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10/21/2005 Archived Entry: "David Diaz fights for Vacant IBA Lightweight Title Tonight!"
David Diaz fights for Vacant IBA Lightweight Title Tonight!
By Juan C. Ayllon
Diaz (right), seen here in an earlier bout (Tom Glunz photo)
On the eve of the Chicago White Sox’s first game in the World Series against the Houston Astros, Chicago’s popular boxer David Diaz is fighting Juan Polo Perez at the Savvis Center in St. Louis, MO for the vacant IBA Lightweight Title.
At 5’ 7”, Diaz, 28-1-0 with 15 knockouts, who is world rated at and has campaigned largely as a junior welterweight, is purportedly looking to build a presence in the lightweight division and perhaps eventually challenge for world honors at that weight class. His single loss was against Kendall Holt (TKO 8), who at 20-1-0 and 12 knockouts currently holds the WBO Inter-Continental Light Welterweight Title. Listed at 5’ 9”, Holt appeared notably taller than Diaz when they squared off on February 4, 2005.
Perez, 46-39-4 and 23 knockouts, has lost his last eight fights. However, these losses included the likes of top rated lightweight Edner Cherry (UD 8), NABF Featherweight champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (TKO 2), NABC Continental Junior Lightweight Titlist Jose Reyes (UD 6), IBC Americas Super Featherweight Titlist Monty Clay (TKO 6), and WBO NABO Light Welterweight Titlist Mike Arnaoutis (MD 6).
David Diaz, along with Chicagoan heavyweight contender Fres Oquendo, was a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Boxing team.
