TUCSON – Juan Diaz remembers when he was younger. When he was busy. Real busy.
He was known as much for a whirlwind pace as he was for his nickname, Baby Bull. He threw punches at the rate of a propeller at take off. They were hard to see and often erratic.
It was fun. But not always effective. About a decade later, Diaz looks back and smiles at what has to look like a hyper-active, four-time champion.
“I don’t know if I could have beaten the Baby Bull who started winning titles,’’ he said. “But I could beat the Baby Bull who was fighting just before he retired.’’
An older, wiser, more patient and a lot more deliberate Diaz (42-4, 21 KOs) has emerged in his comeback. It continued Saturday night with a stoppage of Cesar Vazquez (27-4, 16 KOs, whose corner called it quits at 2:09 of the eighth round of a UniMas televised bout.
“I’m more precise than I was when I was younger,’’ said Diaz, who is 7-0 in his comeback. “I see things now that I didn’t before. I can see punches coming at me, almost like they’re in slow motion. I’m thinking, adjusting.’’
At 32, Diaz hopes his comeback has put in line for a shot at another lightweight title, perhaps against WBA champion Anthony Crolla or WBO champ Terry Flanagan. Both are from the title-rich UK.
“Let’s go to England,’’ said Diaz, who owns a a transportation company, JD Trucking, in his hometown, Houston. “I’ll fight them there. I’ll fight them anywhere.’’
On the Undercard
The Best: Alexander Besputin , a Russian super-welterweight trained by Robert Garcia, didn’t need much time to get the show started. Two minutes and eight seconds after first bell, Besputin (4-0, 4 KOs) landed a left hand for a first-round knockout of Kevin Womack (7-12-3, 2 KOs) of Baltimore.
The quick stoppage left Besputin manager Egis Klimas lots of time to watch Andre Ward against Alexander Brand in a tune-up for the Ward-Sergey Kovalev clash in November. Klimas also manages Kovalev.
Surprise, Surprise: On the first full day of the Rio Olympics, 2012 gold medalist Egor Mekhontsev was lucky to get a majority draw versus Alexander Johnson of Oxon Hill, Md. Mekhonstsev (11-0-1, 7 KOs) was staggered by a right in the third.
The Russian light-heavyweight survived the next five, but his unbeaten record sustained a blemish. He won on one card, 78-74. It was 76-76 on the other two. If Johnson (16-4-1, 7 KOs) had been his opponent in Olympic prelims four years ago in London, Mekhontsev might never have reached the medal stand.
The rest: Phoenix light-heavyweight Trevor McCumby (23-0, 18 KOs) stayed unbeaten, scoring a TKO of Dion Savage (12-10, 6 KOs), a Flint, Mich. fighter whose corner called it quits after the fourth.
Tucson super-lightweight Alfonso Olvera (8-2, 3 KOs) had one key advantage: He was bigger. His size added up to points in a unanimous decision—60-54 on all three cards over a shorter Jose Maruffo (8-5-2) of Phoenix.
Tucson super-featherweight Jesus Arevalo (2-0) won a majority decision over Manuel Lopez (1-2-1) of Phoenix.
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