It was Mosleys first defense after taking the title from Oscar De La Hoya and was held in New York City. Located about 128 miles east of Los Angeles and 95 miles north of the Mexican border, the Indio Boys and Girls club gym is roughly in the middle of nowhere unless you like golf. He dabs away the blood and looks at everyone. Joel is on Twitter @JoelDiazBoxing and Instagram @coachjoeldiaz. He would fight one more time before retiring as a fighter and continuing as a trainer. In January 2010 he was involved in a hit and runaccident in which a 20-year-old pregnant woman was killed. But by the time he got to high school, he'd won 55 of his next 57 fights along with two national titles and knew exactly what he was born to do. "Ponle una putiza!" For six days, festival goers from across the country, and world, will pack into the 250 acres of the Empire Polo Club's immaculate green fields. Click below for an exclusive look at the first trailer for Joel Diaz: A Hard Knock-Life by Newman Studios. Only a few of those kids will ever be good enough to box in amateur tournaments, but coming from here, all of them will have to fight. As Gracia wraps Acosta's left hand, and Flores shadow boxes, Diaz returns to the dressing room. Right now we have Maricela Cornejo and Vergil Ortiz getting ready to fight in Cancun, Mexico on Nov. 16.. Antonio Diaz, the younger brother of Joel, works well with the fighters and their combined knowledge gives them insight not often found in many gyms. Hes poured his blood sweat and tears, he says, into the project knowing that he was on a deadline. The super lightweight fight will take place at the Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California. The Diaz brothers want to use the building for more than just boxing. Joel will often arrive at the building in the early morning hours and work on the space. "Every time I went to a show or to a tournament, Lee would take five, six of us. Everlast, a boxing appareland equipment company, has offered to outfit his gym with bags for free. Diaz believes this building will be the cherry on top of a great career in boxing. Even if they share just a few words of a common language, they understand each other. The Brazilian boxing hero retired in 2007, but came back in 2012 and schooled and KOd the cocky Michael The Brazilian Rocky Oliveira. It became a case of brawler vs. boxer/puncher and when the brawler caught the more athletic Popowho could slip and duck skillfullyand decked him with a straight left in the eighth, the title suddenly was up for grabs. The last time Pacquiao knocked out a welterweight was in 2009 against Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. When I'm not here, that's gonna be a legacy that is gonna stay behind because it's the story of my life. His voice rises above the rhythmic sounds of speed bags thumping, above the jump rope slapping the floor, above the grunts of those who sound as if they're fighting for their lives. Health Clubs & Gyms. 81719 Doctor Carreon Blvd. We knew that he came like from nothing, no connections, no money, and then after that he had troubles and it wasnt like easy at all for him, says Jorge Newman. He sits on the couch, his face is disfigured and bruised. As for the Hyena, on April 8, 2005, he won the WBO junior lightweight title with a fourth round stoppage of undefeated but overweight Mike Anchondo. Neither fighter looked good in their fight in Malaysia but when Pacquiao floored Matthysse several times during the fight, it raised some red flags. Indio Joel Diaz Boxing Academy. Get a head start on the mornings top stories. Barrios stood dazed for a moment, frozen in time, and then down he went, WOW WOW WOW!!!! The gym is clattering with noise from the various boxers working in the different stations. 2,235 Followers, 54 Following, 49 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Diaz Brothers (@thediaztrainingcamp) During his post-fighting years, Diaz worked as a bodyguard for the type of men Chalino wrote songs about. The other to keep track of his day. Golden Boy chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya announced the fight, saying: "It has been Golden Boy's home in the Coachella Valley, and we are excited to bring a DAZN fight night that they will enjoy for the first . So this former champ moved it out to the desert, More: Riverside County reports 3,901 additional coronavirus cases, 53 new deaths Wednesday. The demand for labor followed. Motivated because he'd discovered what he was good at, even if, when he first started, he'd come home with his shirt full of blood. HBO will televise. What happens when a boxer kills his opponent? Coles agency is purportedly in the top two nationally in writing these policies. All he had to do was win and he'd fight for a