Diaz Beats Jauregui to the Punch, Wins Title

So this was the Julio Diaz that had so many fight fans so excited when he was an up-and-coming prospect.

Diaz, the Coachella lightweight who had greatness written upon his countenance as a prospect but had contracts with HBO and Top Rank Promotions slip through his grasp when he suffered upset losses, showed against International Boxing Federation 135-pound champion Javier Jauregui the flashes of brilliance that had been expected of him.

Boxing and alternately slugging while switching from orthodox to southpaw with equal ease, Diaz dominated Jauregui and took his championship on Thursday night at the San Diego Sports Arena with an eyebrow-raising majority decision, even if the belt Diaz left the ring with had to be returned to a downcast Jauregui in his locker room (the IBF is sending Diaz his hardware next week).

The reason for the raised eyebrows -- judges Chuck Hassett and Lou Filippo scored the bout 118-110 in favor of Diaz, who was in his first title shot. Judge Rafael Santos Lopez shocked most of the crowd of 2,004 by scoring it a 114-114 draw. Lopez, like Jauregui, is from Mexico.

The Times scored it 117-111 for Diaz.

Diaz, 24, improved to 30-2. Jauregui is 47-11-2.

“I was in control the whole fight,” said Diaz, whose 2001 loss by decision to Angel Manfredy and 2002 loss by first-round knockout to Juan Valenzuela are becoming faded memories.

“That was the strategy. This is me. This is how boxing is supposed to be -- classy. If I stayed in there and battled with him, who knows what would have happened.”

It most likely would not have turned out well for Diaz.

Jauregui, fighting from his slouched position, is a bomber who looks to take out opponents with a wild left hook. Diaz, however, gave no such opportunity.

Instead, it was Diaz whose punches had more purpose.

Catching Jauregui with a left hook in the first round, Diaz opened a cut over Jauregui’s right eye.

Not even the 10-minute delay caused by a ring rope collapsing between the second and third rounds would slow the fleet-footed Diaz, who would catch Jauregui with three- and four-punch combinations at will.

“It was his night and I was off,” said Jauregui, who was making the first defense of the title he won Nov. 22 at the Grand Olympic Auditorium with an 11th-round stoppage of Levander Johnson.

“I did what I could but he was better.”

Diaz had a swollen right eye after an accidental head butt in the first round.

“I wouldn’t say it was just my legs [that won the fight], I think I beat him with intelligence,” Diaz said. “I had the tools. Even in the exchanges, he would bounce back.

“He’s a strong bull but he can’t fight inside. That was the game plan, to frustrate him.”

And to take his title.

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In the co-main event, Jhonny Gonzalez (23-4, 21 knockouts) won the North American Boxing Organization bantamweight title by stopping Alejandro Montiel (47-7) in the sixth round.