Juan Diaz is like the lightweight Jermain Taylor in that...

I kind of agree with you Xplosive. Diaz's flaws would have been made apparent much sooner if he'd been fighting the lightweight equivalent of guys like Hopkins, Wright, or even Spinks.

He reminds me more of Kassim Ouma at this point. Feather fisted pressure fighters who begin to lose the ability to keep a very fast pace are sitting ducks, especially when they move up in weight. If Diaz really can't make 135 anymore, he needs to start focusing in on his LSATs, because there is no future for him at 140.

 

The only thing I disagree with is your assessment of Campbell. At the point where Diaz fought him, he was a lot fresher physically and had a pretty good skill set. If Guzchump hadn't flaked out, I think Campbell would have schooled him, and then the beating Diaz took wouldn't look so bad. As it is, an out of shape Campbell beat Funeka, and we're all starting to see just how good Bradley is.

 

I'm a big baby bull fan but it is very well documented that he was definitely kept away from the wolves in his division (even as a belt-holder) and this was purposely done . . . much the same way it was for Hatton. This is not a rumor. They were both coddled but I like to think that the baby bull has more skill. I love the kid cuz he shows up to fight and he conducts himself like a gentleman. Who's to say how his career would have turned out if he was in vs Casamayor (I think bull woulda won), Corrales (if it went to the decision bull woulda won) or Castillo (bull loss either way) earlier on in his career but we'll never know.

Maybe it's for the best cuz on the opposite side of the spectrum you'll have a kid like 'Nando Vargas who got thrown to the wolves early and took devastating L's and never recovered. I don't care how much back problems he had, he never shoulda lost to no bum like Mayorga but, hey, **** happens . . . if you allow it.

 

I always thought Diaz was too flat footed and had no head movement. Also a terrible corner. He was taylor made for Malignaggi.

 

And on top of that, Hatton was a better athlete by far.

 

Taylor's iffy wins/draws are clearly better than Diaz's.

Diaz got a questionable decision over Paulie Malignaggi.

Taylor got questionable decisions against Hopkins, Wright, and Spinks.

Malignaggi vs. Hopkins/Wright/Spinks... you do the math.

 

LOL. Oh, would I? I think not. Hatton's been a bum since as far back as I can remember and has never done anything in spectacular fashion except backstab his buddy and act like just one of the lads. He doesn't have one clear-cut, discernible, good win on his record vs a good quality opponent. And don't tell me Kostya Tszyu cuz Kostya went to the ring expecting to box and wound up being an opponent in wrestlefest.

 

To my eyes, the more HBO hyped him as "the new face of boxing," the more he seemed to slip psychologically in the ring. That commercial with Diaz, Ortiz and Fat Nipple is still running on ESPN, by the way.

 

the only good thing about Diaz is his workrate which was non existance last nite.

 

At the moment he is a world class LW....say what you want about the guy, but he is still probably a top 5 LW in the world.....paulie was bigger, and his style was diaz kryptonite...

Diaz has success when you stand in front of him, and he throws punches in bunches, which allows him to steal rounds....Katsidis was the perfect opponent for diaz....I think he is haunted by the marquez loss, he truly felt he was on the verge of winning, and it was a close fight, when he got KO'd....

 

Paulie has claimed since the first meeting, he thought diaz was technically better then hatton, wich I disagree....Hatton is very similar to diaz, but hatton is now getting underrated on this forum imo....hatton at his best did fight a smart pressure fight, and was never tenative...which is diaz problem now....hatton used fients, good footwork, and smart pressure to get inside on guys....diaz does none of that....