world title. Everyone here has. He admitted to being in the middle of a whirlwind that is spinning beyond his expectations. Diaz, 48, said he plans to open the gym up to the community for a grand opening in September. It dives into everything from growing up in Coachella to winning world titles with the fighters he trained and a few things in between. When he was active as a fighter Antonio captured the IBA world welterweight title and fought many of the best fighters in the world including Sugar Shane Mosley for the WBC welterweight world title in November 2000. He simply moves, resets and continues yelling. Boxing Pro 21 bouts date w-l-d last 6 result; 1997-04-26: Jose Luis Montes: 9 17 0: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio W-TKO. Otherwise any future fights for the Philippine great will not be forthcoming. For this indiscretion, Cole was prohibited from working a significant fight in Texas for the next six months. Its a small venue near East L.A. and the fight was attended by numerous boxing celebrities such as James Lights Out Toney, Mauricio El Maestro Herrera and Gennady GGG Golovkin. The air is full of questions and the quiet confusion of trying to figure out what went wrong and what they could have done different. That's where Diaz and his brother Antonio (or Too, as he's commonly called) trained. "Tijuana, linda frontera, cmo te podr olvidar," (or in English, "Tijuana, beautiful border how can I forget you?") Joel Diaz worked for a while with Lee Espinoza at the Coachella Boxing Club before opening up his own gym. His gravelly voice, built for teaching people how to fight, makes you wonder whether he has found peace at 50 years old, or whether he's too busy to give much thought to what he lost more than a half-life ago. But Cole insisted that the match continue and then, after another knockdown that he ruled a slip, let it continue for another 35 seconds before Velascos corner mercifully threw in the towel. She looks calm even if her stomach is full of nerves. As he explains it now, a few months after that experience, Joel walked into the boxing gym in downtown Coachella. Stars like Argentinas Lucas Matthysse to UFCs Cub Swanson have walked through the doors of the gym that is run like the United States Marine Corps recruiting depot. When Mucio fights and Acosta watches, he feels the same. Phone: (760) 424-8888. Mucio has a fight sometime in June or July, so in a few weeks, they'll return to train again in the Coachella Valley. A furniture store occupied the space for a time, but it went out of business and the area has in recent years become known for drugs, prostitution and homelessness. With the boys gathered around me, I want to find out what they admire most about their trainer and pro fighter. His promoter told him he'd soon fight for millions but that didn't happen. "It's a good way to stay focused on training," Bivol said of using Joel's gym. On April 4, 2012 Barrios was declared guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to four years in prison. While still yelling instructions, Diaz is organizing who'll fight next. The small cut on his right palm has long ago stopped bleeding, but that's the last thing on anyone's mind. The inference was that Marquez was free to quit right then without tarnishing his record. INDIO, Calif.-Deep in the Coachella desert tiny scorpions come out at night so its best not to walk in sandals. The documentary is titled Joel Diaz: A Hard Knock-Life and was directed by Jorge Newman and Eduardo Salazar of Newman Studios. Three years ago Diego De La Hoya, Jamie Kavanagh, Manuel Mendez and brothers Jessie and Diego Magdaleno arrived. Hes put in so much work on that place, said Diazs adult son, Joel Diaz Jr. Now, when hes in that building, you can tell that hes at home. Looking for something to do in a desert where it's easy to get lost. Other fighters like Argentinas Matthysse have arrived too and will be living and training in the remote desert gym. Flores wins his fight in the first minute. Were working on some changes and well see on December 9.. It's been almost 40 minutes since the sun set on Coachella Valley, and now it's Acosta's turn to fight. Around the turn of the 20th century, the Colorado River was diverted, and water flowed into what was barren desert. Find him on Twitter: @Andrew_L_John. Back in April when middleweight titan Gennady GGG Golovkin was seeking an opponent to replace Saul Canelo Alvarez who was facing suspension for performance enhancement drug use, it was the 21-year-old from Tijuana who volunteered his services for a May 5th date in Las Vegas. So this former champ moved it out to the desert, Riverside County reports 3,901 additional coronavirus cases, 53 new deaths Wednesday, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Bennett