Exclusive Boxing Interview: Juan Diaz

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

This Saturday on August 22, Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz will return to the ring to face Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi at the Toyota Center in his hometown of Houston, Texas. The bout will be at a catch-weight of 138.5 pounds and for some is being considered a cross-roads fight for the two fighters.

Malignaggi 26-2 (5) is one fight removed from a one-sided TKO loss to Ricky Hatton which was stopped by his trainer Buddy McGirt. After a unanimous decision against lightly regarded Christopher Fernandez in April the “Magic Man” was scheduled to face Mike Alvarado who pulled out of their proposed show down. With limited options available, Malignaggi accepted an offer to fight Diaz at a catch-weight of 138.5 which is the first time he has fought under the junior welterweight limit for some time.

Diaz 34-2 (17) is coming off the second loss in his career when he was stopped last February by pound-for-pound champion Juan Manuel Marquez. The “Baby Bull” was applying pressure well and winning the early rounds of the Marquez showdown until he was cut badly in the eighth round and later knocked down twice in round nine, where the fight was waved off by the referee.

Saddoboxing had the privilege of speaking to Diaz in an exclusive interview to discuss his upcoming bout with Malignaggi.

Saddoboxing: Hi Juan, how are you doing? How was your training camp?

Juan Diaz: “It was great, today was my last day of sparring, I feel great; I’m excited, I can’t wait to get back in the ring and get another victory going.”

SB: Was camp different for you this time around fighting at a heavier weight, I believe it’s at a catch-weight just below the junior welterweight limit?

JD: “Yes it’s a catch-weight of 138.5 pounds and it felt great. The only difference now was I was able to eat an extra meal at night instead of having to eat fruit or salad in the evening.”

SB: Did you notice any difference in your training? Do you feel stronger or a difference that you didn’t have to be as disciplined with your diet?

JD: “Well I do feel a little bit better, a little bit stronger, I do have a little bit of room to eat and drink more fluids so it has made me feel a lot more comfortable coming into the gym every day. The training has been just as hard as my previous fights as far as sparring partners and all the training that’s concerned.”

SB: Any other changes to your training regiment?

JD: “I’m still doing the swimming, the Stairmaster for 45 minutes at a time, which is not fun, but I have kept the same regiment because I’ve been successful doing this for a long time. The only thing I changed up a little bit was trying to listen to my corner a little bit more instead of doing what I want to do, I started to listen to them more.”

SB: Are you taking that experience from your last fight with Juan Manuel Marquez?

JD: “Yes, that’s primarily why. In some of the rounds in that fight Ronnie (Shields) was telling me to use my jab, box and move a little bit, but I kept being stubborn. When we started training camp I said to myself I’m going to pressure this guy, I’m going to try to pressure him until he quits. That was my mentality all throughout training camp, obviously when I got in the fight that’s exactly what I did. When Ronnie was telling me to use my jab and box a little bit I wasn’t doing it.”

SB: When you are in the heat of the moment in a big fight like that and you are in the corner receiving instructions from your trainer can you hear what they are saying or are you just in your own world at that point?

JD: “Usually I do listen and I can hear what the corner is telling me but like I said in the last fight I could hear them telling me do this, do that but my mentality is I’m going to do what I think is best and what I had been doing in training which was to apply pressure.”

SB: During the Marquez fight you had appeared to be ahead on the scorecards going into the middle rounds and unlike most of the other opponents you had faced Marquez really seemed to adapt to your style. It took him a few rounds, but then he started to time you and get his counter punching in. Is that the first time you really had to deal with someone that was able to adapt so well and make the changes in the ring?

JD: “No, I believe I fought other fighters who have been just as good as Marquez and have given me a lot of trouble the only difference was my mistakes were the key in that fight. Besides me not listening to my corner and after I got cut I decided to start punching even more instead of calming down and letting the corner work on the cut.”

SB: Coincidentally the two losses in your career against Campbell and Marquez you were cut in both those fights, is that something difficult for you to deal with?

