DIAZ-MALIGNAGGI II

Saturday, December 12, 2009
UIC PAVILION, Chicago, IL

JUAN DIAZ Houston, TX 138.4 lbs, 35-2 (17 KO’s)
PAULIE MALIGNAGGI Brooklyn, NY 138.6 lbs, 26-3 (5 KO’s)

First things first. . .as far as rematches go, this is a hot one. Their first fight was a candidate for Fight of the Year, and it was in Diaz’s homeown of Houston, TX. Diaz won a close and controversial decision, prompting Malignaggi to spout off about a “home cooking” decision, which he might actually have had a point about. This time they fight for the NABO junior welter title on neutral territory.

The first round was pretty much cat and mouse, with no true aggressor, but Malignaggi had the “crowd advantage” as the cheers of “Paulie, Paulie, Paulie” could be heard throughout the stadium. Diaz also has more than his share of fans here, and the “Diaz, Diaz, Diaz” chants were screamed at the exact same volume. Paulie used his slick boxing skills to take the second round with his uppercuts right through Diaz’s defenses. A cut opened up over the left eye of Diaz, probably the same cut he suffered at the hands of Marquez, which reopened for Malignaggi in their first fight. Rumor has it that it never healed properly. At the end of round three, Diaz lands a couple of left hooks, which Malignaggi shrugs off with a smile. Malignaggi took the fourth round with his accurate jabs and hooks on the outside.

Diaz is more successful in the fifth with his inside hooks to the head and body. Paulie acts as if they don’t bother him, but we’ll see. Paulie comes out and totally dominates the sixth with his accuracy on the outside, even wobbling Diaz towards the end of the round. I can’t help but think, that since styles make fights, these two were absolutely MADE to fight one another. Slick, brash boxer versus forward-moving humble hook-thrower. The seventh wasn’t exactly action-packed, but Paulie’s jab kept Diaz at bay. Eighth round finds Diaz pushing forward, scoring to the body, and winning the round. Diaz took the ninth round too, still by bulling forward, making Paulie circle more than usual, not allowing him to get set and score, himself.

Round ten finds Diaz’s glove
touching after eating a right hook, and it being scored a knockdown. This will be considered controversial, since replays show that Diaz’s hand almost touched, but didn’t. Diaz takes the eleventh. Diaz also takes the twelfth, although just barely. The action in the last round causes the entire UIC Pavilion to get on its feet and cheer on their favorite.


Scores: 116-111 all for Malignaggi, the new NABO junior welterweight championship. Congrats, Paulie. You earned it.

***Special thanks to Golden Boy Promotions, Dibella Promotions, and 8Count Promotions for issuing Bolo Punch the credentials for to cover this event.


Photography by Emil Kegebein LegUpPhotos.com. All photos are the sole property of Bolo Punch, and cannot be used without permission. Ringside report by Chris Guzman. No portion of this report can be used without permission.

Diaz out to prove win over Malignaggi was no fluke

By DAVE SKRETTA, AP Sports Writer

Juan Diaz sometimes feels as though he should stand up in the middle of a crowded room and remind everyone who actually won his first fight against Paul Malignaggi.

All the talking that Malignaggi has been doing since August, when Diaz won a close unanimous decision in his hometown of Houston, is starting to make some people forget that the Baby Bull was the one whose arm was raised after 12 thrilling rounds.

“It doesn’t matter whether you win by a point or by 10 points, a win is a win,” Diaz said. “He did so much talking that people believed him, he did so much talking.”


Yes, Malignaggi did plenty of talking—so much that he landed an immediate rematch. The two light welterweights will meet again on Saturday at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

“He can talk a lot, he can talk a good game, but when it comes down to it, he really doesn’t like to fight,” Diaz said. “He likes to punch and move, punch and move. He doesn’t like to get hit, he avoids any type of confrontation. That’s his whole strategy, to talk a lot and try to win the fight without getting hit.”