claimed that the slender Mexican fighter had not proven worthy of contesting for the championship though the tall Mexican wielded an undefeated record of 28 wins with 24 coming by knockout. We always have a lot of things going on, said Joel Diaz. Hed sit, often by himself, in the early stages of the project drawing designs from his ideas for the space. "Those types of values and principles are instilled in the kids many times. "The Diaz brothers know what it takes to have a wonderful gym," said Brandun Lee, an unbeaten super lightweight (22-0) contender who has trained at the building. Joel's retina was almost entirely detached. "Joel, do you have adrenaline?" He's sitting in a foldable metallic chair, getting his post-fight medical examination. I would like to thank him, said Munguia about Bennetts refusal to allow him to fight Golovkin. There also will be an area for weight machines and a space at the front desk to purchase merchandiseof the world-famous boxers who train at the gym, including unified super bantamweight champion Murodjon MJ Akhmadaliev, Olympic welterweight silver medalist Shakhram Giyasov, Olympic flyweight gold medalist Hasanboy Dusmatov and Olympic middleweight silver medalist Bektemir Melikuziev. Hes just waiting for his time.. Wherever it is, they'll rest and enjoy the things they've denied themselves for months. Inside the Special Events Center's dressing room, in the Fantasy Springs Casino Resort, a boxer is bleeding. Just about everything planted here came to life: watermelon, grapefruits, dates, squash, radish and cabbage, to name a few. The building has remained empty for years. You gave somebody too much authority of your life,'" Diaz said. Later, Freitas tarnished his image with a No Mas against Diego Corrales, but he had gone down three times and knew there was no way out. The thermostat says the gym is 75 degrees, but it feels hotter. We begin with Joel's enforced retirement and the ups and downs that followed, before looking at his experiences as a trainer, taking us up to his current bunch of fighters. He was the first and only inductee into the inaugural class of the Texas Boxing Hall of Fame, an organization founded by El Paso promoter Lester Bedford in 2015. The wild swinging Hyena literally turned into one as he attacked from the beginning and did not let up until the last second of the eleventh round. A well-known figure in the Coachella Valley, many have approached Diaz and asked how they can help. The Coachella Valley has long been an area where the center inflatable garden slide of activity is Palm Springs. The man hugged them tight then picked them up. When asked how he felt about Nevadas denying him an attempt to fight Golovkin, a wide grin appeared on the Mexican youngster. Acosta walks down the hall, surrounded by about a dozen people. Coach Diaz is one of the top boxing trainers in the world who has worked with many top boxing and MMA fighters. His chief second bullied him into coming out for another round. Too says at that point, in his early teens, he just wasn't dedicated enough. "What's going on?" Boxing trainer Joel Daz bought and transformed the space during the COVID-19 pandemic. Barrios wanted to turn the fight into a street fight and was reasonably successful with that strategy. Honestly, it makes me happy because at one point, you know, life is short. "The gallo is the bravest animal in the world," Diaz answers when I ask him why the gamecock is in the middle of his gym's logo. But here my son can just focus on boxing and only boxing and sharpen his skills.. The anonymous architect of In Boxing We Trust, a web site that went dormant in 2010, wrote this description: Near the end of round 11, about a milli-second before the bell rang, Freitas landed a ROCK HARD right hand shot flush on Barrios chin. (Marquez elected to continue and stopped Jaca in the next round.). It's where Garcia once got punched in the face so hard he understood that boxing wasn't for him. The community, in turn, has helped Diaz make this project a reality. When Acelino Freitas turned professional in 1995, he streaked from the gate with 29 straight KOs, one of the longest knockout win streaks in boxing history. He hopes the facility, which he wants to name Indio Athletic & Youth Center, will one day be a part of his legacy in the valley. Some of the biggest names in the sport includingTimothy Bradley Jr., Terence Crawford, Lucas Matthysse, JoJo Diaz, Victor andVergil Ortiz and Julio and Antonio Diaz have trained and sparred at the club over the years. Now its Gassiev versus Usyk and four world titles are at stake. The place looked so brittle, everyone worried that if an earthquake hit, it all would collapse. Another donated an ice machine. He said he thinks about