JD: “My vision was impaired in both the fights but the only difference was in the Campbell fight I got defensive minded, I didn’t throw a lot of punches and I covered up a little more. In the Marquez fight I threw a lot more punches instead of being defensive and settling down I got over anxious and aggressive. I know now I have to find the middle in order to be successful when I do get cut. Don’t get too defensive minded but then also don’t get too aggressive, I need to stay calm and relax and keep working at what I’m doing in the fight.”

SB: After the Marquez fight, I know you have graduated since then; congratulations. How have you adjusted to life after graduation?

JD: “Thank you. I’m adapting well, but the big major difference I see is that the last two weeks have been boring at the house. Not having anything to do in the afternoons. It’s a little stressful right now, I get up, I get home, watch TV, maybe take a little nap, and there is nothing else to do. I know that things will change after the fight because I will have a lot more things to do, but I’m learning that once I get into training camp again for a future fight I’m definitely going to have to do something else.”

SB: Do you still plan to apply to law school?

JD: “Yes, I’m going to take a review course and then take the LSAT test and apply to the three major law schools here in Houston. I’m going to leave that option open, I know that law school is very difficult so I want to get accepted and leave that option open because right now my main concern is to focus on boxing 100%.”

SB: Once you get accepted to one of the law schools that you are applying to is there an expiration on the acceptance? Can you decide not to go right away and go later?

JD: “That’s something I need to see what the process is; if they will allow me to wait a year or two. You bring up a good question and it’s something I need to ask as well.”

SB: You said you wanted to focus 100% on boxing right now, what do you hope to accomplish, do you hope to regain your lightweight title, get a title at junior welterweight or just fight wherever the big fights are?

JD: “Right now I’m concentrating and focused on becoming a great fighter in the sport of boxing, leaving my mark in boxing. I’ve been a four-time world champion, I’ve accomplished that goal and now I want to leave a mark in boxing and that is by fighting the best fighters out there whether it is at lightweight or super lightweight. It all depends on where I can fight the best fighters.”

SB: How much do you know about your upcoming opponent Paulie Malignaggi?

JD: “I know that he is a good fighter, he is a slick fighter that uses the ring very well, punches, moves and uses angles. I know I have a big task at hand that I need to overcome on Saturday night.”

SB: Are you concerned at all about his hand speed?

JD: “Not at all, I do have to be concerned in the early rounds because I can’t let him outpoint me early on because it will build his confidence for the later rounds. I believe I have the ability to keep up with him and my hand speed is fast as well so I don’t think it will be a major problem for me.”

SB: Do you feel that this is a cross-roads fight for both of you each coming off a recent loss?

JD: “I think there is more pressure on him than me. It could be a motivational tool for him but in the back of his head he may be thinking that if I lose this fight that’s it. Having that motivation is good but at the same time it’s a downfall. It’s going to be messing with him.

“For myself I don’t see it that way, I know that I’m a young fighter a lot of the fans like to see me fight because they know that I’m going to give 100% every time and make it a fight each time. When I step in the ring I step in the ring because I love the sport and I’m having fun, he will be stepping in with added pressure thinking this may be his last chance.”

SB: Do you have a wish list of future opponents you would like to face?

JD: “It would have to be a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez; I know he has a big fight coming up on September 19. I don’t really care about the outcome, I want my redemption back and I feel I can beat him in a rematch. The last fight was such a great fight that it left me with some unfinished business.

“I want to avenge my two losses, but we saw what happened with Nate Campbell and I don’t think that fight is worth pursuing because he obviously quit in his last fight so that doesn’t show too much about him. I have much respect for Juan Manuel Marquez, I do wish him the best in his upcoming fight but I do hope he thinks about me in a possible rematch.”

SB: Before we finish up is there anything that you would like to say to your fans?

JD: “I want to tell my fans to tune in on Saturday night, August 22nd; it’s going to be a great fight. I don’t want them to lose any faith in me; I’m still the same old Juan ‘Baby Bull’ Diaz. I’m going to come out aggressive fighting like I always do and I will become world champion once again.”

SB: I don’t doubt that you will, thanks for taking the time to speak with Saddoboxing, and we wish you the best of luck on Saturday.

JD: “Your welcome, it’s always a pleasure.”