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08/01/2007 Archived Entry: "Days Away, Diaz Speaks on Saturday's Bout versus Erik Morales"
Days Away, Diaz Speaks on Saturday's Bout versus Erik Morales
Photo and Interview by Juan C. Ayllon
CHICAGO—World Boxing Council Lightweight boxing champion David Diaz will be facing a boxing legend in Erik Morales three days from now at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
Morales’ promoter, Bob Arum, has gone so far as naming it “War for Four,” in reference to Morales’ quest to add a fourth weight class title to his charge’s resume.
Indeed, at 48-5 with 34 knockouts, Morales has held titles in three weight class divisions from 116 through 130 pounds. In assembling his House of Fame career, he’s beaten a list of boxing’s “Who’s Who” from A to Z, ranging from the likes of Paulie Ayala to Daniel Zaragoza. Sandwiched in there were classic wars with warriors and champions like Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao.
However, he’s lost three of his last four bouts, with two of them being especially brutal losses to Pacquiao—a technical knockout loss in January 2006 in the 10th round and a knockout loss in the third this last November. Blaming the losses on struggles to make weight, he’s moving up five pounds to fight Diaz, who some have claimed is the path of least resistance to a world title at that division.
Granted, at 32-1-1 and 17 knockouts, Diaz hasn’t had as impressive credentials as Morales at the professional level. But, there’s more to Diaz than first meets the eye.
He twice beat eventual world light welterweight and welterweight champ Zab Judah at the Nationals en route to the 1996 Olympics. As a professional, he’s compiled a record of 28-1 at 140 lbs. before dropping down to 135, where he won his world title that he’s defending Saturday night.
While at 140 lbs., he’s beaten tough competition such as Emmanuel Augustus, Jaime Rangel and others that, while not household names, were nevertheless dangerous opponents, certainly harder hitting than Morales. His lone loss was suffered at the hands of Kendall Holt—who won by TKO in the 9th—in a November 2005 bout where both fighters were down. Holt is currently the World Boxing Organization Light Welterweight Title holder.
Bringing it forward to August 12, 2006, in his last bout, Diaz won the WBC Interim Lightweight Title—which became full title honors when then-champ Joel Casamayor failed to grant him a mandatory title shot—by twice dropping, and then stopping Jose Santa Cruz in the 10th round. A searing left uppercut, a follow-up flurry and a drilling right to the head finished it. However, what some failed to grasp was all the solid body punching he’d banked that ultimately set up the sizzling finish.
Diaz fights nonstop, which could spell problems for a Morales who is moving up in weight. Although he’s shorter at 5’ 6” to Morales’ 5’ 8”, in terms of boxing experience, he’s naturally the bigger man. The question remains, will Morales be able to handle Diaz’ aggressiveness and strength?
That, and will Morales’ punch, while dangerous at lower weight classes, carry up into the lightweight division? In his lone foray into the lightweight division, Morales’ power looked fairly pedestrian against Zahir Raheem, a bout which Morales lost by unanimous decision in September 2005.
Taking a few minutes on the afternoon of August 1, David Diaz granted the Cyber Boxing Zone an earthy snapshot of what may lie ahead in this exclusive interview.
With your fight against Erik Morales just three days away, how are you feeling and what’s going through your mind?
DD: Well, I’m feeling good, I’m in shape—I know that much. I’m ready to go. I’m just taking it easy, being calm and just relaxing.
Some people have said that you’ve been selected by Morales as the easiest challenge among the lightweight champions. What do you have to say about these allegations?
DD: Well, they’re just allegations because I’m the world champ and how I got the belt, and stuff like that. You’re the first person that’s told me that. I never even heard that before, but I don’t think nothing of it. I really don’t. I mean, if he does think I’m an easy fight, then I guess it’s better for me, then.
Certainly, there’s no insult intended—
DD: No, no, no, no! I’m not saying that; I’m just telling you this is the first I’ve ever heard it. I mean, I pay no mind to it.
What does trainer Kevin Cunningham bring to the table working your camp and your corner?
DD: Sharpness! Just working sharpness, telling me, keeping me on my toes and stuff like that. I mean, he’s a guy that can motivate you and make you do things that you don’t want to do.
I’m not saying that none of them, like Strick [manager Jim Strickland] or Mike [Garcia] (don’t) motivate me to do it, but I’m just saying that it’s just a different person now telling me, so I pay more attention to it than you have your usual guys.
It’s like when your mother and your father tell you don’t do it, you’re like, ‘Ah, right, I’m still going to do it,’ and somebody else says, ‘hey, don’t do it,’ and you listen, it’s to that effect.
What can you tell us about sparring and training in St. Louis with him?
DD: Well, it was great. We had a good camp out there. We sparred 12 rounds on Wednesday…and eight on Friday. So, we did pretty good work there. We’ve had sparring partners from—they’re the Bey brothers from Cleveland—pretty good guys—Mickey and Cortez Bey. Those were my main sparring partners there. They really brought everything to the table, a lot more than what I expected. They brought speed and power, so it was good sparring.
What are you doing to stay sharp in training and diet this last week?
DD: Well, just shadow boxing, we do a little mitt work and jump rope and just stay focused. That’s about it. Just stay focused and know what’s at hand and getting ready to do it on August 4th.
For a long time, you’ve boxed in relative obscurity in terms of popular media exposure. With all the publicity surrounding the Morales fight, how has that changed for you?
DD: Not at all! I mean, like I said, I don’t think much about it. I know what I have to do is just go out there and fight another person. If I start thinking too much of the media and a lot of people, it’s just going to take me away from what I have to do. So, I don’t think nothing of it. It’s just another fight for me.
As far as getting out and about, do you find that you’re getting recognized more now with all this coverage?
DD: Ah, naw, it’s still the same. Only the boxing people know me, who I am. So, it’s been the same.
Financially, boxing has been a labor of love for you, with your wife, Tanya, working to make ends meet. How has this fight changed that, or has it?
DD: Well, it’s nothing to say that I can retire. I mean, we’ve still got to go to work. Even after this fight, we still have to make ends meet and stuff like that. I mean, we’re getting paid—I think—three-twenty, three-thirty-five or three-twenty-five (thousand dollars). That’s nothing to retire on. So, we’ve still got to come back and do this all over again.
And, assuming all goes well, how much further do you think you’ll go?
DD: Well, as far as I can take it. I’m going to try to ride this as long as I can—three, four years, maybe? It depends on the situation, so. Right now, I’m just taking one fight at a time and, hopefully, everything will come out good on August 4th, and we’ll go from there.
Any other thoughts you’d like to share with the reader?
DD: Oh, just tell everybody thanks for their support. Thanks Cyber Boxing (Zone) for always giving me spots on their website. Thank you, Juan, for always writing on me and having good reading all the time. Just tell everybody to come out to see the fight August 4th at Allstate (Arena). If not, get on Pay Per View. It’s going to be one you shouldn’t miss.
