Both of these pugilists have the memory of February 28 etched in their brains forever: a wild brawl that received “Fight of the Year” honors in 2009 Marquez-Diaz I was held in front of a fierce audience of more than 14,000 at the Toyota Center in Diaz’s hometown of Houston. It generated brutal action from beginning to end with both fighters having cuts under their right eyes from their harsh exchanges. The match ended with a ferocious uppercut by Marquez in the ninth round which knocked Diaz out, spoiling “The Baby Bull’s” homecoming. The bout was considered as one of the best fights of 2009 by everybody who saw it.

The now 36-year-old Juan Manuel (50-5-1, 37 KOs) then went on to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September and lost a lopsided decision in a welterweight fight.

Juan Diaz, (35-2, 17 KOs), 26, a former lightweight titleholder, went on to split a pair of junior welterweight bouts with former titleholder Paulie Malignaggi, winning the first fight in August on a controversial decision and losing a decision in the December
rematch.

And now, after a whirlwind of events coming together, in the sweltering Las Vegas summer, these two men will provide another boxing classic for the ages.

Their first exchange was one to remember – heated, intense and hellacious. No doubt, their rematch will continue to bring even more of this kind of excitement.

This highly anticipated clash between these two fierce warriors will surely match the hype created by their 2009 bout as the victor will be in prime position to move up to the loaded junior welterweight division for a potential fight with any of the titleholders Marquez won the initial confrontation with a 9th-round TKO. Now Diaz is returning for revenge in what is sure to be an explosive rematch. Be sure to catch Marquez vs. Diaz II
on SOLARtv @ 10am and Solar Sports at 1pm this Sunday!!

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Former world heavyweight champion “Smokin” Joe Frazier will present the coveted “Fighter of the Year” award of the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America to pound-for-pound king and “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao in a gala dinner at the Roosevelt Hotel on 45th Street in New York on Friday.

Pacquiao, his wife Jinkee and their entourage are already in New York for the awards dinner and BWAA president Jack Hiirsh told us that Pacquiao is reportedly “excited about the event.”

Hirsh noted that it is “extra special for him (Pacquiao) being both ‘Fighter of the Year’ and ‘Fighter of the Decade.”

The respected BWAA president informed us that it was 38 years ago , at the same hotel, the Roosevelt, that Frazier received his “Fighter of the Year” award from the BWAA for defeating Muhammad Ali.

Ali came out of forced retirement because of the draft issue and lost a unanimous decision over 15 rounds in a terrific battle at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971 in which Frazier dropped Ali with a tremendous left hook in the final round to retain his WBC and WBA heavyweight titles….

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The People’s Champ is the first Fighter of the Decade awardee, as BWAA used to only give the Fighter of the Year award which Pacquiao also received, first in 2006 when he beat Erik Morales and then in 2008 when he won over Juan Manuel Marquez, David Diaz and Oscar dela Hoya. Pacquiao is now in line with the boxing world’s greatest fighters who won the award three times. The other four are Muhammad Ali, Jose Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard and Evander Holyfield.

The Pambansang Kamao was ready to face the undefeated Mayweather early this year in Dallas in an unofficial bout to decide who truly is the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, a title held by Mayweather for a long time having secured 40 wins and 25 knockouts. But, after Pacquiao beat Joshua Clottey, he became the only boxer to win seven world titles in seven different weight classes, earning him the pound-for-pound king title.

There are talks and clamor about pushing through with the Pacquiao-Mayweather and the Filipino boxing icon said there is right now a 50/50 chance that it might happen. The two camps failed to come to an agreement about blood testing protocols, putting a stop to the fight preparations. Manny is ok with having the blood test, but, “…’wag lang before the fight, kasi lugi naman ako, dahil mas malaki siya sa ‘kin,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao is not just into boxing. He said he also likes to play basketball, volleyball and badminton. For the NBA Finals, he is rooting for the Boston Celtics.

Pacquiao flew to the USA despite having just gone out of the hospital because of ulcer. He is there not only to get his award but also to take a short break with his family—wife Jinkee, their children, sister-in-law and Jinkee’s twin Janette, and adviser Mike Koncz. Koncz revealed that the family will spend a couple of days on board a 120-foot yacht off the waters of Mexico care of Mexico’s Fernando Beltran.

But the champ will be back in Manila before his course on governance in the University of the Philippines starts on June 14. Pacquiao is even thinking of taking up Law so he can serve his people better. The 31-year-old boxer won a congressional seat in the province of Sarangani in the May elections and has promised his constituents that he will focus on the people’s health and education. The soft-hearted Pacquiao, coming from poverty, is all ready to help people and cooperate with the new president-elect Noynoy Aquino, even as he endorsed another presidential candidate. …

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ROUND TWO QUALIFYING

B Squad After 16 Games.