Diaz said he wants to provide some closure to the first fight, which was thrown into controversy when the scorecards were read. Two judges had it 115-113 and 116-112 for Diaz, reasonable scores for a bout in which there were several close rounds.

The third score, 118-110, prompted Malignaggi to embark on a tirade.

“That one scorecard was what made the rematch possible because it was so out of line, so out of whack,” said Malignaggi, who was still talking about the wide scorecard at a news conference on Thursday.

“I got what I expected from Juan the first time,” the former 140-pound (63 1/2 -kilogram) titleholder said. “He’s an aggressive fighter, and he steals rounds because of those little flurries he throws. It’s a smart tactic when you win rounds doing it that way.”

Malignaggi (26-3) prides himself on being an active fighter, but he doesn’t have much pop, winning only five times by knockout. Even so, the “Magic Man” said he’s not going to change his approach in an attempt to keep three judges seated ringside from deciding another outcome.

“I’m more active than all my opponents, being active is not really the issue. If I fight my fight, I don’t have anything to worry about,” he said.

Even though Diaz (35-2, 17 KOs) is coming off a win, he still believes he’s trying to regain momentum from a pair of tough losses in his last four fights.

The former unified lightweight titleholder dropped a split decision to Nate Campbell in Cancun early last year. After winning a split decision over Michael Katsidis, Ortiz went toe-to-toe with Juan Manuel Marquez until he was stopped in the ninth round.

“A lot of people questioned this last fight, a lot of people,” said Diaz promoter Oscar De La Hoya. “He’s a fighter, and whoever we put in front of him, he’s going to fight.”

QUOTES FROM DIAZ-MALIGNAGGI II

TICKETS ON SALE TODAY!

CHICAGO (November 11, 2009 ) – After controversy, heated conversations and negotiations were settled, former Three-Time Lightweight World Champion Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz and former Junior Welterweight World Champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi met face-to-face yesterday to announce the December 12 rematch of their exciting August 22 bout. Diaz and Malignaggi will square off on neutral ground at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois in a12 round junior welterweight bout that will be televised live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark.

Tickets for the highly anticipated rematch go on sale TODAY, November 11 at 10 am CT. They are reasonably priced at $251, $156, $86, $51 and $31 and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-312-226-5800, toll free at 1-800-745-3000 and at the UIC Pavilion Box Office (open Thursday and Friday from 9 am - 4 pm CT).


JUAN DIAZ, Former Three-Time Lightweight World Champion

“I’m very excited to be here in Chicago…all the people here treat me like I’m a real Chicago resident. I decided I liked it so much, I may adopt it as my second hometown.” (Diaz then held up a Chicago Bears jersey.)

“I’m not going to dwell on the past. The past is the past. This time around, it’s a different city and a new and different game plan.”
“To be honest, fighting Paulie after coming off fighting Future Hall of Famer Juan Manuel Marquez, I was not taking Paulie seriously and thought it was just another fight.”

“This time, it’s personal, and on December 12, the whole world will feel my anger.”


PAULIE MALIGNAGGI, Former Junior Welterweight World Champion

“I’m excited to be in Chicago, this city has produced great boxers and great boxing fans.”

“I’m really happy I got the rematch…I made enough of a stink after the first fight to help get me the rematch.”

“The reason this fight is so great is the boxing styles. Juan is a pressure fighter and I’m a defensive boxer, so it makes for a great show where you sit back and wait to see who can execute their game plan better.”

“We are going to clear everything up on December 12.”


DAVID ITSKOWITCH, COO of Golden Boy Promotions

“The fight in August was hotly contested and some times called controversial.”

“Now, you have one guy trying to right a perceived wrong and one guy trying to put an exclamation point on something he already knows.”

“When you have a fight like that, it brings the best out in both fighters.”


LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment

“With an Italian-American and a Mexican-American fighting on the card, you have a recipe for a great night of boxing in Chicago.”

