David Diaz: Boxing, Manny Pacquiao, Julio Cesar Chavez, SR, Erik Morales Shocker & More…

Exclusive Interview by Rich “Lite It Up” Lopez

“I was not a boxer and I was not fast, but an aggressive fighter that smothered my opponents and tired them out. I was a go forward fighter that gave a few and took a few.” –“Dangerous” David Diaz

“Dangerous” David Diaz, 36-4-1, 17 KO’s was one of the premier boxers from Chicago from 1996-2011. He was an aggressive southpaw fighter with a crowd pleasing style. Diaz was an outstanding amateur with a record of 175-16 and was a 3 time National Golden Gloves Light Welterweight Champion. He had also won the Chicago Golden Gloves four times. Diaz was a member of the 1996 US Olympic Team. He was part of an outstanding team that included Floyd Mayweather, JR., Fernando Vargas, Eric Morel, Antonio Tarver, and David Reid. Diaz would fight professionally for 15 years and was a popular figure in his hometown of Chicago. He did become a world champion and acquired the IBA Lightweight Title and the WBC Lightweight Title. He fought great fighters such as: Emanuel Augustus, Kendall Holt, Jose Armando Santa Cruz, Erik Morales, and Manny Pacquiao.

Diaz was gracious to meet me in his hometown of Chicago and to talk about his boxing career.

RL: How did you get started in boxing and what age were you?

I was about 8 years old. My father got me into the sport of boxing. He felt like I was a kid that needed to punch something. He took me to the gym and the first day there the coach asked me “Do you want to box?” The first day there I sparred 3 rounds. He said “Ok, I’ll show you how to fight.” I loved it and began my amateur career.

RL: Who were your favorite boxers growing up?

Obviously at that time it was Julio Cesar Chavez, SR.. He was the guy every fighter wanted to be. As I grew up and got older, I started learning about other fighters from Mexico like Lupe Pintor and Salvador Sanchez.

RL: How would you describe your boxing style?

I was not a boxer and I was not fast, but an aggressive fighter that smothered my opponents and tired them out. I was a go forward fighter that gave a few and took a few. It comes back to how you were taught and how you evolved as a fighter. I was not able to evolve in a sense because I felt my aggression and my conditioning helped me a lot more. I wasn’t fast and my hands were not fast. I was able to stay in front of my opponents and throw a lot of punches. My great conditioning eventually would tired out my opponent.

RL: What were your strengths?

My conditioning, I was very proud of it. I would always run and workout hard. I always tried to work out harder than the guy next to me. I was competing all the time and that’s what helped me. If the guy next to me did 150 sit-ups, I would do 200 sit-ups. I was always trying to do more than the next guy. When I would get ready for a fight I would take care of myself. I would not go out or drink.

RL: How many miles would you run when preparing for a fight?

I would run anywhere between 3-4 miles in the morning. I would run Monday and Tuesday then take a rest day on Wednesday. Then I would run on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday would be my longest run and I would run for an hour. Sometimes I would run 6 to 8 miles on Sunday.

RL: How long was your amateur career?

I started in 1985, so almost 10 years.

RL: Tell me about your amateur career?

I loved amateur boxing. It gave me places to go and places to see. I was an immigrant kid and my parents didn’t have money. It was a way to get out of the city. It was also great for me to go down state and fight for the regional tournaments. I was fortunate enough in one year to go to the Regionals at 14-15 years old for the Jr. Olympics. I fought Arturo Ramos from San Antonio, Texas and we went at it. He beat me. I told my coach “We are coming back next year and winning this thing.” It motivated me and it was a blessing. We came back the next year and won the National Championships for the Jr. Olympics. I was also able to represent USA in a dual meet in Ireland at 15 years old.

RL: You beat Zab Judah in the Olympic Trials. How did that fight play out?

Yes, I beat him in the Olympic Trials and Box Offs to become an Olympian. The 1st fight for the Olympic Trials Championship was a tough fight. We were going at it and I think I was losing going into the 3rd round. I was down by a point or two. We were able to get that information from our corner. Then my corner told me it was time to hustle. Then in the 3rd round I went after him and overwhelmed him to get those extra points. I beat him and became the Olympic Box Offs Champion. From there we went to the Box Offs in Augusta, Georgia. It was a month later and he had to beat me twice to become an Olympian. I only had to beat him once. In the next fight, I thought he would come at me with no mercy, but I beat him again.

RL: Tell me about your 1996 Olympic experience?

I always wanted to represent USA in a different country. That was my Olympic dream, but I found out the 1996 Olympics was going to be in Atlanta, Georgia. Either way it was still my goal to be in the Olympics. Like a young kid, I wanted to go somewhere exotic but later on in life you realize it was a blessing. Had I gone somewhere else outside of the country, my parents wouldn’t be able to go to the Olympics because they were not citizens yet. My coach and some family members wouldn’t be able to go because it would have been too expensive. Also my second oldest brother came to me and hugged me while we were walking in the Olympic Village in Atlanta, Georgia and said “Thank you so much.” He said he always wanted to come to the Olympics but never thought in a million years he would see a family member here. A year and a half later, my brother passed away from AIDS. So I fought in the Olympics and won the 1st fight but lost the 2nd fight to Oktay Urkal who became the silver medalist of the games.

RL: Did you feel you won the fight against Oktay Urkal?

Yes I did. We had fought earlier in a dual meet against Germany and he out boxed me in that fight. However in the Olympics I felt I won the fight.

RL: How was the transition from amateur to pro?

