Boxing Notebook: The 'Baby Bull' Returns

Boxing Notebook: The 'Baby Bull' Returns
By Carlos Guzman
Posted: 4:00 pm PDT 2006-06-27

Juan "Baby Bull" Diaz will defend his World Boxing Association lightweight title against Randy Suico on the Mosley-Vargas undercard July 15. In July 2004, at the age 20, Diaz became one of the youngest boxers to win a world title by belting out a hard-fought decision against Lavka Sim. Diaz and Sim were supposed to fight a rematch on the 15^th, but apparently Sim wasn't happy with his purse and decided to pull out.

I think Suico is a very disappointing choice as an opponent for Diaz. Suico spent most of his career as a super-featherweight, so what chance does he have of winning? There were also plenty of rumors that Diaz faked an injury to avoid fighting Ebo Edler. I like this kid, but he's feather-fisted and lacks the experience to compete with the real champion in the division, Diego Corrales. Diaz will win, but so what?

Here is a little trivia for you. Diaz is one of the youngest boxers to win a world title, but who was the youngest? That title belongs to "The Bible of Boxing" Wilfred Benitez, who in 1976 captured the junior welterweight title by dethroning Antonio Cervantes.

A Load of Brock
If you are wondering what's wrong with boxing, last weekend's heavyweight snooze said it all. Heavyweight Calvin Brock "fought" Timor Ibragimov to a lopsided unanimous decision and became the IBF No. 1 for a title shot against Wladimir Klitschko. Brock blamed the boredom on Ibragimov:

"Nothing surprised me that he did. I controlled the fight with my jab," Brock said. "I was being first and I was countering. His main objective was not to get knocked out. He was a safety-first fighter. You have to fight more because you don't get second chances."

Both fighters should be blamed; the compubox numbers were dismal every round! At one point I think the old man pressing the button started to count punches with one hand. Things got so bad that Miguel Diaz, Ibragimov's trainer, told him, "if you don't do it this round, we won't be here when you come back!"

If Brock wants to win the heart of the fans, he needs to step up his game. Otherwise "The Boxing Banker" will should go back to his old job as a teller for Bank of America.

Larios Predicts Pacquiao Will Suffer Upset
This Saturday, "Pacman" Returns. Manny Pacquiao defends his WBC international super featherweight title against former WBC super bantamweight champion Oscar Larios. This bout takes place in the historic Araneta Coliseum, which hosted Ali-Frazier III -- "The Thrilla in Manila" -- nearly 31 years ago.

Trainer Freddy Roach, who has been doing all the talking for Pacquiao, just can't hide a secret:

"The key ingredient is 'Manila Ice!" said Roach, alluding to the secret weapon that Manny used when he became the first man to knock out three-division world champion Erik Morales earlier this year "We all know Manny is the straw that stirs the drink, and this Saturday night, with this new powerful KOcktail we devised in training, it will be Larios who is shaken, not stirred."

Larios has been unfazed by all of Team Pacman's antics and is ready to win:

"Manila Ice and Filipino KOladas, are these guys for real?" responded Larios. "I've been training for over a month in Japan getting acclimated to the time and the environment, while Manny has been globetrotting playing movie star and Mr. Nightlife. I think Manny and Freddie have been drinking in too much of their own publicity. If you want to see a preview of our fight just watch a replay of the first Lennox Lewis-Hasim Rahman fight. I can assure you I'll be playing the role of Rahman in Saturday night's remake. Manny Pacquiao will pay the ultimate price for not taking me or this fight seriously."

Sportsbook lists Manny Pacquaio -800, Oscar Larios +500. Pacquiao will batter Larios and stop him before the 10^th.

10 seconds
Nick Giongco from The Bulletin reports that media will get the boot for Pacquiao-Larios on Saturday:

Reporters who will cover the slugfest ought to bring not only their pens, notepads and tape recorders, but a pair of binoculars since they would all be watching the action from the Upper Box Section A, an arrangement that's totally new since ringside seats for the press are always reserved regardless of the magnitude of a promotion here and abroad.

Organizers have only allotted 10 seats for photographers from the wire services and leading dailies. Seats just a few feet away from the ring are highly priced and those are better sold than given away. In the epic 1975 Thrilla in Manila between Ali and Frazier, writers, both foreign and local, were given ringside seats. Reli de Leon, executive officer of MP Promotions, promised to remedy the problem.

Obviously, Giongco hasn't covered a Gatti fight. The last time I was at Boardwalk Hall in N.J., online media writers were handed credentials and a telescope.

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