“I know after the first fight I said some things to Juan that were inappropriate because he is a good guy, but I wanted to do everything in my power to get my guy the rematch.”

“Whatever you think about the first fight, it is clear it was a competitive fight and we know it’s going to be again.”


WILLIE SAVANNAH, Manager of Juan Diaz

“Juan and Paulie put on the fight of their lives in August and you can expect the same in December.”
“Juan is in tremendous condition and he honestly looks the best that he ever has.”


DOMINIC PESOLI, President of 8 Count Productions

“Chicago is a great boxing market and we are excited to have a big HBO card like this here for all the great boxing fans.”

“The prices are very reasonable, so you won’t want to miss out on this fight.


RON PUCCILLO, Director of Athletics of the Illinois State Athletic Commission

“We are so proud to have both of these guys fighting in our town.”

“It’s going to be a great night and everyone knows that boxing is much better live in person, and this is a fight you will not want to miss.”

# # #

“By Popular Demand”: Diaz vs. Malignaggi II features former Three-Time Lightweight World Champion Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz taking on former Junior Welterweight World Champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi in a 12 round junior welterweight rematch of their exciting August 22, 2009 bout. The co-main event will feature a junior welterweight showdown between top contender “Vicious” Victor Ortiz and former world title challenger Antonio Diaz. The evening of boxing is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and DiBella Entertainment in association with 8 Count Productions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate. The bouts will air live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:15 pm ET/PT (9:15 pm CT).

A full undercard will be announced shortly. For more information regarding ”By Popular Demand”: Diaz vs. Malignaggi II, please visit http://www.goldenboypromotions.com/, http://www.dbe1.com/ or http://www.8countproductions.com/.
TICKETS ON SALE TODAY!

CHICAGO (November 11, 2009 ) – After controversy, heated conversations and negotiations were settled, former Three-Time Lightweight World Champion Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz and former Junior Welterweight World Champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi met face-to-face yesterday to announce the December 12 rematch of their exciting August 22 bout. Diaz and Malignaggi will square off on neutral ground at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois in a12 round junior welterweight bout that will be televised live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark.

Tickets for the highly anticipated rematch go on sale TODAY, November 11 at 10 am CT. They are reasonably priced at $251, $156, $86, $51 and $31 and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-312-226-5800, toll free at 1-800-745-3000 and at the UIC Pavilion Box Office (open Thursday and Friday from 9 am - 4 pm CT).


JUAN DIAZ, Former Three-Time Lightweight World Champion

“I’m very excited to be here in Chicago…all the people here treat me like I’m a real Chicago resident. I decided I liked it so much, I may adopt it as my second hometown.” (Diaz then held up a Chicago Bears jersey.)

“I’m not going to dwell on the past. The past is the past. This time around, it’s a different city and a new and different game plan.”
“To be honest, fighting Paulie after coming off fighting Future Hall of Famer Juan Manuel Marquez, I was not taking Paulie seriously and thought it was just another fight.”

“This time, it’s personal, and on December 12, the whole world will feel my anger.”


PAULIE MALIGNAGGI, Former Junior Welterweight World Champion

“I’m excited to be in Chicago, this city has produced great boxers and great boxing fans.”

“I’m really happy I got the rematch…I made enough of a stink after the first fight to help get me the rematch.”

“The reason this fight is so great is the boxing styles. Juan is a pressure fighter and I’m a defensive boxer, so it makes for a great show where you sit back and wait to see who can execute their game plan better.”

“We are going to clear everything up on December 12.”


DAVID ITSKOWITCH, COO of Golden Boy Promotions

“The fight in August was hotly contested and some times called controversial.”

“Now, you have one guy trying to right a perceived wrong and one guy trying to put an exclamation point on something he already knows.”

“When you have a fight like that, it brings the best out in both fighters.”


LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment

“With an Italian-American and a Mexican-American fighting on the card, you have a recipe for a great night of boxing in Chicago.”

