SAN ANTONIO, Texas, 6 November 2004 — American Juan Diaz retained the World Boxing Association lightweight title here Thursday, remaining undefeated with a 12-round unanimous decision over former two-time champion Julien Lorcy of France.
Diaz made his first defense of the title he won from Mongolian hardman Lavka Sim in Houston on July 17. Two judges scored it 118-110 while the third made it 119-109 for Diaz, who improved to 26-0 with 12 wins inside the distance. Lorcy, 32, fell to 56-4, with 40 wins inside the distance. At 21, Diaz is the youngest active world champion, and as against Sim, he was up against a battle-hardened veteran.
Lorcy, who twice owned the WBA lightweight title — in 1999 and 2001 — refused to bow to Diaz’s youthful pressure. Despite swelling around his right eye from round three on, the counter-punching Lorcy kept the rounds close.
“I was surprised,” admitted Diaz. “I thought he was going to back up all night on me. He stayed in there. It just shows even though a guy’s 32 years old, it doesn’t mean they don’t have nothing.”
Indeed, even though Lorcy won’t depart from Texas with a title, he kept alive his record of never being knocked out in 62 fights.
Diaz concentrated on the body and often was at his best late in rounds. With his straight-ahead style, Diaz effectively used his jab for much of the night. “My biggest key was my jab,” Diaz said. “Lorcy is a tremendous fighter. That’s why he’s a two-time champ.”
In a fight that featured plenty of action, Lorcy and Diaz each threw more than 100 punches in a frantic 12th round that had the crowd on its feet. Lorcy is the second resident of France to seek a world title in Texas in the past six years. Patrick Charpentier failed in a bid to dethrone then-champion Oscar de La Hoya in a fight at El Paso in 1998.
Oft-Delayed Tszyu-Mitchell Rematch Set for Today
In Phoenix, Arizona, Australian Kostya Tszyu and American Sharmba Mitchell will meet today in their twice-postponed rematch for Tszyu’s International Boxing Federation super lightweight crown.
“It has been a long time waiting, and I am anxious to get this done with,” said Mitchell, who is keen to shed the “interim champion” tag bestowed on him by the IBF and claim the unqualified crown. “Ever since I came to the training camp, it is like I am trying to count down the days.” Tszyu, coming off a 22-month lay-off with no tune-up bout, says he is just as eager, despite recently celebrating his 35th birthday. “I have only had 31 fights,” says the Russian-born Australian, who boasts a record of 30-1, with 24 wins inside the distance. “I feel fresh. I am healthy, and I am hungry.”
Tszyu, the IBF’s “super” champion, scored a seventh-round technical knock-out over Mitchell in their first encounter on Feb. 3, 2001, when Mitchell could not continue beyond the seventh round because of an injured knee.
But Tszyu fell prey to an Achilles tendon injury before a scheduled rematch in September 2003.
Weeks before the new date in February of this year, Tszyu ruptured a tendon in his shoulder.
“Sharmba is one of the best boxers I’ve faced in my career, technically as well as tactically,” Tszyu says, but that doesn’t mean he has nothing but admiration for his opponent.
“The problem with him is that he talks too much,” Tszyu said. “Sharmba has done a lot of talking, and it is time to shut him up. Let’s finish our business.”
Longtime trainer Johnny Lewis admitted that the shoulder injury following on the Achilles injury, made him wonder if Tszyu was looking at the end of the career.
But he now says the shoulder surgery and rehabilitation may have even improved Tszyu.
“I do think the jab and the hook are stronger,” Lewis said. “I honestly think he is punching better than before.”
Says Tszyu: “My shoulder is fine. I’ve been testing it and doing heavy work with it for two months.”
Mitchell, 34, says his twice-repaired knee is also not a problem.
“Every now and then it may have a little pain or something like that, but nothing major,” he says.
Mitchell, who brings a record of 55 victories and three defeats with 30 wins inside the distance, said he won’t expect Tszyu’s lay-off or lack of a tune-up fight to make a difference.
I expect a guy that is going to come in and fight me and is not going to let up,” Mitchell said. “I do not expect anything less than a hard fight. I am going to fight the fight that I want to fight. I try not to adapt to other people. I try to make people adapt to me.”
Tarver-Johnson Light Heavyweight Unification Bout Set
In Los Angeles, World Boxing Council light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver and International Boxing Federation belt holder Glen Johnson will meet Dec. 18 in Los Angeles in a title unification bout.
Tarver battered Roy Jones junior in May, while Johnson Stunned Jones in September.
Tarver, who boasts a record of 22-2 with 18 knock-outs, lost a controversial decision to Jones in November 2003. He avenged that defeat with a shocking second-round knockout of Jones five months later.
Johnson, with a record of 41-9-1 with 28 knock-outs, captured his belt with a unanimous decision over Clinton Woods in February 2004 and knocked out Jones seven months later.