The first 2 years as a pro was good. I started pro in 1996 and I signed with a manager out of Miami, Florida. However I lost focus out in Florida. I was not doing my workouts like I should of. The guys I fought, I should have really beaten up. After 2 years, I quit boxing. I was enjoying myself working odd jobs here and there. I then met my wife and she encouraged me to go back to boxing. At that time I was not listening to anyone and was blessed to have her. I was originally supposed to come back in boxing in 2001 but during training I tore my Achilles tendon. I resumed my career in 2002.

RL: Let’s talk more about your pro career. Tell me about your fight with Emmanuel Augustus?

Everybody knew him, the dancing boxer. I felt my pressure got to him and he was not able to do his tricks on me. If you gave him room, he would have danced all over you.

RL: In regards to your 1st loss against Kendall Holt, did you feel it was a quick stoppage?

Yes it was. I thought I was winning and the stoppage was bogus. I was fighting back.

RL: It looks like from 1996-2005 you fought at 140 lbs. and then you went down to the lightweight division. What made you decide to move down in weight?

My manager and trainer, Jim Strickland, recommended me to go down to 135lbs after the Kendall Holt fight. I was always under the weight at 140lbs and the guys I was fighting were bigger. So my manager felt I was at a disadvantage fighting bigger fighters.

RL: Finally you got a title shot for the IBA Lightweight belt in 2005 and defeated Juan Polo Perez. Did you feel it took too long to get that title shot?

Yes, but I took 2 years off my career, so I had to restart again.

RL: You had a draw against Ramazan Paliani. Did you feel you won that fight?

It’s a BS fight. We knew we won and I beat him on the ropes. I beat the crap out of him and I know I won the fight.

RL: In 2006 you got a title shot against Jose Armando Santa Cruz for the interim WBC Lightweight title and stopped him in a great fight. Did you feel you were behind in the scorecards and needed to get a knockout?

To be honest with you, I did not think I was losing the fight. My manager told me we needed a knockout to win the fight. I was fortunate to catch him with a nice uppercut and bring him down. I stopped him and we shared the ambulance together afterwards. He was a great guy and a great kid. He actually came back and was my sparring partner when I was preparing for the Humberto Soto fight.

RL: How did it feel to make your 1st title defense against Erik Morales in your hometown and then defeating him in 2007?

It was actually the full blown unification bout and not my 1st defense. Jose Casamayor was supposed to fight me but did not want to, therefore he was stripped of his title. I was the mandatory challenger for the title. I fought Erik Morales for the championship in my eyes. I felt great fighting in my hometown, until the fans started cheering for Morales. Majority of the fans were going for him. I had my crowd rooting for me though. I was knocked down in the 1st round so I felt I was losing the fight. So I put more pressure. We felt good and we won.

RL: I saw a video on the post-fight conference and there was some tension between you and Morales. It seems that Morales was bitter about the loss. Can you explain what happened there?

He said I was cheating and I was a dirty fighter. He also said I didn’t deserve the win and I was the local guy. I told him you’re Erik Morales and you’re the guy with the name. I told him you just fought somebody who wanted it more than you. That’s what it came down to. I came to fight and not play around.

RL: Was there any talks of you fighting Juan Diaz or Julio Diaz who were also belt holders?

I would have loved it but there was no talks about it.

RL: After the Morales fight, you got another big fight against Manny Pacquiao in 2008. How was it like fighting Pacman? On a side note you probably had one of the best post fight interviews of all time.

Pacquiao did not hit hard or hurt me, but it was his speed that got to me. I had the opportunity to take the fight and I took it. I was in great shape and did what I had to do. I felt great.

RL: After the Pac fight you took about a year and a half off and came back in the ring against Jesus Chavez in 2009. Were you looking to retire during that time or just taking a nice rest?

I was just taking a rest at that time. My manager, Jim Strickland, told me to take time off because I had a tough fight. He told me to relax my body.

RL: Who was the hardest puncher you faced?

Jaime Rangel. He punched hard.

RL: Who was the fastest fighter you faced?

Manny Pacquiao.

RL: Who was the strongest fighter you faced?

Jaime Rangel. Kendall Holt was strong too but I was able to push back Holt, so Rangel was the strongest.

RL: Who had the best chin?

Cristian Favela.

RL: Best fighter overall?

Manny Pacquiao. My hats off to him.

RL: Now that your career is over, were you satisfied with how your boxing career ended?

No. Maybe I should of done a farewell fight and get a win. I wanted to end my career with a win. My final fight was with Hank Lundy and I lost that one.

RL: What was your biggest achievement in boxing?

Being an Olympian. I loved being a world champion, don’t get me wrong. My dream was being an Olympian. I wanted to be in books. I did my best and the right way.

RL: Do you miss boxing?

No I don’t because I’m involved in it. I work in a park district in Cicero, IL and we have a boxing program. I have at least 7 kids that I work with. We have a great program.

RL: Can you tell us any funny boxing stories?

Going back to the Olympic team, as young kids, we had fun. We were able to go to our first nightclub in Colorado and we were given preference because we were part of the Olympic team. Of course none of us were 21. Only some of the team members went to the club but not all. I can’t give out any names though.

RL: What are you doing nowadays?

I’m a Real Estate Broker, and I have been doing it for 3 years. The company I work for is Realty of Chicago. We are doing great and I can’t believe I would be doing something like this. So if anybody is looking for a house in the Chicagoland area or in the state of Illinois, please contact me.

RL: Anything else you want to say to your fans?

Thank you for always encouraging me and having faith in me. If I can do anything for you, I can help you find a house in Chicago.

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