Pos Name - Hometown Pins
1 Van Hees, Jonathan - Charlestown, R.I. 3698
2 White, Matt - Warren, Pa. 3607
3 Hogue, Donald - Akron, Ohio 3600
4 Kalfas, Riga - Florence, Ky. 3563
5 Himmler, Brian - Cincinnati 3549
6 Gollick, Tommy - Oberlin, Pa. 3528
7 Collins, Christopher R. - Savannah, Ga. 3506
8 Hanson, Craig - Orlando, Fla 3490
9 Stahora, Greg L - W Hazelton, Pa. 3484
10 Gaither, Michael - Grain Valley, Mo. 3483
11 Szczerbinski, John - North Tonawanda, NY 3478
12 Schaub, Cassidy - Ashland, Ohio 3461
13 Sorce, Tom - Blasdell, N.Y. 3427
14 Hicks, Jeff - Allen Park, Mich 3416
15 Dombrowski, Patrick - Parma, Ohio 3414
16 Pluhowsky, Shannon - Kettering, Ohio 3405
17 Poli, Jason - West Des Moines, Iowa 3399
18 Patterson, Andy - Tyler, Texas 3395
19 Behrendt, Timothy - St Louis 3395
20 Goergen, Bo - Midland, Mich. 3386
21 Kidd, Richard - El Paso, Ill. 3377
22 Cudia Jr., Joseph F. - Toms River, N.J. 3366
23 Bower, Johnathan - Middletown, Pa. 3365
24 Marsico, Michael - Chesapeake Beach, Md. 3334
25 Baldridge, Dallas - Lenexa, Kan. 3333
26 Snell, Brad - Mount Prospect, Ill. 3327
27 Chmura, Richard - Lumberton, N.C. 3320
28 MacLelland, Dan - Saginaw, Mich. 3320
29 Kokenos, Nick - St Clair Shores, Mich 3319
30 Hill, Christopher - Oak Creek, Wis 3317
31 Damm, Tracy - Toledo, Ohio 3316
32 LeMond, Craig - Jasper, Ind. 3314
33 Waliczek, Brian - Birch Run, Mich. 3311
34 Pinto, Paul M - Philadelphia 3283
35 Schaden Jr., Dan - Freeland 3278
36 Slavich IV, John - Schaumburg, Ill. 3276
37 Anthony, David - Austin, Texas 3273
38 Richardson, Larry D. - Muscatine, Iowa 3267
39 Clark Jr, Michael - Cleveland, Ohio 3265
40 Hess, Tom - Urbandale, Iowa 3262
41 O'Sullivan, David - Orlando, Fla 3261
42 Chambers, Carleton - Detroit 3250
43 Williams Jr., David - Omaha, Neb. 3246
44 Tomek Jr., Jim - Camp Hill, Pa. 3226
45 Satkowski, BJ - Jackson, Mich 3225
46 Eubanks, Andre - Los Angeles 3225
47 Weber, Nick - St. Charles, Mo. 3217
48 Loose, Andrew - Chicago 3215
49 Campbell, Ed - Rochester Hills, Mich. 3215
50 Kolanowski, Joe - Muskegon, Mich 3207
51 Boyd, David D. - Coconut Creek, Fla. 3203
52 Boyer, Jeremy - Desloge, Mo 3195
53 Heninger, Marc - Tonganoxie, Kan. 3192
54 Spangler, Brett - New Castle, Ind 3189
55 Voght, Jeffrey D - Canojahaire, N.Y. 3188
56 Johnson, Tony - Canton, Ohio 3172
57 Baker, Dustin - Melbourne, Ky 3154
58 Paluszek, Joe - Bensalem, Pa. 3149
59 Verble, Larry - Mason, Mich 3147
60 Markis, Michael - Hawley, Pa 3142
61 Newell, Scott - Deland, Fla. 3137
62 Jeffery, Justin B - Lincoln Park, Mich 3122
63 Michalowski, Nathan D - Burlington, Wis. 3112
64 Conroy, John - Mahopac, N.Y. 3109
65 Wilds, Tyler - Mendon, Mich 3102
66 Gibson, Paul - Brunswick, Ohio 3091
67 Hansen, Chris - Chicago 3089
68 Hatcher, Brian J. - Kettering, Ohio 3077
69 Woessner, Jodi - Oregon, Ohio 3072
70 Tarrant, Michael - Portage, Ind. 3045
71 Haas, Stephen J. - Enola, Pa. 3037
72 Jabczenski, Mitchell (s) - Novi, Mich. 3023
73 Driskill, Ryan - East Peoria, Ill. 3022
74 Carter, Ed - Akron, Ohio 3020
75 Mays, Chris A - Muncie, Ind 2997
76 Arcaro, Chris - Wilmington, N.C. 2976
77 Nadolski, Mike - Westland, Mich 2962
78 Book, Todd - Wapakoneta, Ohio 2923
79 Dilyard, Jim (s) - Burbank, Ohio 2895
80 Nelson, Scott - Lafayette, Ind. 2890
81 Hale, Rick - Wilmington, Ohio 2880
82 Bodo, Jacob - Dorr, Mich 2865
83 Grosso, Derek - Harrison Twp, Mich 2861
84 Shadbolt, Jeff - Morenci, Mich. 2857
85 Thomas II, Marland - Chillicothe, Ohio 2836
86 Burkhardt, Brian - St. Louis, Mo. 2814
87 Bosquez Jr, Thomas - Springhill, Fla. 2766
88 Nelson, John (s) - Lexington, Ky. 2744
89 Bosquez Sr., Thomas G. (s) - Hudson, Fla. 2718
90 Nash, Shane - Houston 2676

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