that often when hes pushing a broom and putting work into the gym that before last year he never really thought about building. Cracks that looked like spider webs, spread across the cold floor in a place just big enough for a couple of heavy bags and a boxing ring where firetrucks once parked. Another offered to pay for all the new matting going on top of the concrete floors. If he wins tonight, against Angelino Cordova, who has never lost and is five years younger, they want to fight for the world championship next. I know you from the heart. What changed? The Boys & Girls Club has been a great place for us for so many years, Antonio Diaz said. Im going to keep that table here forever.. ET. Diaz most notably trained Timothy Bradley Jr, a five-time world champion, and with Antonio as his trainer partner has helped guide others to titles in more recent years before they wereforced out of the Boys & Girls Club last year when it shut down to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. Joel worked in construction for years before he became a trainer, and they have a contractor who has helped. Bob Bennett, the Executive Director for Nevada State Athletic Commission, denied allowing Munguia an opportunity to fight Golovkin for the middleweight titles. More: Olympics more important than major titles for some women golfers, More: Strong and silly, Sarah Robles of Desert Hot Springs, is off to Tokyo, hoping to lift her way to another medal. But Im really excited for (Joel and Antonio) to get their own place and to do it the way they want to do it. At the screening, coach Diaz was enjoying the moment with his friends and family. Back at home in Dallas there are too many distractions. His neighbor owns Indian Wells Glass and Mirror and provided mirrors for the gym. Find Related Places. He could have left, opened a gym somewhere else, but he didn't. They'll run their daily miles and their feet will feel as if they're on fire. Munguia stopped by Los Angeles to meet with the media last week and spoke about Bennett and his upcoming first world title defense. As the fists and shoulders of fighters brush by him, it looks as if their violence might spill over. Contreras and Sinnett, residents of Omaha, were singled out for their scorecards in the match between lightweights Thomas Mattice and Zhora Hamazaryan, an eight round contest staged at the WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa on July 20. It's the stomach pain from hunger while trying to make weight. Ironically both Mosley and Diaz were from the Inland Empire and ended up training in the same Big Bear training camp. Find him on Twitter: @Andrew_L_John. Car share apps charge $40 for a two-minute ride to the festival grounds. Nothing escapes Joel Diaz who occasionally glances around the gym and notices Diego De La Hoya, the younger cousin of boxing great Oscar De La Hoya. 234: Once-in-a-Generation Mega Fight: Tank Davis vs King Ry Garcia, Cordina-Rakhimov Might Steal the Show this Saturday, Avila Perspective, Chap. Order Online. He's on the main ring, next to the banner with his logo on it, a gamecock wearing boxing gloves, circled by the gym's name: Joel Diaz Training Camp. 11/10/2019 After eight months of work, the building remains a work in progress. Even the fancy gas stations get their share of the dangerous little creatures. Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang Full Fight Replay April 15, 2023 ; "No, it's OK," Gracia says, trying to keep the doctor away. World champions and contenders fight along with boxers early in their careers, risking it all for a shot at their dreams. Diaz comes from the Palmdale, California area and will be the hometown favorite over the Filipino Mercito Gesta who is based out of San Diego, California. But it's just not the reality of the working families.". Bethany Mollenkof for ESPN. In the nearly two years that followed, Diaz walked through nihilism's dark desert as a man angry at God. Russian boxer. I've been here so long, and I sent these guys to pick you up.". Joel Diaz fought for the IBF world title against South Africa's Phillip Holiday in 1996 and lost by decision. He served 27 months and never fought again, retiring with a record of 50-4-1. The pain of losing a child during pregnancy. Last year, the event drew 750,000 attendees. But those that remain like the focus on boxing and the solitude. Jorge Newman and Eduardo Salazar are from Cancun, Mexico, and first met Diaz while he was training a boxer for a fight in Mexico. By law in Texas (and in most other states), a boxing promoter must purchase insurance to cover medical costs in the event that one or more of the fighters on his show is seriously injured. These are the fights away from the bright side of boxing; the big events with big