“I know after the first fight I said some things to Juan that were inappropriate because he is a good guy, but I wanted to do everything in my power to get my guy the rematch.”

“Whatever you think about the first fight, it is clear it was a competitive fight and we know it’s going to be again.”


WILLIE SAVANNAH, Manager of Juan Diaz

“Juan and Paulie put on the fight of their lives in August and you can expect the same in December.”
“Juan is in tremendous condition and he honestly looks the best that he ever has.”


DOMINIC PESOLI, President of 8 Count Productions

“Chicago is a great boxing market and we are excited to have a big HBO card like this here for all the great boxing fans.”

“The prices are very reasonable, so you won’t want to miss out on this fight.


RON PUCCILLO, Director of Athletics of the Illinois State Athletic Commission

“We are so proud to have both of these guys fighting in our town.”

“It’s going to be a great night and everyone knows that boxing is much better live in person, and this is a fight you will not want to miss.”

# # #

“By Popular Demand”: Diaz vs. Malignaggi II features former Three-Time Lightweight World Champion Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz taking on former Junior Welterweight World Champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi in a 12 round junior welterweight rematch of their exciting August 22, 2009 bout. The co-main event will feature a junior welterweight showdown between top contender “Vicious” Victor Ortiz and former world title challenger Antonio Diaz. The evening of boxing is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and DiBella Entertainment in association with 8 Count Productions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate. The bouts will air live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:15 pm ET/PT (9:15 pm CT).

A full undercard will be announced shortly. For more information regarding ”By Popular Demand”: Diaz vs. Malignaggi II, please visit http://www.goldenboypromotions.com/, http://www.dbe1.com/ or http://www.8countproductions.com/.

Robert Guerrero Challenges For IBF Jr Lightweight World Championship

HOUSTON'S HERO, JUAN DIAZ,
RETURNS ON AUGUST 22ND AGAINST
FORMER WORLD CHAMPION PAULIE MALIGNAGGI
TICKETS ON SALE JULY 10TH
HBO BOXING AFTER DARK TO TELEVISE BOUTS

LOS ANGELES, July 8 - There's nothing in the world like Texas heat in August. On Saturday, August 22nd, four of boxing's best will square off at Houston's ToyotaCenter in an event that will raise the temperature of a sweltering summer of boxing even higher.

In the main event, former Undisputed Lightweight World Champion and hometown hero Juan "Baby Bull" Diaz takes on former 140-pound world titleholder Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi of Brooklyn, New York, while the co-featured bout sees heavy-handed Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero challenge for a world title in a second weight class when he takes on IBF Junior Lightweight World Champion Malcolm Klassen.

Both bouts, which are presented by Golden Boy Promotions, with Diaz vs. Malignaggi being presented in association with DiBella Entertainment and Guerrero vs. Klassen being presented in association with Branco Sports Productions, will air on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 pm ET/PT (8:45 pm CT). The evening of boxing is sponsored by QuakerState, Cerveza Tecate and Southwest Airlines. Doors open at 3:30pm and the first bout begins at approximately 3:45pm CT.

Tickets, priced at $250, $125, $70, $45 and $25, go on sale on Friday, July 10th at 10am CT, and may be purchased online at www.ToyotaCenterTix.com, by phone at 1-866-4-HOU-TIX and at select Houston area Randalls locations. Tickets will be available at the Toyota Center Box Office beginning Monday, July 13th at 9am CT.

"An exciting evening of boxing like this is what the Boxing After Dark series is known for, and I can't think of any place better to have it than at ToyotaCenter in Houston," said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. "The fans in Houston are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and we're giving them plenty to cheer for with their hometown fighter Juan Diaz taking on Paulie Malignaggi and Robert Guerrero looking to win another world title against Malcolm Klassen. This will be a great night for Houston and for boxing."

