By Sammy Rozenberg

Photo © Natasha Chornesky/FightWireImages

Joan Guzman (28-0, 17KOs) made it an easy night with his quicker hands and feet, retaining his WBO super featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Humberto Soto (43-6-2, 27KOs) at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City. The scores were 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111.

The five-year, 20-fight win streak of Soto was cracked by pure speed and accurate punching. He was too slow to counter and Guzman's chin was good enough to take any of the punches that managed to land. Soto seemed to move away from imposing his power after he stood toe-to-toe with Guzman in round two and saw that he was unable to hurt him.

Soto switched to plan B in the third, targeting the body for most of the contest. But when he went to the body, he left himself exposed and was not quick enough to get away from Guzman's sharp counters that repeatedly pushed him back. He also used up a lot of energy while chasing Guzman around the ring while missing a tremendous amount of punches.

According to the CompuBox numbers, Guzman would land 44% of his overall punches, 302 of 686, while Soto managed to land a mere 22%, 192 of 888. Even in the category of power punches, Guzman would land 54% of his shots, 216 of 401. Soto's output was higher at 524, but only 143 of them, coming to 27%, found their target.

Guzman is now in a very good position, but it comes at a very bad time. The two biggest names in the super featherweight division, Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, are totally focused on each other. Negotiations are ongoing between the camps of Pacquiao and Marquez, with a target pay-per-view date of March.

In the interest of boxing, a rematch between Pacquiao and Marquez needs to happen next. In the interest of Guzman, rematch talks fall apart and that gives him two possible payday scenarios.

Pacquiao will be the harder of the two names to lure into a fight. If Pacquiao is unable to land Marquez, he is likely to move up in weight to challenge WBC lightweight champion David Diaz or unified champ Juan Diaz. Unless the money is exceptional, Pacquiao may not want to face a mover like Guzman.

Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales have retired, taking their lucrative names with them.

WBA champion Edwin Valero is still under a medical suspension in the United States. It's doubtful that Guzman will travel to Valero's backyard, which is ironically Japan, for a unification showdown. Guzman can make just as much money in the United States with a less risky opponent. Mzonke Fana, the IBF titleholder, is a champion, but there is very little monetary compensation in fighting him.

If Guzman is not patient enough to wait out the situation between Pacquiao and Marquez, he can choose to move up in weight but he will find the same situation at 135. The opportunities have currently dried up at lightweight, for the moment.

David Diaz is there for the taking, if he doesn't fight Paquiao, and that's a 50/50 proposition at this point. The biggest name at the weight, WBO/WBA/IBF champion Juan Diaz is a longshot. The sanctioning bodies are leaning on the "Baby Bull" to make his mandatory defenses and first may come against Nate Campbell.

Joel Casamayor has just been ordered by the WBC to rematch Jose Armando Santa Cruz. WBO interim champion Michael Katsidis is definitely a good possibility. He was due to fight Guzman on an HBO Boxing After Dark telecast in May. Guzman suffered a hand injury and pulled out.  Katsidis is a high output risk taker with faster hands than Soto. If HBO was interested in the fight before, they will really be interesting in the fight now.

Alex Arthur is the mandatory to Guzman's WBO title. He may choose to take him on if a bigger fight does not materialize.

On the undercard;

Abner Mares (15-0, 9KOs) successfully defended his NABO bantamweight title over a very tough Damian Marchiano (14-3-1, 5KOs). The scores were 118-109, 118-109 and 117-109. The fight was a battle and Mares was taken to the limit. Marchiano never stopped coming and applying pressure in the fight. Mares lost a point in the eleventh round for a low blow.

Junior welterweight Demetrius Hopkins (28-0-1, 11KOs), nephew of Bernard, won an easy ten-round unanimous decision over Enrique Colin (23-4-3, 19KOs). The scores were 100-90, 100-90 and 99-91.

Rock Allen (12-0, 7KOs) decisioned Braulio Lopez (6-6-1, 2 KOs) in an eight-round junior welterweight contest. The scores were 80-72 across the board for Allen.