Joseph Diaz vs. Giovanni Delgado: Winner, Scorecards and Reaction

On the Saul Alvarez vs. James Kirkland undercard, 2012 Olympian Joseph Diaz remained undefeated as he breezed by Giovanni Delgado to earn an easy, 10-round decision. Diaz had a shutout, 100-90, on two cards and won 99-91 on the third.

It was an impressive and workmanlike effort by Diaz. Delgado gamely attempted to make it a true fight, but Diaz was simply the better boxer and athlete, consistently beating Diaz to the punch and landing crisp combination built around his lead right hook and straight left. 

TRU Boxing Headz response on Twitter summed up the kind of win this was for Diaz:

Coming out of the 2012 Olympics, I felt Diaz was one of the team's two best professional prospects, alongside Errol Spence Jr. He fought with a high-energy, aggressive approach. 

It wasn't ideally suited for the amateur game, though Diaz certainly held his own there. He got a raw deal from the judges in his loss to tough Cuban star Lazaro Alvarez, one of the most experienced fighters in the Olympics.  

Diaz was just 19 at the time. Now 22, he looks like he could be on the verge of some very big things at the super bantamweight division. 

Undefeated Champion Network's Steve Kim confirmed that Saturday night's performance by Diaz was the type of effort that shows he is developing on pace:

Kim's observation was backed up by David P. Greisman's fight write-up on Boxing Scene, where he noted that Diaz consistently got off with the first and last punch of each exchange and that he "viciously ripped into Delgado with both fists while blocking most of the incoming fire." 

Diaz was less effective when he tried to box in a more defensive manner in the middle rounds of the fight. But when he relied on his ability to dictate the tempo of the exchanges, the fight was all his. 

Delgado was fighting in his first 10-rounder and has not faced anybody of note to date. He was the sort of fighter Diaz should be expected to win against with relative ease. 

Still, Diaz showed the kind of skill in the victory that demonstrates he is well-suited to the professional ranks. This is not the kind of win that will push Diaz into the Top 10 at 122 pounds. But it is the sort of performance that demonstrates he could have a place there before long.