Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez won the vacant World Boxing Association lightweight title here Saturday with a ninth-round stoppage of US hometown hero Juan Diaz. Marquez landed two stinging hard rights to Diaz's face in a three-punch combination that sent the American falling face forward to the canvas with 35 seconds remaining in the ninth round. Diaz rose but seconds later, Marquez followed with a right uppercut to the chin that left Diaz flat on his back as referee Rafael Ramos waved an end to the fight after two minutes and 40 seconds of the ninth round. “We came to work. We came to punch. We came to fight. We threw a lot of punches and that's what we wanted,” Marquez said. “We saw the punches were making him tender to the body. Fortunately the knockout came.” Marquez, 35, rose to 50-4 with one draw with his 37th victory inside the distance while Diaz, 25, fell to 34-2. “I got caught with a good punch,” Diaz said. “I kept fighting my heart out. I thought I was doing good. I kept punching forward. He caught me with a good punch.” Fighting on the undercard, Indonesia's Chris John retained his WBA featherweight title by fighting American Rocky Juarez to an entertaining draw. All three judges scored the fight 114-114. DeGale dazzles In Birmingham, British Olympic boxing champion James DeGale won his professional debut match on Sunday, beating Georgian Vepkhia Tchilaia with a 40