money that attracts people from all over the country. Since then he had not stopped an opponent. Hes still working to complete the entryway and his office inside the gym, off Indio Boulevard, but the rest of the 6,250-square foot space has been transformed from a gutted building to a gym that will soon host current and future world champions. He's looking at a boxer's pinkie to see how badly it's hurt. Diaz throws up his frustrated hands. Thats life.. Theres no wasting time. Joel Diaz Jr. is the son of top trainer Joel Diaz Sr. and although his father doesn't work his corner he still carries the family name when he enters the ring. This was a roughhousing 39-1-1 Argentinian fighting an equally tough 33-0 Brazilian. "You should tell someone," Too told Joel. He was big and tall and had a beard. Joel Diaz regularly shouts booming instructions to fighters across the lengthy gym. He stands, sometimes with his hands on the top rope and other times holding them behind his back. Monday Morning Cornermen (Nov. 6 edition), The Hauser Report: Wilder-Stiverne and More from Barclays Center, In an unprecedented development, the Boxing Writers Association of America has started a watch list to lift the curtain on ring officials who have screwed up. Veteran Texas referee Laurence Cole and Nebraska judges Mike Contreras and Jeff Sinnett have the unwelcome distinction of being the first honorees., Boxing is a sport where judges and referees are rarely held accountable for poor performances that unfairly change the course of a fighters career and, in some instances, endanger lives, says the BWAA in a preamble to the new feature. But not before a full day of training. Whenever there was a big fight in the Lone Star State, his son was the favorite to draw the coveted refereeing assignment. He says this side of Coachella is where fighters come from, and he swells with pride whenever he sees them on television. Gracia asks him in Spanish. Joel Diaz sounds like a drill sergeant and constantly harangues the various boxers to continue the intensity of their drills. It's not a serious cut -- a notch above a paper cut, on the meaty part of the palm closest to the thumb -- but it hasn't stopped bleeding. See a problem? Now all I have to do is make it shine. Theyve built relationships with several youth boxers whose dads are either plumbers, painters or work with concrete and have offered their services. Maybe it was the cheat meal from a few weeks ago. To sacrifice, doing backbreaking work, while being apart from the ones they loved. The day after Diaz is gone, Mucio and Acosta will leave too. This was improper. Too fought too, even though he wanted to go to college, but that wasn't financially possible. Who has the edge? Make of that what you will. The curtains part and the crowd chants Acosta's name. It would not be safe, he wastold. He tells a boxer what he wants by showing it with his own body, moving his legs as if he's evading punches. Forty-five seconds into round eight, after being knocked down for a third time, Velasco spit out his mouthpiece and indicated to Cole that he was finished. Im excited to give this building life, Diaz added. No loss is good, but Diaz says he's learned from it. "I accidentally cut Tito," Gracia tells him as Diaz hands over the small dark bottle with a yellow label. Hell then head to Swansons gym for the day and go back to his facility about two miles down the road for a few more hours before heading home. You will not want to miss this class. The area has some of the most prestigious golf courses in the world. That's what ultimately led him to politics, becoming Coachella's first elected mayor in 2006. With this loss, that now becomes more difficult. As a pro Diaz brought him down to lightweight. Boxing trainer Joel Diaz is building his own gym in Indio after 18 years at Indio Boys & Girls Club Andrew L. John Palm Springs Desert Sun 0:00 0:24 Until last year, Joel Diaz hadn't. No matter what obstacles get in the way, you have to find a way to get through the hard times and keep fighting to overcome those obstacles., CONGRESSMAN RAUL RUIZ AWARDS JOEL DIAZ WITH CONGRESSIONAL HONOR. If he weren't watching men fight, he'd look like an appraiser examining a piece of art. the doctor asks when he arrives a few minutes later. Ive seen my dad train fighters my whole life, Joel Diaz Jr. said, but I havent seen that happiness, that comfort, that peace, that look in his eyes until now. Diaz surrenders to New Orleans police after brawl, Paul launches series for up-and-coming boxers, Ramirez to defend WBO title vs. Shimizu in July. Maybe that would help show how much they sacrificed. Joel Diaz "I told him when he came to the gym [last week], 'The problem is not you. He put them in his truck and they drove the long