Around the Net: Marquez/Diaz II Post-Fight Edition

Juan Manuel Marquez was simply too good for Juan Diaz last night.  He may have taken a few lumps along the way, but for the most part the brilliant Mexican counter-puncher was sharp as ever in handing out a punishing 12 round boxing lesson.

Let's take a look around the net at reactions from last night's HBO PPV show...

Bad Left Hook - Juan Manuel Marquez too much for Juan Diaz in rematch

Diaz (35-4, 17 KO) tried early to box more than he ever has before, and it was an admirable attempt to change his style for a big fight. His more usual style did not work against Marquez last time, but after the fourth or fifth round of this fight, it was clear that the new approach also was not going to work. Diaz simply cannot outbox Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KO), and eventually it became a bit frustrating that he and trainer Ronnie Shields showed no desire to change the gameplan when it was obviously not going to defeat Marquez. Jim Lampley and Emanuel Steward, calling the broadcast for HBO, continually lauded the "smart" fighting, but it was noted in our comments by many that it can't exactly be too smart to keep fighting in a way that will not win the fight. But I don't fault Diaz for not trying his best; he did try his best, at least so far as sticking with a plan. It just didn't work.

The Queensbury Rules - Juan Manuel Marquez Still Has It (And Dmitry Pirog, Robert Guerrero And Jorge Linares Win, Too)

Someone please tell me how Diaz could have won this fight. He wasn't going to outbox any version of Marquez -- it simply couldn't happen. The best he could hope for was that Marquez was shot after a number of grueling fights, including the only one-sided pasting of his career against a much larger Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in September. This wasn't a shot Marquez. Far from it. At 36, he looked vital, even.

Telegraph Blogs - JM Marquez the master over Juan Diaz as Amir Khan waits in the wings

Juan Manuel Marquez still has it. In abundance. The Mexican master fought his way to a unanimous decision over Juan Diaz at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas in the early hours of this morning, to retain his WBA and WBO lightweight titles. Clinical, rarely troubled, Marquez put on a top-level, counter-punching performance, to defeat Diaz for a second time, following his ninth round stoppage victory in February last year.

Los Angeles Times - Juan Manuel Marquez makes his case with unanimous decision over Juan Diaz

"The trilogy with Pacquiao is what I want," said Marquez, who fought the Filipino star to a 2004 draw and lost a split-decision to him in 2008. "It's what everyone wants to see. It's good for all the fight fans. The Mexicans, the Filipinos all want to see it. I'll be ready to fight in November, so hopefully Pacquiao will take the fight." Pacquiao isn't expected to. Blown off by Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao has already agreed to fight Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 in a 154-pound bout.

LA Daily News - Marquez defeats Diaz by decision, keeps lightweight title

"I fought the best fight I could," Diaz said. "We were trading punches. We fought in and out. I didn't want to stand in front of him. The game plan was to get in there, get off combinations, step around and get out. "But it was hard, and I got hit with a couple of shots, too. But I followed the game plan, used my jab, threw my combinations. But he's a very tough fighter, a great fighter. I was in there with the best."

Bad Left Hook - Dmitry Pirog viciously knocks out Danny Jacobs in five

After the fight, Jacobs said Pirog gave him a lot of punches he didn't see, including the right (obviously), and that he didn't feel like his legs were there tonight. Here's hoping Danny Jacobs regroups and comes back strong, because he obviously has a lot of talent. Fighters lose sometimes when they take risks, and Jacobs took a real risk fighting a fellow legitimate prospect.

The Associated Press: Pirog flattens Jacobs; Guerrero tops Casamayor

"I felt good, and I had a dominant performance," Guerrero said. "He's a lefty, and he's really crafty with a good counterpunch. He kept using his head and grabbing me to hold me down. He's a veteran, and he knows how to survive." The 39-year-old Casamayor (37-5-1) managed to knock down the Bay Area fighter late in the final round with a sneaky right hook, but Guerrero appeared to be more surprised than hurt after his first taste of the canvas in his boxing career.

Houston Chronicle - Juarez faces uncertain future after defeat

The last half of the bout mirrored the first three rounds, with Linares circling the ring and firing left hands while Juarez continued to helplessly stalk him. Other than an overhand right late in the eighth round, and another at the end of the ninth, after which Linares mockingly shuffled his feet, Juarez could not get inside the defense of the technically sound Venezuelan.