Juan Diaz: ‘I’m basically at the bottom, working my way up’

Mar

Photo credit: Chris Farina/Top Rank Promotions

Juan Diaz admits he had doubts about his future in boxing after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder in March of 2015.

The former unified lightweight titleholder was two years into a comeback bid after nearly three years of inactivity. He was sparring to prepare for a shot at the vacant WBO lightweight title against Takahiro Ao in May when he tore his rotator cuff.

Diaz, 32, could have walked away from the sport and managed his trucking business, JD Express, a 20-vehicle fleet, which he runs with his brother Jose.

But Diaz, who held the IBF, WBA and WBO 135-pound titles simultaneously nearly a decade ago, wasn’t ready to ready to put the sport in his rearview mirror yet. He was still full of the inspiration he received from watching Juan Manuel Marquez – the man who put his fire out in 2010 after losing their rematch – knock out Manny Pacquiao in 2012.

Diaz returned to the ring last Saturday, facing journeyman Fernando Garcia in his hometown of Houston, in his first fight in a year-and-a-half. Before the bell rang, Diaz had already decided he was going all out, choosing to get definitive answers about his shoulder’s health, for better or worse.

“I was a little hesitant; I had a few doubts,” Diaz admitted to RingTV.com. His concerns turned out to be unfounded as he wore down his foe, in nine rounds, with the relentless pressure that had been his ticket to success in his younger years.

“I felt excellent in this comeback fight,” said Diaz (41-4, 20 knockouts). “I wanted to see if my shoulder was going to hold up and it absolutely did. I didn’t feel one ounce of pain.

“I feel like this is a blessing in disguise. I came back and felt like I was given a new arm, a new shoulder, so I was able to throw more jabs, more body shots without bothering me.”

Though unranked after losing his No. 1 ranking with the WBO during his last layoff, Diaz is hoping the performance catapults him into the world title picture once again.

Diaz’s return comes at a time when the lightweight division lacks star definition. All four of the titleholders at 135 pounds – Terry Flanagan (WBO), Anthony Crolla (WBA), Rances Barthelemy (IBF) and Jorge Linares (WBC) – have won their titles in the last year or two.

Diaz has scouted all of them save for Barthelemy, whom he admits he hasn’t watched yet. He thinks fights with Crolla and Flanagan would make for exciting brawls, while he’d have to work to figure out the craftiness of Linares.

“The two guys from England are two great action fighters, power punchers. For me, I like the action fighters because it gives the crowd its money’s worth and I can go out there and really bang with them. Linares, I’ll take him on but he’s gonna be one of those guys who is gonna run around the ring and try to outbox me which, I have proven in the pastÔÇªit doesn’t work.”

Diaz’s return brings name recognition and much needed star power to the division. Yet while Diaz says he’s ready for a world title shot now, he understands he isn’t yet in the position to make demands.

Diaz says he hasn’t yet spoken with Top Rank Promotions about his next move but a source within Top Rank says they are working on something for June. With all of the lost time from inactivity and injury, Diaz isn’t overly concerned with which fights come his way.

“At this point in my career, I’m not here to pick and choose who I fight, so, whenever that opportunity comes up again to challenge for a world title, then, whoever it is, that’s who I’m gonna take on,” says Diaz.

“I’ve had the taste of victory and being a world champion and being at the top. Right now, I’m basically at the bottom, working my way up. Whoever they throw at me, that’s who I’m gonna take on.”