with speed and agility that is gone before Juan can set his feet. The days of him fighting the Jose Cottos of the world are over. He's world class... and he's fighting world class fighters now. It's not as easy as it used to be.

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Hold on a second, when did Malignaggi become elite all of a sudden?

Are we talking about the same guy who was dominated by Ricky Hatton, and barely scraped by Herman Ngoudjo and Lovemore Ndou, a fighter even Ricky's club fighter brother Matthew looked better against? :confused:

Paulie has looked great in two fights, one in showing heart in losing to Cotto and Saturday night against Juan Diaz.

Aside from that there's been no performances at all that I've seen that would qualify him as elite. Apart from against Cotto and Diaz what other great Paulie performances have their been? Ednar Cherry?

Freitas may have been old but he was a much more respected fighter than Malignaggi, and Juan Diaz looked great against J M Marquez early whilst he was in some people's eyes the worlds best p4p fighter.

He looked great against Katsidis too.

You can't seriously say Diaz looks as good as he did, he's just lifeless now, he seems to be on a Jeff Lacy style decline.

Paulie fought well last night but if guys like Ngoudjo and Ndou can make him look as bad as they did a prime Juan should have been to aggressive for him.

Remember when he used to have blazing handspeed, it's a shame really.

I think the Campbell and Marquez losses have caught up with him.

After his loss to Campbell, he was impressive against Katsidis but ever since Marquez layed him out for the first time and added to the punishment he got against Campbell, he hasn't looked the same.

The aggression, workrate and determination doesn't seem to be there anymore.

Diaz has one mode all out or nothing,,,,Problem is if he can't catch a guy he is in trouble...Plus he can't fight going backwards....

IMO Diaz was rushed along too quickly...He should have been groomed a bit more....Too much too soon overwhelming....Especially since the kid is going to school so he has no intention to be in the sport too long....

Juan needs to be groomed a bit more on Defense, some counter punching and Patience for sure...

Other then that he is ok...I think they need to slow down a bit with him take a step back on caliber of opp so they can work on those things and he will be a force again...

Plus if he was in a bit better shape shed a few pounds he could fight at 130 easy where his power would be much more effective

His style is based on activity and getting close. His lack of power makes that more difficult at a higher weight. Its also a style thats very hard to keep up your entire career. Same thing with Paul Williams as he moves up in weight his style is going to be less effective as it already was in the Martinez fight.

If diaz was english he`d now be mocked on here as an average fighter who`s been found out (completely true)

Diaz is a good fighter, just not that good. Paulies a quality fighter. Diaz isnt all of a sudden "washed up"

He`s a good fighter than can go on to win world titles at light/welter - just please stop with this "he`d beat marquez/hatton" shit. If you honestly believe that you just dont know very much about boxing!

there is nothing wrong with diaz. he is what he is! and to say he wasn't that good to begin with is preposterous because as lightweight champion he did have seven successful defenses, which by today's standards, is pretty impressive. the problem with diaz is he's a one dimensional fighter. he loves to engage toe to toe. paulie's style was all wrong for him. for one, he's flatfooted, has no lateral movement and is just there to slug it out. if he goes back down to lightweight he might have a better chance to win a title there. too bad he has very little power because just imagine if he did have alot of power, he would be devastating!

i think for diaz to be a top light weight again he has to beat a good lightweight, such as ortiz, maidana, khan, rematch with marquez

ortiz, maidana, khan are jr. welterweights. only marquez is a lightweight. all of these fighters would beat diaz. he needs to fight a top ten lightweight before fighting for a title in that division first.