way home out by the fields. If hotel rooms are even available, some will double their usual price. That gave Diaz a dateto get an abandoned building he owned, whichhad been damaged by a fire, ready to open to his boxing clientele. The pandemic shut down his boxing club. How he works with the youth, he brings and trains them to show them what it takes to excel in this sport and in life and that is remarkable.. Between rounds, Diaz keeps teaching. Once they learned about how Diaz built his life in America as a Mexican immigrant, they wanted to know more. Directions Advertisement. The type of place that looks as if the things happening there are kept secret. As was his career overall, maybe not well enough where he could quit his construction job, but things were getting better. That side is where most of the Coachella Valley's tourist industry is centered. Mucio walks beside him. Joel Diaz 18: 3: 0: 4 KOs 2 KOs; wiki. More have arrived recently including the first female prizefighter to step in the gym full time in middleweight contender Maricela Cornejo. And one could site numerous other incidents where Coles performance came under scrutiny. Advertisement. In his rationale for calling out Cole, BWAA prexy Joseph Santoliquito leaned heavily on Thomas Hausers critique of Coles performance in The Sweet Science. Diaz says, then immediately corrects himself. Palmdale's Joel Diaz, Jr. (26-2, 22 KOs) and San Diego's Mercito "No Mercy" Gesta (32-3-3, 17 KOs) hosted a media workout today ahead of their 10-round lightweight fight on Thursday, April . "Nobody pushed me, I pushed myself," he says, remembering how he'd wake up to run hours before school. They aren't sure yet whether they'll go to Mexico or Puerto Rico first. Garcia tucks in his shirt and gives him a small squirt of water. Diaz has trained professional fighters for more than a decade out of his gym at Indio Boys & Girls Club. He's 32 years old and wants to be a world champion again. "Mr. Diaz," the doctor said, "you can't fight anymore." Yes, you can learn things here as a boxer that will help you win. They're kids with parents who are agricultural, construction or service workers. One of those guys is Bek The Bully, who'll rematch against Gabe Rosado on April 22. In the beginning of round 12, Freitas was able to score an early knockdown, and as Barrios stood up on wobbly legs and Freitas went straight at him and with a couple more shots, Barrios was clearly in bad shape and badly discombobulated and the fight was stopped. "It's just a nick.". A couple of significant fights took place last weekend, but Manny Pacquiaos knockout win over Lucas Matthysse for the WBO welterweight world title heads the list. Elite boxers began showing up such as Terence Crawford, Omar Figueroa, Lucas Matthysse and others. It's this story of survival that explains why people in Coachella Valley's east side are drawn to him. Andrew John is a reporterfor The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. I would sit at that table and eat, drink, write and sleep, Diaz said. After a year building his own boxing gym in Indio, doing much of the work by himself, trainer Joel Diaz is close toopening it to the community. EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: Joel Diaz: A Hard Knock-Life Documentary by Newman Studios. It reminded me of George Foremans obliteration of Joe Frazier back in the 1970s. "They come from nothing," Diaz says. They also want to provide school supplies for less-fortunate families at the start of the school year and turkeys at Thanksgiving. Recently former WBC super featherweight champion Francisco El Bandido Vargas has become part of the team and is preparing for a showdown against Englands Stephen Smith at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Dec. 9. Claim this business. They'll come and leave along with the part-time residents that make this place their part-time home. "Rosado, Rosado," other boxers tell him. Hed write down his plans, his goals, his schedule to make it happen, and would occasionally put his head down on the tableand rest for a few minutes. Maybe by showing them those fields, that'd help explain why he and their mother left and were apart for so long. Barrios got up at the count of 4, he didnt know where he was as he looked around towards the crowd like a kid separated from his family at a theme park, but Barrios turned to the ref at the count of 8 and signaled that he was okay, SAVED BY THE BELL. "If Arely knew about this, she'd drop you with a punch to the liver," Diaz tells Gracia. When Joel built his gym, Flores' father, a carpenter, did the framing. He's still in the ring, talking into a microphone, saying he wants to fight for a world championship next.
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