Diaz wins split decision against Katsidis

HOUSTON – American Juan Diaz won the vacant world IBO lightweight title in a split decision over Australian Michael Katsidis on Saturday. Two judges scored it 115-113 and 116-112 for Diaz while the third had Katsidis winning 115-113. The Australian believed he won the fight and said he feared such a hometown decision in favor of Diaz — born and resident in Houston. "I'm feeling great," Diaz said. "I'm real excited to be back on top. I was concerned when they read the first score, and it was my jab that won the fight for me. I hurt him and I busted him up." Diaz (34-1), known as the "Baby Bull" of Houston, and Katsidis (23-2) each suffered their first career defeats last March while at the same time losing their lightweight belts against Nate Campbell and Joel Casamayor respectively. "This time I did what my corner told me to do," Diaz said. "Katsidis is a tough customer. He's hard and very powerful. However, my skills gave me the victory. "I proved I just had a bad night against Nate Campbell." Katsidis, who knocked down Casamayor in their March bout and looked set to become the recognized linear world champion before being caught with a late TKO punch, had been concerned before the fight about taking on Diaz in Houston. "Well, you win some and you lose some but I think I won that fight," the Australian said. "But that's kind of what I was expecting coming into his hometown." Diaz is regarded behind only Manny Pacquaio of the Philippines and Campbell in the current crop of lightweights, while Katsidis had become a box-office attraction in their ranks for his hard-hitting style. Diaz seemed to get new life in the sixth round, landing a flurry of punches. Katsidis came back strong in the ninth and 10th but twice had to have his glove checked for loose tape the referee deemed dangerous. Katsidis came on strong in the 11th and mistakenly raised both gloves after that round, thinking the bout was over. He had to have his glove checked for tape again starting the 12th. In the highlight of the undercard, 2000 Olympic silver medalist Rocky Juarez (28-4) of Houston won by technical knockout over Argentina's Jorge Rodriguez Barrios (47-4-1) in a junior lightweight match. Juarez had lost the WBC super featherweight decider against Juan Manuel Marquez in his previous bout nine months previously while Barrios was a former holder of the belt for the WBO before losing it to Joan Guzman in a split decision in 2006. Barrios fought Juarez even through the first eight rounds, then had two points taken away by the referee in the ninth round for low blows. Juarez took over in the 10th round. He continued late in the 11th round, connecting on repeated powerful combinations before Barrios went down and was declared finished in 2:55 of the round. Officials said Barrios would have surgery on a vein in his lip that was bleeding profusely when the fight was stopped. Two-time former world champion Jesus "El Matador" Chavez (43-4) of Mexico scored a technical knockout of Colombian Andres Ledesma (14-10-1) in the ninth round of their 10-round lightweight match. Chavez, former holder of the WBC super featherweight and IBF lightweight crowns, knocked Ledesma down in the seventh, then continued the onslaught through the eighth and ninth before it was stopped with 42 seconds to go after a second knockdown. – AP