"These matchups simply continue the momentum of the exciting, make-or-break fights we've been televising on Boxing After Dark," said Luis Barragan, director of programming HBO Sports. "You put two young, hungry and talented fighters with their backs up against the wall, like Juan Diaz and Paul Malignaggi, and there's no doubt that you're going to get a tremendous fight."

"The ToyotaCenter is thrilled to welcome back Golden Boy Promotions and HBO for another classic night of boxing in Houston," said Doug Hall, Vice President and General Manager of ToyotaCenter. "The Houston fight fans have given their overwhelming support to boxing in general, and Juan Diaz in particular, at both our previous matches. We are honored that Golden Boy has asked us to participate in yet another great night of boxing and we can't wait to see the action unfold."

Boxing's most exciting pound for pound fighter, Juan "Baby Bull" Diaz (34-2, 17 KO's) has accomplished a lot in the sport for a young man of just 25 years old. A former WBA World Lightweight Champion who defended his title five times before adding the WBO and IBF World Titles to his resume with technical knockouts of Acelino Freitas and Julio Diaz respectively, Houston's finest is coming off an epic war with Juan Manuel Marquez in February. Though he fell short against the future Hall of Famer in a Fight of the Year candidate, Diaz is eager to go from hitting the books to hitting opponents following his graduation from the University of Houston - Downtown earlier this year.

"Ever since graduation, I've just been in the gym and I can't wait to get back into the ring," said Diaz. "Malignaggi is a slick opponent and a good test, but I'm confident that with my fans in Houston behind me, I'll win the fight in exciting fashion."

A brash Brooklynite who has been to the top of the boxing world as a former Junior Welterweight World Champion, Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi (26-2, 5 KO's) is more than flash in the ring. Owner of wins over Lovemore N'Dou, Herman Ngoudjo and Edner Cherry, the 28-year-old Malignaggi has also gone to battle against boxing superstars Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton, but he knows that no fight is more important than the one ahead of him on August 22nd as it could lead to a another world title shot for him if he beats Diaz.

"I respect Juan Diaz as a fighter and I know this fight has the potential to be Fight of the Year," said Malignaggi. "But I know what I have to do on August 22nd, and that's to dominate every round. This is the kind of big fight I've been waiting for and the fans are definitely going to see the old Paulie Malignaggi in action."

Hailing from Hammanskraal, South Africa, Malcolm Klassen (24-4-2, 14 KO's) is the latest in the line of hard-nosed South African fighters to ascend to the peak of the boxing mountain. A ten-year veteran who rebounded from a rocky start to his career to win 11 of his last 12 bouts, Klassen came to the attention of the boxing world in 2008 with his win over former Five-Time World Champion Manuel "Mantecas" Medina and followed that with a seventh round technical knockout of South African boxing legend Cassius Baloyi in April that earned him the IBF 130-pound championship.

"I'm happy to be fighting in the United States for the first time and to be challenged by a respected fighter like Robert Guerrero," said Klassen. "I expect a tough fight, but I waited too long to win this title and I'm not about to give it up on August 22nd."

A ferocious puncher whose last 16 wins have come by knockout, Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (24-1-1, 17 KO's) has the type of power that can change the direction of a fight in a split second. A native of Gilroy, California, the popular Guerrero knows what it's like to compete at the game's highest level, having won the IBF Featherweight World Title twice. Now competing at 130 pounds, Guerrero - who is fresh off of an eighth round stoppage of veteran Efren Hinojosa in June - is ready to join the select few who can claim to be a world champion in two different weight classes.

"I miss being a world champion and knowing that I'm the best in the world, but I knew that after giving up my featherweight title I'd have to pay my dues all over again," said Guerrero. "I think I've done that and on August 22nd, I'm excited to have the opportunity to become a champion again. The fans should expect fireworks."

For more information regarding the August 22nd event, please visit www.goldenboypromotions.com.

Mario Serrano
Publicist ~ Team Guerrero